Shocking 80% of Mauritius’ Annual Construction Waste Dumped Illegally

Up to 100,000 tonnes of construction waste are generated annually in Mauritius, with a staggering 80% being dumped illegally into the environment, the Minister of Environment, Rajesh Anand Bhagwan, revealed.

Speaking on Monday 1 June at the Caudan Arts Centre, Minister Bhagwan laid bare the figures, warning that the local construction industry can no longer avoid a total transformation as it grapples with illegal dumping, depleting natural resources, and a rising carbon footprint.

The disclosures were made during the “Repenser la construction de demain” (Rethinking Tomorrow’s Construction) conference, organized by the UBP Group in partnership with Cap Business océan Indien and the French Development Agency (Agence française de développement).

The event brought together decision-makers, experts, and field operators to address the economic, environmental, and social necessity of transitioning to a circular economy model.

In response to the crisis, Minister Bhagwan highlighted current government commitments, including the National Roadmap for the Circular Economy 2023-2033 and the ongoing development of a dedicated regulatory framework specifically targeting construction site waste.

From the private sector, the UBP Group presented outcomes from its “(G)OLD – Making Gold with Old” initiative.

Spearheaded by Gauthier Ledesma, Transformation & Innovation Manager, the project was showcased via a photography exhibition by Alexandre Lasemillante, which tracked the journey of demolition materials through to their reuse.

A panel comprising Egyla Ellapen (UBP Group), Rajen Moonoosamy (ER Property), and Olivier Labauve d’Arifat (General Construction Co Ltd) further explored practical pathways to achieve circular construction flows across Mauritius.

International perspectives were introduced to the debate by Mahfoud Tahlaïti, a lecturer-researcher at the Institut catholique des arts et métiers/Centrale Nantes, who provided global benchmarks.

Erik de Laurens, founder of SCALE/Scalite, also outlined opportunities regarding emerging materials derived from organic waste.

The day-long conference was structured into three distinct phases: an invitation to rethink current practices, practical case studies detailing how materials move from end-of-life to a second life, and an overview of local collaborations and future perspectives.

Salimah Jaulim of Cap Business océan Indien and Amandine Hardowar de Rosnay from Business Mauritius provided further insights into partnerships and sustainable transition challenges.

Philosopher Anouchka Sooriamoorthy, founder of In The Chaos World, served as the thread connecting the day’s proceedings from the opening to the closing remarks.

Source: l’Express