Establishment of an Energy Recovery

Sequence of Household, Agricultural and

Industrial Waste in Reunion Island
Christelle Hatik, Dominique Morau, Laetitia Adelard. Laboratory PIMENT

CONTACT DETAILS

Name: Christelle HATIK

Email: christelle.hatik@univ-reunion.fr

EXECUTIVE SOMMARY

For several years now, the management and recovery of municipal solid waste have become essen-
tial. That’s why, France and Europe, are moving towards the anaerobic digestion to treat their mu-
nicipal solid waste. But, Reunion Island requires a specific approach because of its insularity. The
aim of Regional government on Reunion Island is to achieve energy independence for 2025. Thus,
the purpose of this waste management is to mix different types of waste to optimize the economics
of the project, reduce the transport cost and suggest a solution for the energy needs. For example,
many facilities of treatment (500 kW to 2 MW) could be developed in each sub-region (North, East,
West, South) to value the effluents from industrial sources associated with sewage sludge. In addi-
tion, smaller facilities could be implemented in the agricultural sector, made up of effluents from
several farms; or in the food industry. Several possibilities in this reflection still have to be investi-
gated in order to see which would be the most beneficial to Reunion Island.

INTRODUCTION

Reunion Island is a small island about 2500 squares, located in the Indian Ocean, between Mauri-
tius and Madagascar. Reunion Island is an oversea department and region of France as well as an
outermost region of the European Union. Its population reached 833 000 inhabitants in 2010 (IN-
SEE). The island is divided into 24 municipalities and 5 communities (fig.1). The population
growth is average %. Reunion Island looks like a cone-shaped, thus, people are essentially concen-
trated on the coast whereas a minority of them remains on high altitude (the tops) (fig.2).

Figure 1 Distribution of communities and municipalities on Reunion Island

 Figure 2 Distribution of population by 2030

Reunion Island totally depends on importations, especially for fuel and coal in order to fill its ener-
gy needs (fig.3). Electric production on RI on 2010 was about 2699,5 GWh (232,2 ktep) with
1787,3 GWh ( 66,2%) product thanks to fossil energy. The rest of energy production comes from
renewable energy (33,8%) like hydrolytic energy, photovoltaic energy…(OER, 2011) (fig.4). The
energy consummation in 2010 reached 2467 GWh (Angelis-Dimakis, Biberacher et al. 2011).

That’s why the national and regional government established some guidelines in order to make Re-
union Island a “Green Island” by 2025 to 2030 (European Directive n°2008/98/CE and
1999/31/CE). For this, the Regional government sets up a plan called “the PRERURE” (Plan Ré-
gional des Energies Renouvelables et de l’Utilisation Rationnelle de l’Energie) and a strategy “the
STARTER” (Stratégie pour l’Autonomie Energétique, la Relance et la Transition de l’Economie
Réunionnaise) (Regional Council of Reunion Island). The objectives of PRERURE are to reduce
the emissions of greenhouse gases and to control energy demand to achieve energy independence to
2025, 2030.

To achieve this energy independence, STARTER recommends creating an energy mix that is 100%
renewable so as to diversify the energy supply. Energy mix is composed of intermittent energy,
semi basic energy and base energy. Intermittent energy contains wind energy and photovoltaic en-
ergy with 1000 to 2500 hours of operation per year. Semi basic energy contains energy wave and
hydropower with 3000 to 5000 running time per year. And last but not least, base energy with ther-
mal energy from the sea, geothermal energy and biomass energy with 7000 to 9000 running time
per year. Indeed, Reunion Island is very fortunate to have all these resources. Though every type of
energy has its importance, this paper is going to focus on the biomass.

Figure 3 Importation of fossil combustibles on 2010 Figure 4 Electric production on 2010 by types of energy

"Biomass" is a term used to refer to the assumption that all organic matter could become a source of
energy. These organic matters can be derived of FFOM (fermentable part of household wastes),
agricultural and industrial effluents, sewage sludge or plant material, in order to produce green elec-
tricity. All this organic matter can be used by different methods: combustion, gasification, anaerobic
digestion...

