Overview
The Fiji Environmental Management Act of 2005 is the primary Act on waste. The Environmental Management Act stipulates the following items:
1) The establishment of a Waste Management and Pollution Control Unit within the Department of Environment (DoE) to be responsible for waste and pollution control in Fiji;
2) The appointment of a Waste Pollution Control Officer within the above Unit, who has the authority to issue Waste Disposal Permits;
3) The functions of the Unit and other requirements.
The operation of the DoE is based on the Environmental Management (Waste Disposal and Recycling) Order of 2007, the Litter Act of 2008 and other related legislation.
The provision of waste management services to citizens is carried out by each municipality and is governed by the Department of Local Government under the Ministry of Local Government, based on the Local Government Act. In Suva, the Department of Health Services is the main entity responsible for waste management services, although the Department of Technical Services and others also handle waste to a certain extent.
Waste handled by the city’s waste collection service is roughly divided into household waste, green waste, bulky waste and commercial waste. General waste is collected on a regular basis (three times a week within the city and once a week for jurisdictions outside the city). Green waste is collected once a month and bulky waste is collected once a quarter at the initiative of the Government. Bulky waste includes household appliances.
Waste from Suva (capital and largest city) and the three neighbouring municipalities (Lami, Nasinu and Nausori) is transported to the Naboro Landfill which is about 20 km from central Suva. The Naboro landfill is Fiji’s first and only sanitary landfill which means that waste placed at the site are covered with soil and biomass such as green waste at the end of each day. The landfill has been built for long-term use i.e., from 2005 to 2050. In Lautoka (second largest city), the Lautoka City Council operates and manages waste disposal services from its facility at Vunato. The landfill caters for Lautoka City, Nadi Town, rural areas towards Ba and Nadi towns, Denarau, etc.
In terms of recycling, organic material originating from Suva is being composted at a composting facility supported by the Japanese Government. South Pacific Waste Recyclers, which is located in Laucala Beach, is Fiji’s first and only paper recycling plant where wastepaper is converted into good paper which is then used to manufacture toilet tissues. Mission Pacific Fiji is a recycling programme initiated by Coca Cola Amatil (Fiji) which incentivizes local authorities and citizens to collect plastic bottles and aluminium cans by paying FJD 0.75/kg. Paradise Beverages (Fiji), Fiji’s largest manufacturer of alcoholic beverages, voluntarily collects beer bottles which are then cleaned and reused. The recovery rate is said to be close to 80%.
The main challenge with regards to waste management in Fiji is the lack of financial and technical resources; currently there are about five staff members who handle waste and pollution related matters in the country. Apart from this, waste management services to areas outside of municipal boundaries is not easy as these residents do not pay municipal taxes or waste management fees to the local government, so securing financial resources for these services is also a challenge.
Hazardous Waste Disposal
Waste Recyclers (Fiji) Pte Limited (WRFL) has been operating in Fiji for more than 26 years. WRFL collects a wide range of products including household appliances (white goods), plastic (several types), PET bottles, glass bottles, ink cartridges, liquid and special waste.
For more information on waste types, please refer to the WREC project.
Non-Hazardous Waste Disposal
General household waste is collected on a regular basis (three times a week within the city and once a week for jurisdictions outside the city). Green waste is collected once a month.
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