Africa-Press – Mauritius. The ecological transition and sustainable development are among Government’s priorities and, to this end, it is imperative to move away from the traditional linear economy, which has a consumption and production model of ‘take, make, use, throw away’, and to adopt a circular economy approach, which puts more emphasis on reducing, reconditioning, reusing and recycling.
The Minister of Environment, Solid Waste Management and Climate Change, Mr Kavydass Ramano, made this statement, during the opening ceremony of a forum on the theme ‘Construction and sustainable development: moving from commitment to action’, organised by Kolos Cement Ltd at the Caudan Arts Centre in Port Louis, this morning.
The Director General of Kolos Cement Ltd, Mr Dominique Billon, and other personalities were present on this occasion. Minister Ramano highlighted that Mauritius annually generated more than 70,000 tons of plastic waste from packaging, out of which only 3,000 tons were recycled, while most of this waste was channelled to the Mare Chicose landfill or ended up in nature.
“As such, Government is determined to go further in its commitment to contribute effectively to the fight against plastic pollution through a circular approach,” he emphasised.
He underlined that sustainable construction, on the other hand, used less energy and materials, produced fewer harmful emissions, and was directly linked to the 15 Sustainable Development Goals. He observed that the industry self-regulation was a powerful driver for the development of sustainable construction and the reuse of materials.
According to him, sustainability in this sector required a change of mindset whereby the entire life cycle of the asset, its operational phase, as well as all its components and its embodied carbon footprint, were taken into account.
Furthermore, Minister Ramano underscored that an Integrated (Solid and Hazardous) Waste Management Bill had been ratified this year and circulated to relevant stakeholders.
He remarked that this new law, once enacted, would provide the necessary framework for the implementation of large circular economy projects led by Government.
“The new legislative framework will also provide support for private initiatives by setting the economic conditions for the recovery of materials from waste and their respective recovery,” he added.
In addition, the Environment Minister exhorted academic institutions to conduct research on the different types of construction and demolition waste, the amounts that were typically generated in Mauritius, and the best way to use them profitably.
“This is essential for the establishment of appropriate waste management infrastructure, the development of policies and legislation,” he informed.
Minister Ramano also seized the opportunity to commend Kolos Cement Ltd for the organisation of this forum on sustainability in the construction industry and for its green initiative through the implementation of the palletless system and the recovery of plastic packaging for the manufacture of products that would be used in the construction industry itself.
For his part, Mr Billon pointed out that the forum provided an appropriate platform for relevant public and private stakeholders to reflect on the integration principles of the circular economy in the construction sector.
He also recalled Kolos Cement Ltd was engaged in a large-scale campaign with its stakeholders and all the actors in the supply chain so that the plastic used for packaging of Kolos Cement Ltd’s products be returned and recycled into piping iso-range by DKD Plastic Pipes. Once recycled, the product will be used in the construction sector itself.
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