My researches suggest a way for the overall management of household, industrial and agricultural
waste in Reunion Island and a focus on their energy recovery. My researches have been developed
along three lines:

 The knowledge of the municipal solid waste deposits and their temporal and spatial distri-
bution in the area, and the analysis of the biogas production capacity (Fripiat et
al.,1984)(Karellas, Boukis et al. 2010).
 The study of social behavior in order to determined trends in terms of waste treatment facil-
ities (individual management, methods of sorting, and collective platform of energy produc-
tion or composting) in order to propose a schema of waste treatment (Anderson & Saw,
1986; Couplet et al. 1979). I will use software on waste management and decision support
in order to suggest a diagram on waste treatment.
 The study of energy and environmental impacts on the whole industry of waste manage-
ment from collection to final treatment, according to the different mode of energy recovery
chosen. For this step, waste management software based on life cycle analysis will be used
(Berglund and Börjesson 2006; Bovea, Ibáñez-Forés et al. 2010).

This study focuses on the first and the second axis cited just before. The aim is to expose the current
organic waste management scenario to target problems, to determine wastes deposit and to evaluate
the energetic potential that come from wastes, to suggest thereafter waste-stream management strat-
egies with current technologies (Singh, Tyagi et al. ; Gupta, Mohan et al. 1998; C.A 2000; Al-
Khatib, Monou et al. 2010; Boer, Jędrczak et al. 2010; Morris and Barlaz 2011; Pires, Martinho et
al. 2011).

CURRENT ORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT SCENARIO IN REUNION ISLAND

At the moment, the municipal solid waste management is composed of four waste streams collected
in door to door. We have selected collect waste (CS), final waste (OMR), green waste (DV) and
bulky waste (Enc). Other types of wastes are directly deposed in waste receptor center by individu-
als like lubricating oil, batteries of car, wastes of electric and electronic equipment, woods, green
wastes, cardboards, and wastes of construction site… Glass wastes are collected using borders of
voluntary contribution. Of course green waste and bulky waste can also be deposed directly in a
receptor center. Communities are equally introduced a professional cardboard collect. CS is effected
at a frequency of once a week (C1), OMR twice a week (C2), DV and Enc with a frequency racing
from once a mouth to twice per week according to zones (C0.5 to C2). For CS and OMR streams,
communities give rolling tubs, for others streams, peoples put them directly on the floor, in front of
their home, the eve.
 Figure 5 Current waste-stream organization

CS stream is routed at the nearest sorting office whereas OMR stream is routed whether at the near-
est landfill, or at transit station when the landfill is too far for directly routed. Enc stream is equally
routed to sorting office or bulky sorting platform. All refusal of sorting (refusal of sorting of the
center of composting, of sorting office…) are evacuated towards respective landfill according to
zones (fig.5). However, Reunion Island is devoid of incinerator. The technology creates more po-
lemics concerning health people, pollution… and where could we implement it without disturbing
the population? Finally, Reunion Island is provided with three sorting offices, two transit stations,
two landfills, three compost stations, two stations of grinding, and two thermal power plants (fig.6).

In concrete terms, municipal solid waste come from TCO, CIVIS and CASUD are forwarded at the
CIVIS landfill whereas municipal solid waste come from CIREST and CINOR are forwarded at the
CINOR landfill. TCO and CINOR wastes are stocked in the transit station of Port city and the trans-
it station of Jamaïque respectively. Once at the transit station, wastes are put in big trucks called
“sperm whale” to reduce transport costs. Wastes coming of CASUD and CIREST are directly di-
rected to their respective landfills.

