As is the case worldwide, the issue of waste is a pressing concern in Réunion. There is much talk of plastics, but other types of waste exist, such as metal items. From a chemical point of view, the latter are said to be even more dangerous than plastics. Furthermore, all these materials are highly oxygen-consuming, as they continuously produce oxides, which can be harmful in an environment where oxygen deficits are common during the hot season at low tide. Water quality is, however, essential for the preservation of aquatic ecosystems.
Following a call for proposals launched by the Ministry for Ecological and Solidarity Transition, a pilot project was carried out in 2020 to collect submerged metal waste, with the aim of determining its nature, quantity and distribution. During 26 cases, a total of 937 items weighing 250 kg were removed from the lagoons in the west of Réunion, including 35 kg of lead. The majority of these items were made of iron. They are all corroded, often sharp or pointed, and pose a real physical danger to bathers. In 2023, a new campaign was launched with more substantial resources. Over the course of 35 cases, a total of 1,377 items weighing 1,220 kg were removed from the lagoons in the west of the island. These surveys merely confirmed the significant quantity of metal objects present along the beaches.
The aim of this project is to survey new sites, continuing to focus on metal objects – which are often hidden or buried in the sediment – to understand their nature, quantities and the most affected areas, and finally to remove them permanently from the environment and process them. This new campaign has been developed by building on previous experience to tackle new areas that are more difficult to explore.
Duration: 18 months
