The mayor of one of the Maldives most far-flung islands has issued an impassioned plea to the world to behave as responsible citizens and stop using single use plastic.

Ismail Rafeeq leads the people of Fuvahmulah – permanent population 11,000 - where the community mounts regular beach campaigns to remove tons of plastic discarded by locals and washed up on shore from other countries.

The mayor fears plastic on the beaches means microplastics are present in the sea and in the fish his people eat.

He wants Nekton scientists sampling the country‘s waters on a 35 - day mission to supply data that can change public behaviours and make them think twice before dumping plastic.

Across the Maldives extensive efforts are underway to collect, separate and recycle plastics and only burn waste which cannot be re-processed.