As the seam way, CASUD and CIVIS wastes are treated at the sorting office of CIVIS
(Pierrefonds), TCO wastes are treated at the sorting office of TCO (CYCLEA), and CIREST and
CINOR wastes are treated at the sorting office of CINOR (VALOI). Once, sorted wastes are ex-
ported in the Indian Ocean (India, South Africa…).

Landfills of Reunion Island (RI) are to become full by 2014, so we need a solution now to manage
wastes. That’s why, the Department government revised the PDEDMA (Plan Départemental
d’Elimination des Déchets Ménagers et Assimilés) in 2011s. The PDEDMA is a departmental
guideline of waste management strategies. It suggests some scenarios like mechanical-biological
pretreatment (MBT) by stabilization before burying, with the objective of reducing the volume of
Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW) to 30%. This plan recommends to set up
three MBT stations near the landfills. But, Reunion Island is a very small area and so lacks lands.
 Figure 6 Current waste equipment on RI

Thus, even after having made a geographic work to find some place for new landfills, results are not
conclusive. Also, I think is important to revise Reunion Island Waste Management (RIWM) and
take new directions. For this, I have analyzed the advantages and the limitations of the MSW man-
agement process in the RI scenario.

THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF WASTE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

There is a wide variety of substrates/raw materials existing in the world. Therefore there also is a
wide variety of processes and technologies for exploitation and conversion to the bio-energy.
Henceforth, we know thermal conversion like incineration, pyrolysis, gasification and bio-chemical
conversion like anaerobic digestion, composting, fermentation. (Luoranen, Soukka et al. 2009;
Ayhan 2011)

Incineration
Incineration is a common technique for treating waste. It’s a complete combustion treatment. It can
reduce waste volume by up 90% (national senate). Landfills in RI are saturated, so, integrating an
incinerator in our waste management would be a good solution to reduce landfill waste. And in or-
der to reach the objective of achieving independence energy, an incineration process could be cou-
pled with the stream and electricity generation process. Also, the incineration process destroys bac-
teria, virus and other pathogenic organisms to produce a sterile ash residue. By cons, this process
makes CO2, dioxins emissions and other pollutants, noxious and toxics emissions. Therefore, the
brand image of incinerators is very negative in RI; we can say that the NIMBY syndrome is strong-
ly present. This subject is very polemical (make disturbance) no mayors or politicians want to en-
gage in this topic. And that’s why the solution of implementing an incinerator process in the island
would be a very bad decision.

Pyrolysis
It is a thermal method of waste treatment which requires hot temperature (800-1300K) in the ab-
sence of oxygen. Pyrolysis allows the decomposition of waste in a “raw material” like bio-oils,
“coal” and syngaz. Bio-oil can be used like fuel, “coal” can be used like combustible or amend-
ment, and syngaz can be used like a heat energy source for the process or other. The process ad-
vantage is that there is no wastes, all is recycled, or reused and volume reduced. Moreover, once
started the process is self-sustaining. Many technologies exist as slow, fast or flash pyrolysis, the
difference results on the temperature and residence time. The shorter is the residence times, the
higher is the temperature. However, the principal inconvenient is that “coal” concentrates heavy
metals and RI's waste contain a high concentration of them, especially mercury with an average of
15.65 mg/kg of dry matter (MODECOM Ile de la Réunion, 2008). So, “coal” could be eliminated in
landfill instead of being reused.
Gasification
Gasification is a thermo-chemical process, which requires a higher temperature than pyrolysis
(>1000 K) and which converts carbon matter (feedstock, biomass, wastes…) into syngas especially
composed of CO, H2 (Ahmed and Gupta 2010). This syngas can be used in cogeneration, after puri-
fication, in an engine or gas turbine. It can also be transformed to synthetic natural gas (SNG) or to
hydrogen. Methane and other hydrocarbons are also produced in different amounts, depending on
the technology used (operating conditions of the reactor) and feedstock (Guan, Luo et al. 2009).
But, gasification process is relatively expensive compared to the incineration or pyrolysis process
(Consonni and Viganò 2012). Moreover, purification of tars make during the process is relatively
difficult and expensive. If the system is perfectly used, there are no wastes in the end of the process,
not like pyrolysis. Therefore, it could be a good solution for waste management in RI. We can re-
duce waste landfill and produce electricity to achieve energy independence (Galeno, Minutillo et al.
2011). Moreover, two gasification projects are also in phase of feasibility to create a wood energy
network on RI.

