The Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF) has unveiled a two-part plan to tackle Fiji’s mounting waste crisis, proposing an island-wide collection network and upgraded recycling hubs as immediate priorities. Founder Amitesh Deo presented the proposal at the inaugural VAKA Forum, saying the approach is rooted in “lived experience” and designed to capture recyclables across municipal councils, businesses and outer islands.
Deo said the first component is an enhanced transportation system that would regularly collect separated recyclables from urban centres and remote communities. “We have a solution based on lived experience, an enhanced transportation system that will be able to capture many parts of Fiji’s recyclables,” he told forum delegates, stressing that reliable logistics are central to moving material out of landfills and into circular streams.
The second arm focuses on processing capacity. Rather than building entirely new plants, PRF proposes upgrading existing recycling facilities to form a tiered network: a main recycling facility supported by secondary sites. “The idea is if we are able to collect these volumes, we should be able to have this transited into a recycling facility, a main recycling facility and a secondary recycling facility will operate,” Deo said, arguing the model would allow volumes collected through the transportation system to be processed efficiently.
PRF plans to produce a feasibility study within a year to shape government policy and outline pathways for green job creation and social justice, Deo added. The study is expected to set out technical, financial and social considerations to help authorities decide whether to adopt the foundation’s blueprint. “We want to come out of the waste management crisis in a holistic and comprehensive way ensure that grassroots recyclers move forward also get dignity and also get green jobs as we move forward,” he said, highlighting that existing informal recyclers must be included in any formalised system.
Deo also called for stronger regional collaboration across Pacific countries, saying pooled resources and shared approaches will be necessary to address common challenges. He insisted all interventions must follow a “do no harm” principle, to avoid unintended environmental damage while scaling systems nationally and regionally. “In Fiji, we also need to combine our resources and our forces with regional countries so we can have a regional collaboration,” he said.
The PRF proposal arrives against a backdrop of high-profile local waste incidents and grassroots recycling successes that underline the urgency and potential of reform. In October 2025, a persistent fire at the Vunato landfill in Lautoka alarmed nearby communities and intensified calls for better waste management solutions. Conversely, small-scale initiatives have shown impact: Tanoa Plaza Hotel in Suva diverted about 32 tonnes of recyclables from landfill over a decade, a project previously highlighted by Deo during his work with Waste Recyclers Fiji Ltd.
By committing to a one-year feasibility timetable, PRF aims to move the conversation from crisis response to implementable policy that could create formal employment for recyclers, reduce landfill pressure and provide a replicable model for neighbouring Pacific islands. The foundation’s next steps will be watched closely by municipal councils and ministers seeking practical, scaled solutions to Fiji’s ongoing waste challenges.
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