Ban the bag
Plastic bags are a plague to the oceans and environment. Along with Mahe Bleu, learn good practices to fight against this pollution. Let’s take action and mobilize our communities to come together and say “No to plastic bags”.
Say no to single use plastic bags
The Seychelles' cabinet of ministers in 2017 approved a ban on the importation of Styrofoam lunch boxes and plastic bags, plates, cups and cutlery beginning in January. But that's just step one. By July 2017 those items shouldn't even be found on store shelves in the island nation, said the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Alain Decomarmond.
A major indicator of our disposable consumer society, single use plastic bags are a great danger to our oceans and environment. They create serious consequences for the ecosystem, on marine animals, and on mankind. Every second, 160,000 plastic bags are used around the world. A plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes. Last year 50% of these bags were landfilled and 8 billion ended up in the environment. 100% of this pollution is man-made, so we are therefore 100% responsible for finding a solution.
Say no to single use plastic bags
Ban The Bag is a Mahe Bleu campaign mobilizing citizens in the fight against single-use plastic bags. The objective is to encourage communities to get engaged and take action against the use and distribution of plastic bags in Seychelles.
For Seychelles Week for Waste Reduction 2021, Mahe Bleu supports a ‘Less is More’ philosophy – minimize the use of single use plastic bags and maximize ocean health! It is our global responsibility to change our consumption patterns and make a shift towards reusable alternatives. From 21th January to the 27th, the artist Jonathan Azemia supports Mahe Bleu’s Ban the Bag campaign, promoting sustainable alternatives to reduce the consumption of plastic bags.
Single use plastic bags : key facts
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In Seychelles, 0.8 million single-use plastic bags are used per year.
• Each Seychellois uses an average of 89 single-use plastic bags per year.
• 1 second of manufacture from oil. 20 minutes of use. Up to 400 years of decomposition in nature.
What can you do on a daily basis?
Refuse all single use bags
Many alternatives to plastic bags are emerging, however these solutions remain harmful to the environment and send a misleading message to consumers:
- Biodegradable bags: they meet a standard that ensures their degradation in industrial conditions only. These bags do not degrade in the environment.
- Oxodegradable bags: harmful additives are added to accelerate their fragmentation.
Have more than one trick in your bag
Reuse your bags to limit their impact. Slip your reusable bags into your purse, car, gym bag so that you always have reusable bags with you. By doing this, you will contribute to a circular economy that respects the environment.
Adopt your new reusable bag
Wicker baskets, shopping nets, tote bags, etc., many sustainable alternatives exist and are now available to everyone. Not only ecological, but use them to make a statement about your commitment to the planet.
Get the message across!
Mahe Bleu invites you to spread the word and to involve your shopkeepers and islands via different action levers:
- Share your daily actions on social networks with #BanTheBag
- Use cotton bag.
Let's get involved at all levels
Good practices against plastic bags are not just for Seychellois. Shops, islands, also have the opportunity to make the right choices.
POLITICS
Local authorities are key actors on this issue, since they have the capacity and power to act locally.
SHOPS
Shopkeepers have a pioneering role in distributing single-use bags to their customers. To offer a future free from plastic bags, many of them have decided to take up the challenge.
Seychelles and plastic bags
“I think the ban is a good initiative by the government and we totally support it as it is good for our environment,” added Etienne.
According to a provisional study of Seychelles’ landfill, plastic wastes account for 33 percent of all wastes in Seychelles.