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Seychelles’ environment department is developing a national action plan to identify key sources, pathways, hot spots, and impacts of plastic pollution including microplastics. Key partners in the project met last week to share knowledge on marine litter and plastic pollution, and learn more about action plans from a global perspective. They also discussed existing information gaps in Seychelles
Seychelles’ environment department is developing a national action plan to identify key sources, pathways, hot spots, and impacts of plastic pollution including microplastics. Key partners in the project met last week to share knowledge on marine litter and plastic pollution, and learn more about action plans from a global perspective. They also discussed existing information gaps in Seychelles.
In her presentation at the meeting, the head of the waste department, Nanette Laure, said, marine litter and plastic are varied. There is an increase in the quantities but the proper assessment of the quantum littered has not been done yet.
The principal secretary for environment, Dennis Matatiken, said in his address that plastic was considered the largest, most harmful and most proportion of marine litter. It remains in the environment for centuries and even millennia. It is estimated that the cumulative hazards and direct impact of marine plastics already contribute to an estimated US$500 million to US$2.5 billion in marine eco-services per year, globally.
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https://trendsnafrica.com/seychelles-building-capacity-for-sea-food-processing/
Seychelles was invited to partner with UNEP in 2019 to pilot test a new approach to address the knowledge gap on marine litter and plastic. The idea was to develop and develop a national source inventory and action plan. It was felt by the UNEP, that by involvement in the project, Seychelles would enhance its national capacity, so as to be able to gather more data, to be able to monitor the trends. Seychelles has put in place many measures to address the problem of marine litter, such as a solid waste management system, regular beach cleaning by private contractors, recycling programs for pet plastic bottles and aluminum cans, and a ban on the use of single-use plastic bags, takeaway boxes, and plastic straws.
