Waste from Labasa Town is increasingly washing up on the shores of Mali, as reported by local representative Tema Bui. She noted a significant rise in debris, including plastics and metals, appearing on the island over the last few weeks.
“Our shore was once known for its cleanliness,” Ms. Bui remarked, expressing concern that it has now become a dumping ground for trash improperly discarded in Labasa Town. During a Wildlife Conservation Society workshop, she indicated that nearby settlements are using mangrove swamps as informal dumping sites, contributing to pollution issues. This practice endangers local wildlife by choking mangrove roots with discarded materials.
Blue Prosperity Fiji’s strategic advisor, Joeli Veitayaki, explained that ocean currents carry debris far from its source, meaning people upstream may not see the waste immediately, but it ultimately flows downstream. “The trash can reach the river mouth where it is swept out to sea, but wind and currents frequently bring it back to shore,” he explained, highlighting how it ends up on islands like Mali. Mr. Veitayaki condemned public dumping as unnecessary and unacceptable.