Recycle Your Water Bottles In Marrakech

Available for purchase, local organic virgin olive oil in recycled plastic bottles.

Looking at the topic of recycling in Marrakech, there are several ways in which the locals maintain a “waste not, want not” mentality. It is wonderful to behold the reality of a community in which people salvage what they can use again & look for practical solutions to step away from a throw-away, disposable society.

As well as the plastic bag ban, another great example of these waste combating incentives is the trading of plastic bottles in exchange for household items.

During a week, the Moroccan household is likely to accumulate an abundance of plastic bottles from various products, such as 5l water bottles or vegetable oil containers. Rather than casting away the bottles into the trash, the family have a much better solution available to them. It is possible to trade the plastic bottles for essential household cleaning products, at a variety of small outlets which are dotted around the ancient medina and surrounding suburbs.

These tiny trade spots specialise in homemade cleaning products, such as floor cleaner, bleach, dish and laundry soap. The products are very strong and often have a heavy perfume. Amongst the housewives of Morocco, they are favoured over the branded products which are also available.

The more plastic bottles you offer to the shop keeper, the more product you can take away without any monetary payment. The merchant will use these bottles for future customers or, if he has enough, will sell the excess bottles on to olive farmers who re-fill them with their olive oil . 

If you’re just visiting Marrakech, you probably wont be doing much cleaning – but you certainly should be drinking plenty of bottled water! Look out for the stores selling only cleaning products or olive oil & offer them your empties. Alternatively you can always leave them with your local shop keeper or the housekeeper, as they will be ready to make the trade on your behalf.

Come and be a part of it all, contact us to book your stay today!