Micronesia, Federated States of
3.7 Micronesia Waste Management and Recycling Infrastructure Assessment
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Overview

Waste management is proactively managed by the Government at State and National levels. Recycling programs have been implemented, monitored and reviewed. Service providers are a combination of Government and contracted private operators.

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following sources:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): https://oec.world/en/profile/country/fsm

A very detailed and comprehensive document outlining Yap State’s Solid Waste Management Strategy 2018–2027 is available to view at: https://www.sprep.org/attachments/VirLib/FSM/yap-solid-waste-management-strategy-2018-2027.pdf

State 

Regulating Agency 

Implementing Agencies (Collection and Disposal) 

Chuuk 

1. Chuuk EPA 

2. Department of Public Safety for enforcement of littering law 

Chuuk Department of Transportation, & Communication  (Division of Public Works) 

Kosrae 

1. Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) 

Department of Transportation & Infrastructure 

Kosrae Municipal Government 

Pohnpei 

1. Pohnpei EPA 

2. Department  of Public Safety for littering law enforcement 

Division of Transportation & Infrastructure 

(Disposal and collection contracted to Pohnpei Waste Management Services), Kolonia Town Municipal Government, Nett Municipal Government, Uh Municipal Government, and Sokehs Municipal Government 

 

Pohnpei Waste Management Services is contracted by    

Division  of Transportation & Infrastructure to manage dumpsite. There is another Private Waste Company that collects and disposes waste from residential areas with a fee. 

 

Yap 

1. Yap EPA 

 

Department of Public Works & Transportation and Yap State Public Service Corporation, Island Paradise Metal Company, and Yap Environmental Waste Solutions 

 

LEGISLATIONS: Laws and Regulations relating to Waste Management in the FSM 

State 

Laws and Regulations relating to Waste Management 

Yap 

  • YSL #4-4 Yap State Public Service Corporation (Utilities Company’s mandate for ‘refuse collection and disposal’) 
  • Recycling Program Law (2008) 
  • Recycling Program Regulations (Dec 2008) 
  • Recycling Finance Law (2009) 

-  State Littering Law 

-  Littering Offense 

-  Junk Vehicles Offense 

-  Title 18: Conservation and Environment 

-  Environmental Quality Protection Act 

-  Title 14: Enabling legislation creating YSPSC 

-  Title 14: Junk Vehicles 

-  Pesticide Regulations 

-  POPs regulations 

-  EIA Regulations 

- Regulations for the Environmental Clearance of Marine Vessels  

- Burning Regulations 

-Yap State Plastic Bag Regulations 

Solid Waste Management Strategy 

-  Environmental Impact Assessment, Earthmoving, Recycling (deposit and refund fee schedules) 

-  YBSAP, Tourism Development Plan, State Economic Plan, SLM Project 

-Legislation to ban plastic shopping bag 

Chuuk 

  • CSL Public Law 02-94-01 
  • Littering Law CSL- 191-33  
  • Solid Waste Management Strategy 

-  Recycling Law (aluminum cans) -never signed 

-  Title 7, Chapter 9 (Municipal Taxing Power) 

-  Title 21, Chapter  13 (Sanitation) 

-  Title 22, Chapter 1  (Chuuk Environmental Protection Act) 

-  Title 22, Chapter 3  (Littering) 

-  Title 24, Chapter 11 (Public Lands and Condemnation) 

-  Title 29, Chapter  5 (Environmental Improvement Tax) 

Earth Moving Regulations, Environment Impact Assessment Regulations 

-  Chuuk State Development Plan, Chuuk State Strategic Plan for Education, Chuuk State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan 

Pohnpei 

  • Constitution of Pohnpei, Article 7, Section 1 on Resources and Environment which requires establishment and execution of plans for conserving natural resources and protection of the environment. 
  • Title 27, Chapter 2: littering in public places and premises 
  • Title 27, Chapter 2: pollution of air, water, and land as an offense 
  • Title 27, Chapter 3: Establish recycling fee of five cents on aluminum imported 
  • Title 27, Chapter 3: Imposes deposit of 6 cents on all beverages produced or imported 
  • Title 27, Chapter 4: Prohibits importation, use, and disposal of non-recyclable shopping less than 5 mm 
  • State Law No 3L-26-92, Pohnpei Environmental Protection Act 
  • Solid Waste Regulations 3/30/95 
  • Solid Waste Management Strategy 
  • EIA Regulations 
  • Marine and Fresh Water Quality Regulations 
  • Pohnpei EPA Air Pollution Control Standards and Regulations 

