The Lautoka City Council has introduced its Return and Earn Centre, an initiative designed to encourage recycling and improve environmental cleanliness in the region. Taitusi Rasoki, the special administrator chairman and acting CEO of the council, has stated that the program will serve approximately 100,000 residents in Lautoka and nearby communities by allowing them to return beverage containers for cash rewards.
To facilitate this initiative, the council will allocate three full-time staff members who will assist the public and ensure the center operates efficiently. The Return and Earn Centre will function with a rotating schedule across two locations: collections will take place at IYC Children’s Park on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 AM to 1 PM, and at Vunato Landfill on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the same hours.
Dwain Qalovaki, a representative from Return and Earn Fiji, has urged families and community members to participate by collecting plastic bottles and aluminum cans, offering a refund of five cents for each returned beverage container. He emphasized that the center, in partnership with the Lautoka City Council, aims to collect a diverse range of beverage containers from various brands.
Return and Earn Fiji operates as a not-for-profit organization that consolidates the recycling efforts of eight beverage companies under a coordinated national system, collaborating with municipal councils to enhance accessibility to recycling for all.
Participating companies in this initiative include Carpenters (Fiji) Pte Ltd, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (Fiji) Ltd, Eddie Hin Beverages Pte Ltd, FIJI Water, Frezco Beverages Pte Ltd, Motibhai Group of Companies, Pacific Island Beverages Pte Ltd, and Pleass Global Ltd. This collaborative effort not only promotes a greener environment but also fosters community engagement in sustainability practices.
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