PAPER FUEL BRIQUETTES PROJECT
Introduction
The main purpose of the project is to reduce the importation of fossil fuels such as heavy oil and
coal for thermal power stations, sugar estates thermal power station and factory already using
coal for their boilers.
Through an extensive market research on the waste available in Mauritius that is;
- building construction waste
- hotels waste
- hospital waste
- general office waste
- household waste
We have concluded that paper is the best waste to be converted into fuels among all these
potential waste.
Our country imports about 210,000 T of paper annually (which could be recycled) such as
newspapers, magazines, office papers, cement bags and cartons. A percentage of about 10 to
20% of waste and scrap paper could be collected freely, which resume that 7-8 T of waste and
scrap paper are thrown to our landfills everyday.
Due to this situation, the aim of my project tends on the collection of these waste and scrap
papers, process them into fuel briquettes and sell them to the above mentioned customers in
order to promote a cleaner technology.
The Project
a) Collection and Education
With a team of few persons, we target to educate and promote the business to the population
through door to door leaflets, billboards and e-mail. Putting emphasis that they will contribute to
reduce the degradation of our environment and in the coming year reduce there electricity bills.
As the project will directly affect the cost of imported fossil fuels. Secondly, through a
questionnaire survey, determine the best process for the collection. Whether as normal municipal
collection or providing several depots at different point. The collection will be made by two
trucks of capacity 2,5T each, with two drivers and two helpers. Each truck will make about 2-3
trips per day.
b) Process with operators
The process of waste paper to be transformed into compressed paper briquettes is very simple.
After collection, the paper is sorted out by two operators, shredded and then blended with water
to form a pulp paste by another two operators. The paste is then pressed in briquetter form and
leaved to air dry, for this section one operator and two helpers are needed. After which, the
briquettes are ready to be delivered by two helpers and used as fuels.
The Project
c) Price
During the survey carried out within ten families on the collection of waste paper, we noticed
that only four families responded to the survey. We conclude that it would be better to give
incentives to a family or else per kg to facilitate our collect.
We intend to sell our briquettes at Rs5000 per ton, which is quite similar to coal per ton. With a
starting production of 5 tons per day, we will have the capacity to buy our raw material at Rs
2.00 per kg.
Conclusion
The project is based on a simple collection of waste paper which is easily available. The
collection will decrease wastage and the transformation to briquette will replace the importation
of fossil fuels.
The storage of both the finished products as well as the raw materials is non-pollutant and easily
done. A simple shelter is needed such as an old unused shed as the base of operation. At a first
place the briquettes will replace the importation of coal and heavy oil. Secondly, it will decrease
pollution from dusting, ash, sulphur emission caused by burning coal and heavy oil.
The project will be expanded by further collection of other transformable waste such as textile
waste, agro forestry waste, sugarcane bagasse, leuceana, sawdust and many others can be added
to the pulp paste.
As per attached business plan and profit & loss sheets. It is clear that it is a profitable business
besides of being in priority an ecological project. It will also create jobs for both people doing
the collection as well as the transformation with final affinities “Pour une Ile Maurice durable”.