-  Pohnpei State Law No 6L-66-06 provides for litter abatement and solid waste   disposal, shipping container and motor vehicle waste disposal fee, and establishes Environmental Quality Fund and Litter Reward Fund 

Kosrae 

  • Kosrae State Constitution, Article 2: Every person has the right to a healthful, clean and stable environment, while providing for the orderly development and use of natural resources, the state government shall by law protect the states environment, ecology, and natural resources from impairment from the public interest. 
  • Title 7, Chapter 4 
  • Title 9, Chapter 2 
  • Title 10, Chapter 2 
  • Title 11, Chapter 13 and 17 
  • Title 13, Chapter 5 and 6  
  • Pesticide Regulations 
  • POPs Regulations 
  • Pollution Regulations 
  • Kosrae Land Use Plan 
  • Kosrae Shoreline Management Plan 
  • Solid Waste Management Strategy 
  • Littering Law: Kosrae State Code, Title 13, Section 13.506 
  • Pollution: Kosrae State Code, Title 13, Section 530 
  • Kosrae Recycling Program: Kosrae State Code, Title 7, Chapter 22 
  • Legislation on prohibition of plastic shopping bags 

NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 

  • FSM Constitution -Article 13, Section 2 
  • Title 25 
  • National Solid Waste Management Strategy (2015-2020) 
  • Regulation to Control Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste 
  • Public Law 21-76: Prohibition on the importation of one time use disposable styrofoam and plastic service food items and plastic shopping bags 
  • Permanent Regulations: PL 21-76 (2020) 
  • Leachate Management Guidelines (2015) 
  • National Implementation Plan (NIP) 

Service providers for waste collection and disposal 

State 

Regulating Agency 

Implementing Agencies (Collection and Disposal) 

Chuuk 

1. Chuuk EPA 

2. Department of Public Safety for enforcement of littering law 

Chuuk Department of Transportation, & Communication  (Division of Public Works) 

Kosrae 

1. Kosrae Island Resource Management Authority (KIRMA) 

Department of Transportation & Infrastructure 

Kosrae Municipal Government 

Pohnpei 

1. Pohnpei EPA 

2. Department  of Public Safety for littering law enforcement 

Division of Transportation & Infrastructure 

(Disposal and collection contracted to Pohnpei Waste Management Services), Kolonia Town Municipal Government, Nett Municipal Government, Uh Municipal Government, and Sokehs Municipal Government 

Pohnpei Waste Management Services is contracted by a Division of Transportation & Infrastructure to manage dumpsite. There is another Private Waste Company that collects and disposes waste from residential areas with a fee. 

Yap 

1. Yap EPA 

 

Department of Public Works & Transportation and Yap State Public Service Corporation, Island Paradise Metal Company, and Yap Environmental Waste Solutions 

Recycling 

In the FSM, Container Deposit Schemes (CDSs) for beverage containers are gaining ground. A CDS is a system whereby a small extra deposit is added on top of the retail price when eligible beverages are sold. The deposit is partly refunded when the empty beverage container is returned to a redemption center.    The reason that CDSs are gaining ground in the FSM is that the products covered by this system are not manufactured in the states. They are all imported products, and thus it is relatively easy to charge a deposit at the time of import. Among collected containers, aluminum cans are regularly exported owing to their high resource value, which also contributes to material recycling. However, for other beverage containers (mainly plastic bottles), all the states are experiencing difficulties in securing export destinations due to the sluggish recycling market for plastics. (J-PRISM report) 

Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal 

Three states of the FSM, excluding Chuuk, have set up semi-aerobic landfills, or so-called Fukuoka-Method disposal sites, with the financial support of the Japanese government, and are properly disposing of waste discharged in the islands.  

Sewage disposal is by way of septic tanks. 

Waste Disposal Company Assessment (Company managing a waste disposal facility).

