Mauritius is always compared to countries like Singapore and Hong kong where Waste to energy plants are operational. Mauritius with a GDP per capita of only 5300USD (2005)24 does not have the same financial resources compared with Hong Kong with a GDP per capita of USD 33 479 (2004) and Singapore with a per capita of USD28 368 (2004)25.

But the most important aspect is that the waste characteristics in these two countries are appropriate for incineration with characteristics similar to US and Europe. Furthermore it must be noted that Singapore and Hong Kong have MSW landfills in operation but severe land constraints have imposed the use of incineration as a mode of disposal but after sustainable forms waste management such as reuse and recycle have been implemented.

In Developing Countries, expensive waste incinerators have been built in cities such as Manila (Philippines), Lagos (Nigeria), Mexico City (Mexico), Surabaya (Indonesia) but have been beset with all types of problems. It must be noted that the waste characteristics in these places cited above are similar to those observed in Mauritius, namely high in moisture content and organic/vegetable fraction.

In Surabaya (Indonesia) a waste incinerator was built in 1991 that doubled the MSWM budget for the city. Due to the climate and to the high moisture content of the MSW, the MSW must be dried in the sun for five days before incineration and even then auxiliary fuel was required in order to sustain combustion. After such bad experience Indonesia has shifted to sustainable energy recovery by recovery of methane from the existing landfill and anaerobic digestion to generate electricity.

In Lagos (Nigeria)26 three incinerators were built with a Western European Grant at a cost of US30M in 1979 but were never used. Two of them were dismantled in 1989 and a third was converted into a civic centre.

On the other hand several states in India have made attempts at WTE plants but these have been beset by the same problems, i.e., low calorific value and high moisture content of MSW. The most reported failure is the WTE plant at Timarpur, New Delhi27 However recently there has been a surge in interest for WTE Plant in India as many states have adopted a subsidy policy for WTE Plants under renewable energy sources. This policy is controversial enough and has mobilised the Indian Society at large.

In Manila (Philippines) after the bad experience with waste incinerator, the Government of Philippines passed the Clean Air Act in 1999. This Act in effect prohibits the use of incinerators in waste management. The provision of the Act came into effect in November 200328.

Waste to energy plants in countries with the same economic, social and environmental profile like Mauritius, that are fully operational are not known but if they exist they are more the exception than the rule.

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24 Source Mauritius Commercial Bank
25 Source IMF
26 Source:
27 Source: Ramakrishna, V (1993): Urban Solid Waste Management – A special Reference to Delhi. Birla Institute of Technology& Science, Pilani
28 Source: The World Bank (2001): The Philippines Environment Monitor 2000.