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Archive -Environment

Non-biodegradable plastic waste ban: An understanding, updates and recommendations |16 March 2018

It was in January 2017 that the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change (MEECC) implemented a ban on the importation and manufacturing of non-biodegradable plastic items made of styrofoam, e.g. carrier bags, cutlery and take-away boxes. Following this, a ban on their sale and distribution was also effected on July 1, 2017.

The main purpose of this ban is to help reduce plastic waste, especially at the landfill where the majority of discarded items are either non-biodegradable metal or plastic. The landfill’s location beside the coast creates a high risk for such waste to end up in the ocean – an important expanse of water that is key for our fishing and tourism industries.

According to research conducted prior to the ban by students of German ‘Darmstadt University’, approximately 10% – 12% of the waste by weight from various sources on our islands, e.g. homes and offices, was made of non-biodegradable plastic.

The Environment Department at the MEECC has said that people in Seychelles have become more aware of the benefits of laws that serve to protect our population and our environment, noting that many individuals as well as non-government organisations (NGOs) are making an effort to implement practices that help to reduce the accumulation of plastic matter. However, they have also observed that there is still some reluctance among the population to fully comply with these regulations.

Plastics are made of long chains of molecules called polymers which are often made of carbon and hydrogen and sometimes oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur, chlorine, fluorine, phosphorous, or silicon. Many plastics begin with ‘poly,’ such as polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene. They are most commonly made from non-renewable resources such as petroleum or natural gas that are extracted and processed using energy-intensive techniques.

Synthetic (artificial) plastics have strong chemical bonds that make them durable but resistant to the natural processes of biodegradation. They can however, break down into smaller pieces through a process known as photo-degradation where their fragments and toxins are released making them a major threat to humans and to our environment. As a result, many countries across the world have implemented plastic bag and polystyrene (styrofoam) bans.

Cited below are some examples of the dangers that plastic poses:

• Manufacturing and destruction of plastic by incineration pollutes the air, land and water. Toxic chemicals leach out of plastic and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly all of us. Exposure to them is linked to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments.

• Plastic accumulates in landfills where toxic chemicals from the plastics can drain out and seep into groundwater, creating risks of contamination of soils and groundwater by some additives and breakdown by-products in plastics. They are also regularly eaten or mistaken for food by marine and land animals, which ultimately causes their death.

• Even plankton, the tiniest creatures in our oceans, are eating microplastics and absorbing their hazardous chemicals due to the increasing amounts of plastic debris accumulating in the world's oceans.These minute, broken down pieces of plastic are displacing the algae needed to sustain larger sea life who feed on them. The concern is that plastics and their associated toxins are making their way through the marine food chains and onto our plates.

Since the ban on non bio-degradable plastic has been implemented in Seychelles, the most imported and widely used alternatives are in the form of take away boxes. The environment department recommends using ‘bagasse’ take away containers which are made out of natural sugarcane waste fibres from pressing sugar cane. This offers an eco-friendly alternative to the common plastic 'styrofoam' take away boxes; they are 100% compostable and biodegradable and made from natural and renewable plants.

Thus far, the most common alternative for plastic carrier bags is a reusable plastic made of polypropylene, however this does not offer much strength and resistance. Additionally, it has been noted that some people are using these types of bags to replace traditional bin liners, hence these are being disposed of after just one use rather than being reused.

It is advisable to have reusable canvas or cotton bags or ‘gunny sacks’ (sak goni) which are now being sold once again in the country. Gunny sacks are reusable bags made of ‘hessian’ (woven fabric usually made from the skin of the jute plant) or other natural fibres, making them more environmentally-friendly.

The environment department has said that they are continuing to work towards the ban of more non-biodegradable plastic items that have currently been exempted, as it is not viable to ban all items at once.

Currently, they are discussing the possibility of introducing a waste sorting programme in the country. This process separates waste into different categories such as, dry (e.g. glass), wet (e.g. organic), biodegradable and non-biodegradable. This will enable the recycling of some plastic waste, hence reducing the amount of such waste at the landfill. It will also allow the MEECC to monitor the quantity of plastic waste being collected.

The ministry also hopes to work with the Small Enterprise Promotion Agency (Senpa) in the future to further reduce the use of other types of non-biodegradable plastic in the country, such as those being used by small enterprises to sell local snacks. There are also plans to place a R2 levy on any plastic bottles which are returned (similarly to the levy concept for PET bottles and cans) later this year.

When asked about the possibility of a recycling programme for plastic bottles, e.g. polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a representative of the environment department explains that such a practice works in some countries but not in others, depending on the population’s approach and mind-set towards environmentally-friendly practices.

Additionally, there is a health risk implicated in the use of recycled plastic drinking bottles as they can leach toxic chemicals into the contents of the bottle. Normal wear and tear in the bottles increases the chance that chemicals will leak out of tiny cracks that develop over time. One such chemical, known as BisphenolA (BPA), has been linked to some types of cancers, increased risk of miscarriage, and decreased testosterone levels. 

The environment department adds that it is possible to convert plastic back to one of its petroleum-based constituents by the catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastics which involves the degradation of the polymeric materials by heating them in the absence of oxygen and in the presence of a catalyst. However, they explain that this is not a viable procedure in Seychelles as the amount of plastic required would be insufficient, especially since PET bottles are exported from Seychelles.

The environment department hopes that the media will be able to assist their efforts by further sensitising the population about the benefits of these initiatives. The public are reminded to refuse any plastic bags given to them by sellers and to make use of strong, reusable and eco-friendly bags; although these are more expensive than traditional plastic bags, they will last longer. It is advisable to keep reusable bags with you at all times and to always think before you make use of any plastic based materials.   

 

References: Life Without Plastic; Oxford Learners Dictionaries; Plastics make it possible; Plastic Pollution Coalition; Greenman Packaging; ThoughtCo; Hindawi

 

 

 

 

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