State Electric Company (STELCO) has banned single-use plastics, effective from Thursday.

At an event held on Thursday morning at STELCO, Managing Director Hassan Mughunee initiated the company's ban on single-use plastics, and a transition into paperless operations, along with President of the National Integrity Commission Gasim Abdul Kareem.

Speaking at the event, STELCO's Managing Director Hassan Mughunee stated that paper bags will be issued to customers doing business with STELCO as opposed to plastic bags, and that employees would be encouraged to not enter the STELCO building in possession of single-use plastics. Highlighting that 2,800 bottles of water were bought every month according to statistics, Mughunee expressed that the ban would also represent a cut in costs incurred by STELCO in the future.

Detailing the company's Green Initiative, Mughunee stated that the ban on single-use plastics was a milestone in STELCO's long history as a service provider. He added that with the transition into paperless interactions, services at STELCO were expected to become even faster with great conveniences for employees,

Speaking at the event, President of the National Integrity Commission Gasim Abdul Kareem stated that the issue of plastic waste was a critical one in Maldives at present, and that it was a good sign that big companies like STELCO were pledging to counter the effects of increasing plastic waste on the environment. He noted that it would be a highly beneficial practice to adapt to the day to day living of citizens across the Maldives, adding that it would prove to be profitable in the long run.