What are the common obstacles to reducing single-use plastic? 🥤

[Adri]

• Poor Understanding of the Concept of Sustainability. …
• Unfortunately, tourism is a big contributor to the global plastic pollution crisis. Eight out of 10 tourists visit coastal areas, adding to the 8 million tonnes of plastic that enter the ocean every year. Many hotels are also filled with single-use plastic shampoos, toothbrushes, and combs.
• Plastic pollution reduces our waterways’ recreational and aesthetic value, interferes with navigation, and disrupts commercial and recreational fishing.

[Anne]

All very true unfortunately @Appelliefie – what are things you’re doing (or would like to do) to combat this plastic crisis in your destinations? For example, what do you think is the best way to clarify the concept and urgency to reduce plastic?

[Hassan]

One of the major obstacle I see across Africa is lack of the appropriate laws banning single use plastics. If the ban is enforced and alternatives provided, the people will get use to the alternative.

Another way to encourage adherence to proper disposal is to introduce an incentive system whereby tokens are given for particular number of plastics collected. This can be handled by the local government or local. Community associations.

Thirdly, some form of taxation can be introduced on producers of single use plastics to discourage production and if produced, the tax collected can be used to incentivize collection.

In summary, it is difficult to enforce in Africa because of absence of clean pipe-borne water in most destinations. So, using refillable water bottles becomes difficult when you don’t have a clean refill source.

[Anne]

Definitely agree with you on the plastic ban solution @Hazaks – you can clearly see (in Rwanda for example) it really changes things and that streets and nature are less polluted!

I like your approach to pay plastic collectors for their efforts. There are many tour operators and lodges who’ve already implemented this where their clients receive a free drink after collecting waste. Is this something you’ve also thought about?

Regarding the water quality in Africa, I can imagine this is an issue. Tour operators I’ve worked with solved it in the following ways. Do you see opportunities for yourself as well?

1. They provide their clients with a reusable filter bottle to drink filtered water directly. For example LifeStraw bottles or Grayl Geopress.
2. They provide clean drinking water in 50L water tanks (with tap) in safari vehicles and lodges where clients can refill their own reusable bottle.

[Hassan]

Hello Anne,

I like the idea on solving the problem of water quality. I may not be able to implement the filtered bottles but I think the 50L water kegs for refill is a great idea worth exploring. Thank you.

[Anne]

Great to hear! Let us know if you find a good way to implement it in your business or if you have any questions @Hazaks

[Niko]

we’ve already excluded printing and paper use in all areas, including accountings. now our target is to replace plastic bottles with glass in our busses. the problem could be unhappy passangers if bottle will breake( little dangerous and no idea how to solve that.

[Anne]

Hi @exotour , so good to hear you’ve already started to exclude printing and paper. Plastic is a great next step. I can imagine that glass might not be the best solution in terms of safety.

Have you thought about reusable bottles instead? If you purchase high quality refillable bottles, they’ll last long and are easy to clean. You can even add your logo on them for brand promotion!

[Niko]

This will be hard to manage, our bottles should be filled by us, I am not afraid for troubles doing that, will be just not hygienic. Glass can be returned to supplier. But, still idea is very good and we can make a cover for glass bottles with our logo on it and test how it goes on. Thanks for suggestion.

[Anne]

Great @exotour – we look forward seeing the result!