Why This African Island Has Banned Plastic

As of July 1, 2017, the sale of plastic bags, plates cutlery, and cups as well as Styrofoam takeaway boxes is now banned across the islands of the Seychelles. This was a huge undertaking for the island nation, but the government has achieved this goal on target despite many companies asking for an extension due to outstanding plastic stock.

The ban on plastic items was announced back in September 2016 under the Environment Protection Act. The government set a target that the importation of these goods would be banned by January 1 and the ban of the sale of these goods would start on July 1.

Seychelles plastic ban came into effect on July 1, 2017

Seychelles’ economy is almost entirely based around tourism and fishing. Tourists come to see the pristine environment; therefore, environmentalism and tourism in Seychelles go hand in hand.

The move has been praised by environmental groups, particularly Sustainability for Seychelles, who carried out a three-year campaign to ban Styrofoam takeaway boxes, and SIDS Youth AIMS Hub, who created a ‘Free from plastic bag’ campaign.

Styrofoam boxes were a problem as Creole takeaways are eaten by many locals at least once a day. These were the easiest and most cost effective way for the owners to serve the food. Sustainability for Seychelles helped introduce biodegradable boxes and now, these are being used across the country.

Before the ban was imposed, it was difficult to find reusable shopping bags around Seychelles (the vast majority of shops used plastic bags and the occasional cardboard box). With the importation ban starting in January, many shops started using paper bags and reusable bags months before the official ban started in July. This helped make the change less dramatic for shoppers.

Plastics that have been exempt for the ban include bin liners and food packaging.

Seychelles produces around 48 thousand tonnes of waste annually, with most of that currently ending up in the landfill. The plastic ban is going to make a big difference in reducing that figure.

It’s estimated that Styrofoam and plastic bags take 500+ years to degrade. This is a world-wide problem, of course, but this is undoubtedly amplified on islands as small as Seychelles where waste management is already a difficult task.

It’s certainly not uncommon to see workers clearing roadsides and beaches of litter in Seychelles since there are around 350 people contracted to do this in Seychelles. There are also often ‘clean-ups’ organised by various groups.

Currently there is no official non-commercial ‘litter sorting’ in Seychelles, so most of the rubbish thrown away ends up directly at the landfill. A pilot test was carried out, but that did not work. A recent report entitled ‘solid waste management in the Seychelles‘ showed that litter sorting could further help to reduce the amount of waste ending up at the landfill.

For now, the plastic ban, if enforced thoroughly, is a fantastic step in the right direction towards a greener Seychelles.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.