The RECOVER Project

As part of the project, we conducted a robust analysis of the legislative challenges and adaptation pathways relating to single-use plastic pollution. The analysis revealed that laws are not enough to address the challenges ahead for Seychelles. Key barriers include limited enforcement capacity, fragmented governance, heavy dependency on imports, and a persistent disconnect between policies and implementation, including how these failures are disproportionately affecting low-income communities.

Our report argues that for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Seychelles, reducing single-use plastic pollution is an essential strategy for adapting to climate change and building a more resilient future for all Seychellois. Our recommendations include integrating single-use plastic reduction into national climate-related strategies. This will be crucial for reducing disaster risk and protecting our beloved ecosystems.

To succeed, we need to focus on several key areas:

Let’s make our plastic laws work in our favour!

• Close the legal loopholes once and for all by banning plastics such as snack sachets, cling wraps and other problematic packaging.
• Strengthen enforcements with well-trained staff and digital, seamless tools, and make compliance rewarding.
• Stop working in silos! Uniting stakeholders and promoting collaboration so everyone works as one team is key!
• Introduce fair taxation and drive forward producer responsibility. Taxes on plastic producers can be used to fund or subsidise eco-friendly alternatives without straining the national budget, and to support low-income families.

Investment in eco-friendly infrastructure + Green Jobs = a resilient economy

We are proposing some key steps towards this goal:

• Build Smart and build green! Private-public partnerships should drive business ventures into recycling, waste management and composting. This includes building smart facilities that provide the space for innovation and enterprise development in this sector.
• Encourage local companies to manufacture reusable and biodegradable products through an eco-branding initiative.
• Cut imports, reduce dependence – locally made alternatives should be introduced to reduce reliance on imports.
• Create more green jobs for informal workers, transforming hazardous waste collection into stable careers with clear pathways in different areas to tackle plastic pollution.

In the tourism sector, no stone is left unturned;

• Strike a balance between tourism and sustainability by making green/environmental protection rules mandatory and stricter. We are being bold; we recommend changing the ‘Sustainable Seychelles’ certificate from optional to required.
• Encourage and strictly monitor large hotel chains and tour operators to stop using single-use plastics. Tax breaks would be a great incentive for businesses that adopt bulk dispensers and reusable kits.

Empower communities through smarter engagement.

• We recommend launching smarter campaigns to engage communities on the link between SUPs and climate change. We are driving forward citizen involvement in policy and lawmaking. Only then can the people be empowered to lead change in their own communities, districts and neighbourhoods.

Measure what we manage and collaborate regionally

• We need to collect better data on plastic use across different sectors – especially tourism. Proper data and factual analysis will enable Seychelles to draft smarter, more effective policies where real progress can be measured. It is also essential to forge regional alliances to combat ocean trash and explore new business ventures and areas of collaboration.