Plastic Waste: From Sweeping to Recycling Ballet

DKD Co. Ltd recycles 90 tons of plastic each month. However, beyond the numbers, it represents an entire value chain – economic, social, and environmental – that is taking shape within this family business in Saint-Pierre.

On Wednesday, January 21, at 9 AM, we entered the DKD Co. Ltd factory in L’Avenir, Saint-Pierre. We were welcomed by Tracey Gopal, 22, the daughter of the co-founder. A collection truck arrived, filled with bags of plastic collected from Mauritian businesses. Employees unloaded the bags, which were then transported to the workshop at the back of the factory.

Inside, women diligently sort the materials. They separate, cut, and prepare the plastic. It is then ground, mixed, and transformed into granules. These recycled granules will be turned into orange electrical conduits (Isorange) for the construction sector or polyethylene pipes for agriculture.

Each month, around 90 tons of plastic pass through this factory in Saint-Pierre, totaling nearly 1,080 tons a year. These figures place DKD among the significant players in recycling in Mauritius, where the saturation of the Mare-Chicose landfill has become a major concern.

Tracey leads us to her father, Jiovani Gopal, who is engaged in conversation with one of his employees. Upon our arrival, he greets us warmly with a handshake. Without delay, we ask the burning question: "Did it all really start in your yard?" He smiles, his gaze filled with nostalgia: "Yes, it all began in a small eight-foot shed in the family yard in Pointe-aux-Piments. Today, the area has significantly expanded, and what was once just an idea has turned into a real business in L’Avenir, Saint-Pierre."

It was in 2007 when Jiovani Gopal and his friend Herwin Coret, former colleagues in plastic transformation, decided to go into business for themselves. They produced pipes under a simple tarp, without a factory or financial means. "At first, the motivation was mainly economic: to feed their families and continue working in a field they knew well," Tracey explains. "But soon, the high costs of imported raw materials pushed them to innovate. The idea of recycling local plastic waste transformed DKD into a genuine ecological and civic adventure."

The beginnings were risky. The founders invested their savings, sold their belongings, and bought second-hand equipment that they modified themselves. "Despite rejections for funding, they persevered. Today, DKD is a structured company with a modern factory, trained employees, and well-defined processes," Tracey asserts.

The first major turning point came in 2009: the investment in recycling, followed by the establishment of a plastic waste collection network across the island, ensuring a constant supply, job creation, and the structuring of a local industry.

Jiovani Gopal states that the success of DKD relies on three pillars: rigorous sorting, regular checks, and complete mastery of the production process. "As a result, we produce reliable, durable products perfectly suited to local needs, reducing both imports and ecological footprints."

But DKD, he insists, is also a human adventure. "The company has created more than 25 direct jobs in collection centers, in addition to positions at the factory. We provide opportunities to individuals who may not always have them, restoring dignity and stability to their lives." Turning to his daughter Tracey with a knowing smile, he jokingly adds, "My succession is assured."

Having grown up watching her father recycle plastic in the family yard, the young woman flashes a shy smile and blushes. But behind this emotion, there is no fear: she knows that her father's expectations are a challenge she will embrace with pride. A management graduate from the University of Technology of Mauritius (UTM), she has chosen to apply her skills to this family business.

As for Herwin Coret, the co-director of the factory, he trusted his friend Jiovani Gopal. While he handles marketing, Jiovani focuses more on the recycling processes and product manufacturing, but he can still manage the business in his partner's absence. "We complement each other, and that’s the strength of our company. What started as friendship has transformed into a family relationship," he expresses joyfully.

For him, Mauritius does not need to look elsewhere for recycling models. "The island has had entrepreneurs and experienced individuals working in this field for years. What is needed today is to recognize and value this local know-how. With real support from the authorities, we could go even further and collectively tackle the waste management challenge in Mauritius."

Tracey Gopal then invites us to take a guided tour of the factory so that we can better understand the plastic recycling stages before sharing her choice to engage in this field as a young person. "Here, we don’t just talk about waste, but about civic responsibility. Knowing that every day, our work prevents tons of plastic from ending up at Mare-Chicose or in nature is very motivating. It’s a meaningful job," she confides.

For Tracey, DKD embodies a paradigm shift. Today, the company collaborates with several Mauritian businesses, including Coca-Cola, as well as collection centers and local recyclers. "Together, we are participating in an environmental initiative that places recycling at the heart of Mauritius's ecological transition."

The company's core values? Perseverance, honesty, respect for the environment, and social commitment. "DKD firmly believes that recycling should benefit the environment, the local economy, and the people who work in it," she clarifies.

The figures illustrate this evolution. "In the past, we collected over 150 tons of waste per month, but nearly 60 tons still ended up in the trash due to lack of sorting," she explains. "Today, thanks to awareness and better organization, we collect about 95 tons per month, with only 5 tons becoming ultimate waste."

Every ton sorted and recycled is one ton less buried at Mare-Chicose. The landfill saturation slows down, and pollution risks decrease. Concrete examples include industrial plastic gallons and films, transformed into granules. "These granules are then used to make orange conduits used in construction. Thus, waste becomes a sustainable resource, a tangible proof that recycling is a concrete solution."

However, recycling is not just about processing waste but transforming behaviors, asserts Tracey. "When a waste has no value, it often ends up in nature. But when it becomes a resource, mindsets evolve."

Through the awareness and sorting organized by DKD, cardboard goes to specialized recyclers, metals to appropriate channels, and plastics to DKD. The result: less abandoned waste and significantly fewer sent to the landfill. "Recycling gives value to what was once considered useless, and this value changes behaviors."

"Mauritius can no longer afford to throw away thoughtlessly," she stresses. A waste may seem insignificant when thrown away alone, but multiplied by thousands of people, it becomes a major problem. "In Mauritius, we no longer have the luxury of ignoring the impact of our daily actions. The Mare-Chicose landfill is reaching saturation, and our beaches, rivers, and neighborhoods are suffering the consequences of careless disposal."

She is convinced: "Recycling, sorting, and disposing of correctly are not great efforts but simple actions that, when combined, make a huge difference. Everyone has a role to play. Change starts at home, in businesses, in schools, and in our daily habits."

As for her vision for Mauritius in ten years, she hopes for a cleaner, more responsible island where recycling is part of everyday life. "Mauritius can no longer afford to throw away thoughtlessly."

Inside the St-Pierre factory, the ballet of plastic bags continues. Each action, each ton recycled contributes to a silent yet tangible transformation: turning waste into a resource, a problem into a solution, an environmental constraint into an economic and social opportunity.

KEY FIGURES

DKD Co. Ltd in numbers

• Founded: 2007
• Monthly recycling: 90 tons of plastic
• Annual recycling: approximately 1,080 tons
• Direct jobs created: over 25 positions in collection centers, plus jobs at the factory
• Products manufactured: orange electrical conduits (Isorange), polyethylene pipes (PE pipes)
• Partners: Coca-Cola, collection centers, local recyclers

The sorting that changes everything

• Before awareness: 150 tons collected/month, 60 tons as ultimate waste
• After awareness: 95 tons collected/month, 5 tons as ultimate waste