J-PRISM3 continues to support recycling efforts in Fiji
The Expert Team of J-PRISM 3 (Japanese Technical Cooperation Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste Management in Pacific Island Countries Phase 3) held a recycling-good practice sharing session on 17th March 2025 in a hybrid-format session combining online and on-site attendance.
One of the outcomes aimed in the J-PRISM3 is promotion of recycling activities through collaboration between municipal councils and recycling partners. This hybrid session was held as a part of this output to share good practices of recycling activities in Fiji.
In addition to the members from the Ministry of Local Government (MoLG) and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC), Health Inspectors from Suva City Council, Lami and Nasinu Town Councils attended the meeting held at the MoLG in Suva City while 11 officials from other eight cities and towns participated via online.
In the hybrid session, after an opening remark by Ms. Bindula Devi (Director of Local Government), participants from Labasa, Lami, Lautoka, Nadi, Sigatoka and Suva gave presentations on good practices on recycling activities.
According to the Expert Team, some of the unique features of recycling in Fiji are as follows:
- Fiji is somewhat different from other island nations in the Pacific region due to its population and economic size, not only non-ferrous metals and scrap iron, but also used plastic and paper are collected and exported.
- In Fiji, there is also a manufacturing industry, where waste lead-acid batteries are recycled into new lead-acid batteries, and white office paper is also collected and recycled into new toilet paper by paper manufacturers.
- Unfortunately, many people, including city and town health inspectors, are still not aware of the fact that so many items can be recycled in Fiji; as a result, many people throw away these recyclables as waste.
It will take long time and many efforts by citizens to become capable of separating recyclable materials, but as MoECC has begun considering sustainable recycling regulations, such as the Container Deposit Regulation. Thus J-PRISM3 will continue to support recycling efforts in Fiji.
Hybrid session
Hybrid session
Online participants