A Year in Review: The Esky Library Initiative

December 16, 2025

Indian Ocean Territory Esky Library Initiative's Success Continues

2025 marked the beginning of something truly special for waste reduction on Christmas Island. After months of research and careful planning, the Esky Library Initiative was launched in February 2025 with a highly successful trial that ran through to May. What began as a small pilot quickly demonstrated the power of community-led solutions to tackle complex environmental challenges.

What is the Esky Library Initiative?

Expanded polystyrene is a major contributor to marine debris in the IOT, with the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) Database having consistently identified polystyrene as the top marine debris item on Christmas Island since 2011. The Esky Library aims to replace single-use expanded polystyrene eskies, working with TomKat KoolPak and their sustainable, reusable alternative, to significantly reduce polystyrene waste and extend the lifespan of local landfill resources.

PRL and Altitude Island Logistics Continue Support

Since the trial concluded, the dedicated group of participating families has continued the initiative, made possible by PRL funding and the generosity of local island business Altitude Island Logistics, which has covered the return freight costs that keep this circular system functioning.

Hear what the trial participants thought of the initiative.

1000 Polystyrene Eskies Saved

To date, Christmas Island residents participating in the program have diverted more than 1,000 polystyrene (EPS) eskies from entering the island’s landfill or polluting the local environment.

This equates to approximately 23,000 litres of EPS waste — or 23 cubic metres — not going into landfill, a significant reduction for a small island community!

This initiative would not have been possible without the ongoing support of all stakeholders involved. In particular, we thank the wonderful team at Hambleys IGA for carefully packing the eskies each fortnight, along with FreightShop, Altitude Island Logistics, PRL, TomKat KoolPak, and the support of the local Indian Ocean Territories Administration.

Scaling up in 2026

Looking ahead to the new year, we hope to expand the Esky Library Initiative to support more eager island families on Christmas Island and Cocos Keeling Islands, and to further grow our positive impact in reducing polystyrene waste across the region.