“Drastic? Seychelles Says No More to Plastics”; Seychelles takes the First Step for Plastic Ban

The Social Media has seen a deepening concern by the general public of the increasing number of rubbish filled on our beaches lately. Pictures of plastic cups and plates left piled on the beach after picnics the night before are being posted and sites of illegal dumping are on the rise. Littering is increasing, some people are refusing to adopt proper waste disposal methods and from the recent “Clean Up The World” campaign 178 tons of rubbish was collected. Seychelles may face serious solid waste management problem especially as the space for future landfill is becoming a concern, long-term impacts of the waste in the environment and processing of waste. Consumerism which fuels the economy of the developed countries has greatly influenced the Seychelles, as the small island state has become a very consumerist society in view of the significant amount of economic development. The amount of waste is generating significantly during the past decade to about 0.8kg per person per day. This figure is likely to continuously increase if the country progresses under the Business-As-Usual Scenario. As a country that prides itself of its environmental achievements, adopting the right measures to reduce waste and improve further the cleanliness image of Seychelles is a must.

Figure 1: Rubbish on Au Cap Beach (Courtesy of Gossip Corner; Facebook)

 It takes about 1000 years for plastic to disintegrate, plastic carrier bags affect wildlife and pollute the environment. From a recent research undertaken in June 2016, preliminary findings shows that approximately 33% of all the waste that enters the landfill consists of plastics (mostly plastic carrier bags and packaging materials).  It was not surprising that on Thursday 21^st September, 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a cabinet paper to ban the importation and use of plastic carrier bags, single use Styrofoam takeaway boxes, plastic plates, cups and cutlery by July 2017.  The Plastic Ban Regulation will come into effect in January 2017 importers and retailers will be able to exhaust their stock supply by July 2017. This is the first step that the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change is undertaking for the ban of plastic bans as following in the footsteps of our neighbouring country Mauritius which implemented  the ban last year. The Ministry has also been working with the Department of Finance and Trade to offer VAT exemption on the importation of environmentally friendly alternatives to Styrofoam takeaway boxes.

Figure 2: Single Use Plastics

 

In the upcoming months, the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change will be leading an education and awareness campaign with its partners and with the help of the NGO’s to inform the general public about the ban and the biodegradable alternatives that one can use. It may seem a drastic measure to some but a necessary one for Seychelles to say no more plastics.