Fiji is the first of three countries to pilot a recycling project that will result in recyclable material being transported from the outer islands and Vanua Levu to Suva for processing.
The first stage of the project was marked with the signing of an agreement between the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Waste Recyclers Fiji yesterday for the implementation of the Plastic Waste Free Islands (PWFI) project in Suva yesterday.
In a joint news conference, IUCN Oceania regional director Mason Smith said the project was made possible through funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) and IUCN’s PWFI project.
“Fiji is the first of the three PWFI participating countries to commence on its grant activities, with PWFI also looking at launching grant activities in the other participating countries Samoa and Vanuatu,” he said.
“Consultations with stakeholders around PWFIs solutions development activity identified a number of concepts and partners to trial these concepts.
“Along with a policy paper on Fiji’s proposed Deposit Refund Scheme for Beverage Containers for Fiji, WRFL was identified as a suitable partner to trial concepts to address plastic waste management in the informal waste sector and rural and remote communities.
“The grant activities also support policy recommendations identified through policy analysis consultations with stakeholders in Fiji and ensure some level of continuity and traction within the remaining PWFI project period.”
Waste Recyclers Fiji CEO Amitesh Deo said the project included a feasibility study on connecting the outer islands and Vanua Levu to Viti Levu which was an important first step in capturing recyclables from the outer island and maritime areas. He said the findings of the feasibility study would be available in two months’ time.
“The thought that so much recyclables, in particular plastic, goes to outer islands in the form of packing materials or beverage containers and does not get retrieved for recycling has always been a cause for concern for us.”
