Gov’t Announces Crackdown on Marine Littering

The Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, Thoriq Ibrahim, has announced a new initiative in collaboration with local councils to identify and penalise individuals responsible for marine littering.

Speaking at a press conference held by the Ministry yesterday, Minister Thoriq highlighted the escalating issue of marine littering. He pointed out that current laws clearly outline the proper disposal of waste accumulated on vessels. However, contrary to these regulations, many vessels are improperly discarding their waste into the ocean and onto the beaches of islands.

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“As a result of this, residents living on these islands are facing significant difficulties,” the Minister stated. He emphasised that island residents are being burdened with the responsibility of managing waste that washes up on their shores, despite already facing challenges with local waste management systems.

Minister Thoriq underscored the importance of enforcing the existing laws against marine littering and noted that preparations are underway to implement penalties for those who violate these regulations. He stressed that these efforts will be carried out in conjunction with local councils to ensure effective enforcement.