Mare-Chicose Landfill at Risk of Blockade Over Six Months of Unpaid Bills
Waste transport companies in Mauritius are threatening a go-slow after six months without payment, putting rubbish collection at risk of collapse.
Mauritius could be heading for a waste management crisis if haulage companies follow through on threats to block access to the country's main landfill site. The alert was raised on Wednesday 4 November by Joanna Berenger, a member of parliament, in a Facebook post that has drawn attention to a serious financial dispute between the government and private contractors.
At the centre of the standoff is Mare-Chicose, the island's principal controlled landfill located in the south-east of Mauritius. The site receives the vast majority of the island's solid waste and is a critical piece of infrastructure for public sanitation.
According to Berenger, the private transport companies responsible for hauling waste to Mare-Chicose are owed six months of unpaid fees. Facing mounting costs including fuel purchases, staff salaries, truck maintenance and bank loan repayments, they are now considering a go-slow action that could block access to the site. If that happens, rubbish collection across the island could grind to a halt.
Berenger describes the financial situation for these companies as simply unsustainable. They are continuing to operate a public service while carrying the full weight of those costs themselves, with no payment from the authorities responsible for the site.
The MP also raised concerns about the absence of any sanctions against the site's managers for failing to meet their contractual obligations. She questioned why authorities have remained passive in the face of what she framed as a clear breach of contract, drawing a pointed comparison to governance failures seen under the previous Militant Socialist Movement (MSM) government, which was voted out in November 2024.
The MSM, led by former Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, governed Mauritius for several years and faced repeated criticism over public contract management. Berenger's remarks suggest she believes the current administration is repeating old patterns rather than fixing them.
What this means: If the blockade goes ahead, the consequences for ordinary Mauritians would be immediate and visible. Uncollected waste in residential areas, markets and tourist zones would create a public health risk, particularly during the hot summer months now approaching. The situation also raises broader questions about how Mauritius manages contracts with private operators providing essential public services, and what oversight mechanisms exist when payments are delayed for months on end.
No official government response had been issued at the time of writing. It remains unclear whether the Ministry of Environment or the relevant local authorities have opened talks with the transport companies to resolve the payment arrears.
Source: ION News
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Mare-Chicose landfill in Mauritius?β
Mare-Chicose is Mauritius's main controlled landfill site, located in the south-east of the island. It is managed under a public contract and receives the bulk of the country's solid waste. It has been in operation since the late 1990s and remains the primary destination for household and commercial refuse collected across Mauritius.
Why are waste transport companies threatening to block Mare-Chicose?β
According to MP Joanna Berenger, private haulage companies contracted to transport waste to Mare-Chicose have not been paid for approximately six months. With ongoing costs including fuel, wages, truck maintenance and bank repayments, the companies say continued operations are financially unsustainable and are considering a go-slow or blockade of the site.
What would happen if Mare-Chicose was blocked?β
A blockade at Mare-Chicose would likely halt or severely disrupt rubbish collection across Mauritius. Uncollected waste would pile up in residential areas, markets and tourist zones, creating public health risks. This would be especially serious given that Mauritius enters its hotter, wetter summer season around November to April.
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