Anaerobic Digestion
Anaerobic digestion is a bio-chemical process using bacteria and other micro-organisms to break-
down the biomass. It can treat a wide variety of organic matter like sewage sludge, agricultural ef-
fluent, industrial organic waste, green waste (grass…)… This technology transforms organic matter
into biogas (Mata-Alvarez, Macé et al. 2000). The biogas generated can be use to create aheat and
power (CHP). The electricity generated can be a self-powered process. The rest of the electricity
generated is injected into the electric grid. The heat generated can be used to heat the home. At the
end of the process, organic matters are transformed into digestate. Digestate can spread on fields
like amendment. Nowadays, only one anaerobic digestion unit functions in RI. This unit treats
cheap wine stemming from distilleries. The problem is that the surface of manure is too small to be
spread on digestate fields, sewage sludge and agricultural effluent (rests).

The Region government published a guideline “Schema Directeur Méthanisation Biomasse” in

2011. This guideline highlights many areas such as the anaerobic digestion process which treats all
of the organic waste and matter on RI in order to reduce landfill waste and to generate energy.
Many anaerobic digestions are in project, either in phase of feasibility or in launch. Actually, five
anaerobic digestions are in phase of feasibility. All projects are to treat agricultural effluents with
agroindustrial wastes and effluents (waste from abattoirs or organic waste like frying oil, vegetable
peeling, grass…) depending on plant and zone (sch).

Composting
Composting is a natural process which transforms organic matter, especially green waste and kitch-
en waste, into compost. Compost looks like loam. It can be used as soil amendment. In RI, this
method is used to treat municipal green waste. Effectively, we have a tropical climate, very wet, so
trees grow very quickly and it is important for us to manage this waste-stream. Moreover, compost
is used to maintain municipal gardens. The rest is given or sold to private individuals or famers. As
seen before, we have three composting stations and two station of grinding in RI. Communities
promote home composting, for which they give a free of charge compost bin. This technique allows
people to manage their green wastes and to reduce green-waste-stream. It’s a big advantage to have
our own compost in our garden.

SUGGESTION OF ORGANIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN REUNION ISLAND

All in all, RI seems to have no choice. We must make waste-stream strategies in the long term.
PDEDMA is based on Grenelle 1 Law (Loi Grenelle 1, 2009). The objective is to reduce to 7% the
production of MSW by 2015 and again 7% more by 2020; to increase the use of the recycling pro-
cess up to 45% by 2015 and to 50% by 2020. Moreover, European Directive n°1999/31/CE stipu-
lates that organic wastes landfills must be reduced by 50% in 2009 and by 65% by 2016 regarding
weight of the totality of the biodegradable household wastes. Finally, PDEDMA shows an example
of waste-stream strategies by 2020 (fig.7).

Figure 7 Waste-stream strategies on RI by 2020 (source: revision of PDEDMA 2011 of RI)

So, MSW (194500t) are sorted by MBT and stabilized before being buried; Green wastes and OF-
MSW are composted (respectively 9000t and 115000t); cardboards, magazines, glass wastes, metal
waste, bulky wastes… are sorted and exported for their value (133110t) and sorted refuse of bulky
wastes and sorted office are burring (194000t). So, we can see that waste-stream strategies of
PDEDMA essentially promotes to reduce the waste production, to increase the sorted source and to
value them thanks to the exportation. But, that is insufficient as landfills are saturated and as no
more place are found to create new landfills. We must think about a waste-stream strategies “zero
wastes”, “zero landfill wastes” or with only a few tones in landfills per year(Phillips, Tudor et al.
2011). For this, we need to include new treatment technologies, new waste equipments to complete
the current system.

