Plastic Waste in South-East Africa
Sustainable Tourism
ZIMBABWE
There is already a strong push for accelerating environmental sustainability and a circular economy for plastics in Zimbabwe. The Environmental Management Agency in Zimbabwe have instigated several initiatives to reduce plastic waste and improve its management, including plastic bans and levies. Despite these efforts, plastic waste continues to be burned in the open air or leak from overflowing landfills. According to the EMA, 394 million kgs of plastic was imported into Zimbabwe, with only 40 million being recycled. The rest can end up a source of pollution, clogging drains, and leaking into rivers and waterways endangering wildlife and the local economy.
Tourism is Zimbabwe’s third-largest industry, with over 2.5 million foreign visitors per year. With these tourists comes a lot of single-use plastic. According to the Institute of Environmental Studies, the sector contributes up to 18% of all plastic waste generated. Single-use plastic food and beverage containers, straws, carrier bags and toiletries used in hospitality can leak into the environment causing untold damage. Plastic waste can clog storm drains leading to flash flooding, it gets ingested by farm animals and wildlife, and it leaks into rivers poisoning water supplies.
MALAWI
Malawi faces significant challenges related to plastic pollution. With rapid waste generation, approximately 80% of the country’s plastic production is single-use and cannot be recycled. Despite a plastic bag ban in place since 2015, proper waste management remains a struggle, leading to environmental and health risks. Efforts to combat plastic pollution are crucial for the well-being of both Malawi’s ecosystems and its people, and this begins with producers taking responsibility for the products and packaging they produce.
Tourism is Zimbabwe’s third-largest industry, with over 2.5 million foreign visitors per year. With these tourists comes a lot of single-use plastic. According to the Institute of Environmental Studies, the sector contributes up to 18% of all plastic waste generated. Single-use plastic food and beverage containers, straws, carrier bags and toiletries used in hospitality can leak into the environment causing untold damage. Plastic waste can clog storm drains leading to flash flooding, it gets ingested by farm animals and wildlife, and it leaks into rivers poisoning water supplies.
PLASTIC WASTE-FREE HOTELS
Searious Business is collaborating with key stakeholders in Zimbabwe and Malawi to deliver training aimed at reducing plastic waste in the tourism sector. In Zimbabwe, this initiative was conducted in partnership with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, the Africa Institute, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry, as part of the broader project ‘Strengthening knowledge and capacity to prevent and reduce releases of plastic waste in Zimbabwe.’ Funded by the Norwegian Retailers Environment Fund, the Governments of Norway and Sweden, and Norad, this project also involves the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions. Hotels received training on tracking and minimizing single-use plastic, implementing waste management best practices, and utilizing templates and technical guidance to develop roadmaps toward plastic waste-free operations.
In Malawi, Searious Business is working closely with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, the Africa Institute, the BRS Secretariat, and the national project coordinator to deliver similar training. The program emphasizes preventing, minimizing, and effectively managing plastic waste, drawing on lessons learned and challenges identified through desk research, interviews, and surveys. Focus areas include material flows, policy analysis, waste management gaps, and stakeholder readiness for change. Additionally, Searious Business is designing a targeted intervention plan to support participating hotels in adopting circular practices, enhancing capacity development, and reducing plastic waste across Malawi’s tourism sector.
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