Case Study
Zanzibar, Tanzania
- Activities Undertaken:
Refuse, Reduce, Reuse - Initiator: Chumbe Island Coral Park
- Year: 1994 onward
Key Takeaways
- Avoiding plastic waste is superior to downstream waste processing, especially on island contexts where accumulated plastic pollution poses serious health threats to humans and habitats.
- To prevent one of the top sources of plastic waste generated on islands and for public health reasons, safe drinking water on islands must be made mainstream by investing in the provision and maintenance of public supply systems.
- Regulatory policies on waste management should be holistic and span all economic sectors rather than leaving gaps and loopholes.
Situation
Dar es Salaam and Zanzibar together lose an estimated $28 million annually due to marine plastic pollution, two-thirds of which falls on the tourism sector. Part of Zanzibar, Chumbe Island encompasses a private marine park and forest reserve recognized by the IUCN since 1995, which is developed, funded and managed by not-for-profit Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP). Its resort operations run on a zero single-use plastic policy, sourcing building materials and food from local producers and farmers. In Zanzibar and Tanzania, potable water is mainly supplied by piped and pumping schemes and shallow wells, but Chumbe Island lacks natural freshwater sources. Drinking water is thus sourced from a borehole at the office building in Zanzibar and transported to the island in containers, while all other water needs are provided for by rainwater catchment. However, as climate change renders the rainy season less reliable, CHICOP has begun installing a desalination system to complement existing solutions.
Complications
- Government Impediments and Policy Gaps: The Zanzibar archipelago faces worsening plastic waste generation and pollution, particularly from single-use bottled water. While plastic bags have been banned since 2019, advocacy by the tourism sector for more plastic-free supply chains is hampered by the lobby power of the plastics industry pushing to grow single-use plastics in the market.
- Tourism Dependency: Chumbe Island’s reliance on tourism makes its operations vulnerable to visitor fluctuations. During COVID-19, this impacted CHICOP’s funding capacity for its conservation and educational programmes. In other Zanzibar islands without zero SUP policies, while tourism is a vital source of livelihood, it also generates rising volumes of accumulated plastic waste.
Resolution
With strict policies against single-use plastics (SUPs), CHICOP offers reusable alternatives to guests and staff. Organic waste is composted on-site and re-used in its composting toilets, reducing water consumption with a no-flush system, while all recyclables are transported to Zanzibar.
Advocacy, Education, Conservation: Aiming to promote circularity and sustainability, CHICOP’s profit supports conservation and educational programmes for tourists and local communities, including on avoiding plastic waste with traditional practices and reusable alternatives. CHICOP also advocates stronger government policies, including bans on SUPs beyond carrier bags and proper maintenance of public water supply systems to minimize the need for bottled water. During COVID-19, funding loss was bridged with funding from the German government (GIZ) and IUCN (through a Rapid Response Grant).
Impact
By 2026, CHICOP has hosted over 160,000 visitors to the island and engaged more than 13,000 school children and community members in educational programmes about nature conservation and plastic pollution, showcasing how nature conservation and a zero-waste approach can be self-financed through sustainable tourism. Winning many international awards, CHICOP’s influence has extended beyond its operations, lobbying for policy change in Zanzibar and offering a model for other small resort islands facing similar challenges of worsening pollution related to SUPs that come with importing processed food and the privatization of drinking water by PET bottlers.
Governance & Policy
- Tanzania’s 2019 SUP ban targets carrier bags only and does not cover other critical SUPs like bottled water.
- Limited policies and regulatory support for developing waste avoidance and management in Tanzania mainland and the isles.
- CHICOP’s operations cover all of Chumbe Island, creating clear authority on environmental guidelines which are well followed by its visitors who tend to support ecotourism.
- Long-term collaboration between CHICOP and fisheries, forestry and education authorities supports alignment in environmental management.
Capacity, Capability, and Technology
- High dependency on NGOs or other external actors to implement waste management strategies on Zanzibar’s islands can be unsustainable.
- Waste reduction, conservation and education are integrated and self-funded by eco-tourism, supporting the local economy and creating employment.
- CHICOP’s integrated approach with solar energy, rainwater catchment, composting toilets and greywater filtration provides a scalable showcase on reducing plastic reliance, particularly for bottled water.
Funding, Financing, and Access to Market
- High dependence on eco-tourism revenues, which may fluctuate due to external factors, can be limiting.
- Limited financing mechanisms to support transitions away from SUPs, render reusable or lower-waste alternatives less popular among tourism businesses due to higher operational costs.
- Development funds, whether public (e.g European Union) or private (e.g. corporates or foundations) sources, can act as emergency funding to continue conservation management.
Cross-Sectoral Collaboration & Other Value Chain Enabling Activities
- Continued gaps in public awareness raise costs in waste management practices.
- High availability of bottled water and other plastic-packaged products in nearby markets acts against a broader transition away from SUPs, especially in areas not influenced by eco-tourism principles.
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- Long-term trust and support garnered from key stakeholders, including authorities and also local communities, is vital for CHICOP’s successful delivery.
- A strong integrated operation cutting across eco-tourism, conservation, community livelihoods and education prove to be a replicable case for island-wide waste reduction and management.