ADEME (Agence de l’environnement et de la maîtrise en énergie) set up a method in 1993, the

MODECOM (Méthode de caractérisation des ordures ménagères). This method allowed to charac-
terize municipal solid waste (OMR, CS, DV and Enc). This investigation was renewed in 2007 in
metropolitan France, overseas Territories and Departments. Results show that 75% of DMR are
recyclable matters (MODECOM, Ile de la Réunion, 2008). Confirmation being given, we must act.
Otherwise, Regional Council of RI introduced The “Schéma Directeur Méthanisation Biomasse”
(SDMB). The SDMB achieves a census of all organic waste-stream production (tab.1). This guide-
line promotes anaerobic digestion process to treat organic wastes on RI. Results show that organic
matter deposit (household waste, industrial waste and agricultural waste) can produce an average of
33 950 000m3 CH4/t of dry matters. Some details on a few anaerobic digestion processes are to be
found on tab.2. This schema is to develop a full-scale anaerobic digestion process for agroindustrial
waste on CIVIS, three low-scale projects for agricultural waste, three projects to treat sewage
sludge with green waste directly on water-treatment plan, two projects for specific industrial efflu-
ents and last but not least, a full-scale MBT to extract OFMSW (Fantozzi and Buratti 2011), of
course, with an extraction of the biogas coming from the burying center, by 2020. Regional strate-
gies promote the creation of biogas-bus and biogas-refuse trucks for biogas consumption. As for
energy consumption, Regional government promotes the use of heat to heat agricultural builds, wa-
ter, greenhouse gardening; to dry plants, to help with sewage sludge, digestate, distillation and air
conditioning. Energy production can also be directly used for electricity needs.

Table 1 Census of organic waste-stream production on RI on 2011 (source: Schéma Directeur Méthanisation
Biomasse)

Type de gisements Quantification du gisement (t/MS) Volume CH4 (m3)

Agricultures 126 000 24 410 000
FFOM 64 615 3 880 000
Tontes 2 606 700 000
Repas restauration can-
tines 1 457 460 000
Boues STEP 11 982 1 750 000
IAA NA 2 750 000
Total  206660 33 950 000

Table 2 Anaerobic digestion process feasibility study (source: Schéma Directeur Méthanisation Biomasse)
Type de gisements Quantités traitées Puissance installée Destination
(t MS) (kWé)
Agricole + IAA 2700 400 Production d’électricité
dans la zone
Agricole + IAA 4600 900 Production d’électricité
dans la zone
Agricoles + bio- 70% + 30% 90 Chauffage des bâtiments
déchets de volailles
Agricole + IAA 11150 1300 Production d’électricité
dans la zone
Agricole + IAA 7200 900 Chauffage des bâtiments
de volailles

DISCUSION AND CONCLUSION

Despite all measures, I think that the government of RI doesn’t work for the long term. In order to
optimize the waste-stream management in RI, we must make each collectivity (CIVIS/
TCO/CINOR/CIREST) more independent and complementary. For this, I suggest that we create
waste complex like a small industrial zone specialized in waste treatment and management. Also, I
suggest that we burn or destruct waste equipment (except incinerator) to substitute them to landfill
management. For this, I think that we should combine the same waste management anaerobic diges-
tion treatment with gasification treatment. This combination will allow the treatment of all organic
wastes, except sewage sludge by anaerobic digestion for now and the rest of waste (organic and not
organic) by gasification. At this step, it is just, of course, a suggestion. In order to validate this
waste-stream management, I still need to do a waste characterization through experimentations and
I still need to achieve a scenario to optimize the repartition and organization of the different waste
equipment on the island.

This article is just an introduction to my study which incorporates: the current situation, the gov-
ernment orientations and propositions, and a brief preview of the organic deposit and other.
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