Currently, just 0.2 percent of Fiji’s total waste is recycled, as confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, in Parliament earlier this week.
He emphasized the urgent need for improved waste management strategies, noting that the National Development Plan (NDP) addresses these challenges through focused subchapters on solid waste management key performance indicators (KPIs), policies, and strategies.
“Fiji is facing a significant solid waste management issue, which is impacted by increased economic activity and changing consumption patterns, even in rural areas,” Prof Prasad stated. He highlighted that products previously unused are now in demand, contributing to the problem, along with different activities that generate substantial solid waste due to informal settlements and the rise of urbanization.
The NDP anticipates that municipal councils will manage approximately 182,000 tonnes of waste nationally, with projections aiming to increase this number to 250,000 tonnes by 2027 and 350,000 tonnes by 2029.
To reach these targets, the Government is concentrating on improving recycling capabilities, which includes plans to establish recycling plants in both the Western and Northern divisions of Fiji.
“In Nadi, this is a pressing concern,” Prof Prasad remarked regarding the immediate and short-term goals for solid waste management.
He also pointed out that many rural residents often transport their waste to urban locations, expecting city councils to handle its collection and disposal, which complicates waste management efforts in municipalities. Common items disposed of from rural settlements include diapers.