Corail Noir Hotel Recycles Its Waste

Unfortunately, the island of Nosy Be doesn’t have a proper waste collection, sorting, or recycling facility. On such a small island, the environmental pressure from waste is intense: it affects air quality and causes respiratory issues when trash is burned, pollutes soil and water, and damages natural habitats—both on land and in the sea.

As a hotel, we believe it’s our responsibility to manage our waste in a smarter and more sustainable way. That starts with significantly reducing the amount of waste generated by Corail Noir and our dive center, Aqua Diving:

• We’ve installed a water filtration system and provide our guests with glass carafes of drinking water.
• During our boat trips—whether for diving or snorkeling with Aqua Diving—we offer guests filtered water through dispensers instead of using single-use plastic bottles. This supports our commitment to the SSI Blue Oceans environmental pledge.
• We’ve eliminated single-use packaging for items like sugar, salt, and sauces.
• Wherever possible, we buy food and hygiene products in bulk—like flour, sugar, rice, detergent, oil, and cleaning supplies.

Still, some waste remains, and we’re doing our best to handle it in the most sustainable way:

• Our organic waste (like vegetable peels and paper) goes straight into our compost, which nourishes our vegetable garden.
• Empty milk cartons are repurposed in our plant nursery, where our talented gardeners grow papayas, tomatoes, eggplants, and more.
• Used motor oil is carefully stored in large barrels and reused to treat wood—nothing is wasted, everything gets a second life!
• Soda bottles (like Caprice or World Cola) and sparkling water bottles (like Cristal) made of glass are returned to the supplier (STAR), cleaned, and reused.

Until recently, finding a solution for aluminum and plastic waste on Nosy Be was a real challenge. That’s why we’re excited to announce our new partnership with the Malagasy start-up STCV (Sorting, Compacting, and Recycling Company), which collects aluminum and plastic waste to recycle it in Tananarive.

• Our aluminum waste (like cans and various wrappers) is carefully sorted in all departments, then sent to Tananarive in trucks that would otherwise return empty. There, it’s transformed into cooking pots.
• Our plastic waste (bottles, bags, wrappers, etc.) is also meticulously sorted and sent to Tananarive, where it’s turned into everyday items like basins, bags, and combs.

This recycling initiative is part of a broader partnership between several hotels on the island, including Palm Beach, and the FHORM (Federation of Hotels and Restaurants of Madagascar). FHORM organized a sustainability training session on recyclable waste management in the hospitality industry, led by STCV. We were proud to attend and even prouder to earn Corail Noir’s certification in eco-responsible practices.

We’re committed to protecting the beautiful, fragile environment of Nosy Be—so that every guest who visits us can continue to enjoy unforgettable, authentic experiences… with minimal impact on the island we love.