Baruni Landfill Cell 3 Officially Opens in Port Moresby

JICA started theTechnical Cooperation Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste Management in Pacific Island Countries (J-PRISM) Project in 2011. Papua New Guinea (PNG) has been included in the J-PRISM project since its inception.

With support of JICA through J-PRISM, JICA Experts were dispatched to PNG to provide technical advice to the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) to develop NCDC’s waste management plan (WMP). Upon developing their WMP, with technical expertise from JICA, the Baruni landfill site (cell 1 and cell 2) in Port Moresby was upgraded from an open dumping site to a semi-aerobic landfilling (Fukuoka Method).

The Fukuoka Method maximizes the usage of space, is environmentally friendly, and minimizes greenhouse gas emissions.

On the 13^th of October 2026, a small but significant milestone was reached by NCDC. The commissioning and launching of Baruni landfill Cell 3 toook place.

The NCDC city manager Ravu Frank said in his opening remarks, “Serving more than one million residents, Baruni Landfill is the only sanitary landfill in Port Moresby. Once an open dumpsite plagued by environmental and health concerns, the site has undergone a remarkable transformation since 2016 into a world-class sanitary landfill. Today, this progress reached another milestone with the completion and opening of its third landfill cell.”

Following that, the Ambassador of Japan to PNG His Excellency Hisanobu Mochizuki congratulated NCDC on the commissioning of the Cell 3 Baruni Landfill project. He acknowledges the efforts of all stakeholders in achieving this remarkable outcome. H.E Mochizuki said, “Baruni Landfill site will be a frontrunner to achieve success not only with NCD, but also with the other cities, towns, and villages in PNG. Hopefully, this story will be disseminated also in other countries. Papua New Guinea is really a frontrunner in this effort.”

In the Keynote address by Governor of NCD Hon. Powes Parkop, he conveyed his deepest appreciation to the Ambassador, People of Japan, and the Government of Japan on behalf of the city for the invaluable support both bilaterally through its development agency JICA, and multilaterally through Asian Development Bank (ADB) as the largest shareholder. He acknowledged the presence of JICA since 1974 in PNG, supporting the national development outcomes of PNG.

The construction of Baruni landfill cell 3 is worth K9.3 million and can hold between 350 000 to 400 000 cubic meters of solid waste at full capacity. Cell 3 landfill will support solid waste management of NCDC in the next 3 to 5 years.