Amitesh Deo, the founder of the Pacific Recycling Foundation, issued a fervent call for substantial environmental action in his Fiji Day message. He urged for an end to superficial gestures regarding sustainability, advocating instead for practical solutions to the escalating waste management crisis that prioritizes genuine collaboration with grassroots initiatives.
Deo highlighted the severity of Fiji’s waste management issues, noting that many current efforts lack depth and fail to demonstrate a true commitment to resolving the crisis. He stressed that any business model focused on waste must embrace sustainability principles and actively involve local communities, particularly grassroots recyclers who are already driving change.
He stated, “If our approach to waste management does not prioritize sustainability and dialogue with local communities, then we should stop discussing it altogether.” His message was directed at all Fijians—including communities, businesses, and the government—to urgently and wholeheartedly tackle the increasing waste management challenges with integrity.
He warned that Fiji is at a critical juncture, where despite numerous sustainability declarations, the waste management problems are worsening, and many initiatives are mere superficial actions lacking real impact. The Pacific Recycling Foundation, rooted in grassroots recycling, is calling for an urgent transition from token gestures to substantive actions that effectively address the crisis at hand.
Deo emphasized that the time for empty promises has passed. He pointed out the misuse of sustainability as a buzzword to disguise unsustainable practices, stating that real solutions require recycling, waste reduction, and accountability instead of greenwashing.
Through its work with the Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPR)—individuals who collect and sort recyclables under challenging conditions—the foundation is on the forefront of Fiji’s recycling efforts. He praised the CPR community for their relentless dedication to recovering materials from dumpsites and public areas, asserting that they are the true champions of sustainability, yet they often go unsupported while others engage in superficial activities that fail to tackle the core issues.