Currently, only 0.2 percent of Fiji’s total waste is recycled, as confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Professor Biman Prasad, during a recent parliamentary session. He emphasized the urgent need for improved waste management strategies, noting that the National Development Plan (NDP) includes specific subchapters that tackle solid waste management through key performance indicators, policies, and strategies.
Professor Prasad highlighted that Fiji is grappling with a significant solid waste management issue, which is intensified by increasing economic activities and shifting consumption patterns, even in rural areas. He pointed out that products previously unused are now being consumed, leading to a variety of activities that generate substantial solid waste, particularly in informal settlements and urbanized regions.
The NDP outlines that municipal councils are expected to manage approximately 182,000 tonnes of waste nationally, with aspirations to raise this figure to 250,000 tonnes by 2027 and 350,000 tonnes by 2029. He stated that the government is concentrating on enhancing recycling capabilities to meet these objectives, which includes plans to set up recycling plants in both the Western and Northern divisions of Fiji.
Moreover, Professor Prasad noted that many residents from rural areas often transport their waste to urban centers, relying on city councils to handle its disposal, which complicates waste management in those municipalities. He also mentioned that items like diapers are frequently disposed of by rural communities.