The Potential and Obstacles for Waste-to-Energy in Island Settings

Rapid economic development and also population growth of urban centers in developing island nations have resulted in the generation of large amounts of MSW that in the past were dumped at uninhabited areas indiscriminately. Also, islands have very limited space for new, sanitary landfills. This study examines islands where WTE has been implemented successfully (Bermuda, Martinique, St. Barth) and several others (Jamaica, Mauritius, Rhodes) where WTE has been considered and is in various stages of implementation. The study showed that the per capita generation of MSW increases as GDP per capita increases. Also, it is usually recommended that the waste management system be improved one step at a time, that is, to go from dumps to sanitary landfills, to waste to energy; it is interesting to note that the three islands examined in this study went directly from dumps to WTE. This phenomenon can be partly attributed to the scarcity of land for new landfills, but may also be due to the desire to develop a local and renewable energy source.