Twenty crew members mobilized for recycling in the Comoros

An awareness and experimentation campaign has begun in the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the NGO Plastic Odyssey launched it as part of the Expedition to the Indian Ocean Plastic (ExPLOI) project.

In the Comoros, the Association for Intervention for Environmental Development (Aide) participated in the workshops. Its Communications Officer, Ali Ahamada, explains that the association discovered new recycling methods and defined a roadmap for better waste management.

On June 16, a major cleanup day brought together associations, NGOs, and students. Participants sorted waste using a color system. This method helped distinguish recyclable plastics from others. For Aichat Aboubacar, National Coordinator of the Island Plastic project, this exercise allowed the students to learn by doing.

From June 23 to July 11, the Plastic Odyssey ship called at the Comoros. The ship, used as a floating laboratory, hosted twenty crew members. The onboard team led workshops and recycling projects. The sessions focused on waste reduction, promoting a zero-plastic lifestyle, and sharing experiences among local entrepreneurs.

The mobilization continued on July 8 in Ndzuani, during a conference. Governor Zaidou Youssouf, Minister of the Environment Abubakar Ben Mahmoud, and the National Waste Management Agency (ANGD) took part in the discussions. The discussions emphasized the urgency of limiting plastic pollution and the importance of developing a circular economy.