The founder of The Next Generation Fiji has publicly responded to concerns raised by Fiji’s Ambassador to the United Nations about the proposed $1.4 billion waste-to-energy plant planned for the Vuda‑Saweni Bay corridor, stressing the scheme is intended to process Fiji’s domestic residual waste and that no final operational model has been approved.
Rob Cromb, TNG’s principal partner, said the project was designed to address waste “generated within Fiji, including waste that is currently unmanaged, informally dumped, or not captured in official data sets,” and rejected suggestions the facility would be a destination for imported waste. Cromb reiterated the plant would accept pre-treated, non-hazardous residual waste and operate under environmental safeguards being assessed through the ongoing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and engineering design work.
Cromb’s comments come after Filipo Tarakinikini warned earlier this week that large‑scale incineration could produce a substantial volume of toxic ash. Tarakinikini told reporters that burning 900,000 tonnes of waste annually could generate between 225,000 and 300,000 tonnes of fly ash and bottom ash containing persistent organic pollutants, heavy metals and dioxins — material he said “must be stored, managed and contained — permanently, on Fijian soil.” He cautioned that without strict controls such facilities risk leaving a lasting environmental legacy.
Addressing concerns over reported capacity figures, Cromb clarified that the oft‑cited 700,000 tonnes represents a theoretical maximum processing capability rather than a confirmed operational throughput. “The figure has been misinterpreted,” he said, noting logistics such as transport and handling systems are still being refined and that any final configuration will need to align with Fiji’s infrastructure capacity, regulatory requirements and environmental safeguards. “At this stage, no final operational model has been approved.”
Cromb also acknowledged maritime and customs concerns around movements of waste but said existing national and international controls would apply. He pointed to oversight mechanisms already in place — including the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service, the Fiji Police Force and the Republic of Fiji Navy — and said the project would introduce additional controlled handling procedures, monitoring systems and regulatory oversight to improve transparency and traceability of any waste movements.
The Next Generation Fiji held a three‑day public consultation on the proposal earlier this month. Cromb described the process as more than a “box‑ticking exercise,” saying the company respected public scrutiny and that the project “will not proceed unless it meets Fiji’s environmental, legal and regulatory” requirements. He said global waste‑to‑energy facilities typically use advanced emissions control and continuous monitoring systems — the kinds of safeguards the EIA will assess for the Vuda proposal.
This clarification is the latest development in a debate that pits the urgent need to tackle growing domestic waste and landfill pressures against fears of creating a new toxic burden for future generations. With engineering design and the EIA still under way, proponents and critics are expecting detailed responses on ash management, emissions controls and the plant’s final capacity before the project advances to approvals.
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