 

Name of Company 

POHNPEI WASTE MANAGEMENT SERVICES  

Physical Address 

NETT, DEKEHTIK 

Contact Person 

ERNIE YAMAGUCHI 

Telephone Number 

320-5058 OR 320-7493 

Email 

Pwms96941gmail.com 

Company Profile 

Does the company have an Environmental, Health and Safety certification (e.g. ISO 14001, ISO 45001 or equivalent) or self-certified management plan for facilities and personnel? (List all available) 

CERTFIED BY E. P. A 

Business License Validity Dates 

March 17 2023 

Years of experience 

More than 10 years 

Company main business 

E.P.A , STATE T & I and NETT DISTRICT 

Facility is well maintained (roof/walls)? 

Yes  

Hazardous materials are processed and stored separately from non-hazardous waste? 

Yes  

Facility has adequate ventilation? 

Yes  

PPE provided to staff (hard hats, overalls, boots, etc.)? 

Hats, glove, boots, overall , uniform t-shirt 

Processing capacity (e.g. max tonnes/day or month)* 

MT/day and month (list capacity by type of waste, if relevant) 

Collection provided (Y/N) 

Yes   

Transport capacity constraints (geographical, volumes, frequency)? 

Two working dump trucks that are used to collect waste from residential and commercial bins. 

Non-Hazardous Waste 

Type of Waste 

Accepted at facility? (Y/N) 

Restrictions if any 

Disposal method 

Packaging (flexible laminate plastics) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Packaging (HDPE Plastics) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Packaging (Styrofoam) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Packaging (Polypropylene) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Packaging (plastics/others - please specify) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Aluminum** 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Steel** 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Glass 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Corrugated Cardboard 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Packaging (paper) 

Yes 

 

Landfill, Incineration 

Pallets (wood) 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Paper (office) 

Yes 

 

Landfill, Incineration 

Furniture 

Yes 

 

Landfill, 

Vehicle Spare Parts 

Yes 

 

 physical recycling 

Styrofoam 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Hazardous waste

Type of Waste 

Accepted at Facility? (Y/N)? 

Restrictions if any? 

Disposal Method 

IT Hardware (e.g. servers, routers, external drives, CPUs) 

Yes 

 

 physical recycling 

Telecoms equipment (e.g. deskphones, radios, mobile phones) 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Computers (e.g. desktop computers, laptops, monitors, keyboards, others) 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Scanners, printers, copiers, toner cartridges 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Household appliances (e.g. air-conditioners, refrigerators, generators) 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Lighting equipment (light bulbs, switches, fluorescent lamps) 

Yes 

 

physical recycling 

Batteries of different types (e.g. lithium ion, lead acid) 

Yes 

 

Landfill, physical recycling 

Electrical and electronic equipment (e.g. cameras, smoke detectors) 

Yes 

 

Landfill , physical recycling 

Gym equipment (e.g. treadmills) 

Yes 

 

 physical recycling 

Solar Photovoltaic equipment (e.g. PV panels, inverters) 

Yes 

 

Landfill, physical recycling 

Medical Waste (e.g. soiled medical items, used sharps, glasswear, etc.) 

Yes 

 

Landfill, 

Admin Waste

Type of Waste 

Accepted at Facility? (Y/N)? 

Restrictions if any? 

Disposal Method 

Used engine oil, lubricants 

Yes 

 

Filtered 

Tyres 

Yes 

 

Piled up and soed fo  

Paints 

Yes 

 

Landfill 

Chemicals and Fertilizers 

Yes  

 

Landfill,  

General Medical waste (e.g., used masks, office use latex gloves w/o bodily fluids) 

Yes  

 

Landfill, Incineration,  

General Office Waste 

Yes  

 

Landfill, Incineration,  

Composting (food waste) 

Yes  

 

Landfill

Notes and Definitions 

*Please include mt or cbm of waste disposal capacity / day by waste type (if there are any restrictions) 

**Please specify in the "restrictions" column the type of aluminum and steel accepted (i.e., cans, household steel/aluminum waste, industrial steel, scrap metals, etc.)  

This tool is designed to collect company profile information in addition to the general landscape on waste disposal in country, please add a sheet for each company assessed for inclusion in the LCA.  

For further supplier registration/prequalification, please use Recycling company assessment checklist_Haz and non-has waste.pdf 



Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

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