The idea is gaining ground everywhere and is taking on a greater dimension in our small islands, currently faced with borders being closed: “We need to be able to make the most of our local resources, starting by not wasting them,” explains Stéphanie Bouloc, the initiator of the La Déchetèque platform.
It is the first platform in Mauritius specialising in the reuse and recycling of construction surplus and materials. As the slogan states, “Promoting second hand, new or used in a circular economy dynamic”. La Déchetèque is a start-up aiming at the reuse of materials in Mauritius, an online platform connecting the owners of unused materials with second-hand users who will revalue them. Its promoter, Frenchwoman Stéphanie Bouloc, is not new to the business: after obtaining a certificate in “Starting and setting up a ressourcerie (another name given to waste disposal centres)” in Nice, France, she specialised in the issue of resource saving and its corollary, waste reduction. The idea is to offer an alternative solution to the purchase of new materials and thus reduce the environmental impact. In Mauritius for the past three years, she has been able to test the needs and demands by participating in beach clean-ups and environmental awareness campaigns, notably with Project Rescue Océan Maurice, We ReCycle and Zero Waste Mauritius.
The upcycling revolution is well underway.
The upcycling revolution is well underway.
Today, the first step is to set up a digital platform that will make it possible to gauge the deposits and demands: “I give myself about three years to put this platform on track. Then, if necessary, I could consider a storage unit, but it’s not certain, if the platform is sufficient to connect supply and demand, it will be fine…”. The business model is based on a subscription to the platform (different formulas depending on the segment of activity in the construction sector), a percentage on transactions, advertising or advice and audits for its members. An original idea that proves once again that the upcycling revolution is well underway. In a few weeks, Stéphanie will be organising the Recup’n’Make Challenge, an artistic “perf” that aims to connect industrialists with artists and the general public to make people understand that waste is a resource. To be followed on our website: www.lejournaldesarchipels.com
By Jacques Rombi
