Divers tackle Lake Malawi’s underwater waste to protect tourism
Local divers in Cape Maclear, Lake Malawi National Park, are removing underwater waste through a HEEED-led project launched in 2023 to improve visibility for diving and snorkelling and protect biodiversity. Fifteen trained volunteers collect waste three times a week and use the skills and equipment to work as underwater tour guides, helping sustain the visitor experience. Malawi’s environment regulator, MEPA, says it is working with universities to map underwater hotspots to guide a broader clean-up.
Waste build-up is driven by dumping and weak upland waste systems across the tri-national shoreline. A 2015–2018 beach study recorded nearly 500,000 litter items over 32 hectares – 80% plastic – while Malawi produces about 75,000 tonnes of plastic annually, most of it single-use. Authorities have begun enforcing a ban on thin plastics and community schemes are recycling and upcycling materials, with HEEED exploring a partnership with Finnish firm Clewat for larger-scale collection. The measures aim to safeguard the UNESCO-listed lake’s appeal and maintain tourism revenues at one of Malawi’s busiest beach destinations.
Source: News Mongabay
