The other plastic pollution issue we are facing is the use of plastic straws in Fuvahmulah. As we aim to make Fuvahmulah a plastic straw free island, we thank @coolbananmv for being the first restaurant to eliminate the use of plastic straws.

Another serious plastic pollution that needs addressing is the incessant use of plastic shopping bags. These plastics take nearly 1000 years to break down. Unfortunately, these do not completely degrade but break down into micro plastics. Micro plastics continue to pollute the environment as marine fish are dying from ingesting them. As this form of plastic pollution moves up the food chain, the toxicity increases, and eventually ends up on our plates. Micro plastics are now traceable in our blood stream as proven in a recent scientific research.

Through our non-profit organization, @naturefriendsofmaldives and partnerships, we aim to educate and normalize the use of reusable shopping bags. They are also available for sale at our Fuvahmulah dive centre. Proceeds from the sale of these reusable shopping bags will go towards our home water filter project.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does Maldives have a big plastic pollution problem?

Yes, the Maldives have a big plastic pollution problem as the country uses a lot of single-use plastic water bottles and plastic bags. At the moment there are no feasible and affordable methods to recycle plastic wastes although there are efforts by organizations to collect and send plastic wastes to Male and abroad for recycling.

2. What is being done to reduce the plastic pollution problem in Maldives?

To reduce the plastic pollution problem in Maldives, the local government has banned the production and sale of single-use plastics since June 2022. The government is aiming to phase out single-use plastics by 2023.

3. How can I do my part in the plastic pollution problem in Maldives?

Visitors can play a part in the plastic pollution problem in Maldives by avoiding bringing in plastic when travelling to the Maldives or properly disposing of any plastic waste if brought into the country and using a reusable water bottle.

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We are raising funds to purchase home RO water filters via our NGO Nature Friends of Maldives and partnerships with Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant from One Ocean Diving, One Ocean Conservation and Save The Sea Turtles International. The installation of these water filters in households will eventually minimize the need for plastic water bottles.

However, the largest consumers of plastic water bottles are the restaurants and guesthouses. For a viable long-term solution, we are in plans to build an industrial water filtering and bottling plant. This water plant will eliminate the need for these businesses to purchase single-use plastic water bottles.

The glass bottles will have the branding of each participating restaurant and guesthouse. Each glass water bottle will also include a Say No To Plastic message to raise awareness. Restaurants and guesthouses need only exchange their empty glass bottles with filled ones. The water plant will be responsible for sterilizing, refilling, and delivering these glass bottles.

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Fuvahmulah discards over 2.4 million plastic water bottles at the landfill annually. Unfortunately, plastics take at least 450 years to completely degrade. As the plastics breakdown into micro plastics, it for certainly makes it into our food source. It is now scientifically proven these micro plastics are consequently found in our bloodstream. The plastic wastes that are in the landfill are also leaching chemicals into the ground, eventually compromising our freshwater sources too.

At the present time, we are raising funds to purchase home RO water filters to reduce plastic water bottle consumption. We have partnered up with Ocean Ramsey and Juan Oliphant from One Ocean Diving, One Ocean Conservation and Save The Sea Turtles International, on this home water filter project. It is our goal over the next 2 years to have water filters in each Fuvahmulah household that will need one.

The installation of first 30 water filters that arrived in early 2022 went successfully. Families have shared they have since saved approximately US$100 per month for a household of 4 persons. This is equivalent to about 100 plastic water bottles per month.

Meanwhile, we have launched the second round of fundraising in early May 2022 with aims to raise US$100,000. This enables us to purchase and install about 400 water filters. To date, there are about 600 households, out of 2860, in Fuvahmulah that have water filters installed in their homes. We have since donated and installed, in mid-2023, another 60 units to lower income households in Fuvahmulah.

Watch our video on the water filter project and read more about our Water Filtering & Bottling Plant project.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What can I do to help the Fuvahmulah plastic water bottle project?

You could help the Fuvahmulah plastic water bottle project by making a donation via our partner Save The Sea Turtles International, a foundation by One Ocean Conservation.

2. Does the Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah dive center have filtered water?

Yes, Pelagic Divers Fuvahmulah dive center has a triple water filtration system installed. We provide free drinking water for divers and they can bring their reusable water bottle to refill drinking water too.

3. How can I get drinking water in Fuvahmulah?

Drinking water in Fuvahmulah is readily available at guesthouses and restaurants. However, to reduce the purchase of single use water bottles, we encourage our divers to refill their reusable water bottles with drinking water provided at the dive center and our partner hotel, Ataraxis Grand & Spa.

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