Why we need to keep our islands rubbish free

Asterio Takesy
Environmental challenges facing the Pacific islands communities today are both numerous in size and compelling in their potential to cause havoc.

As spectacular as the Pacific is for tourists and visitors, it will never be a modern, forward-looking region if it is a place where its beauty, character, air and rivers are polluted, defaced, and unhealthy.

During 2005, the SPREP Year of Action Against Waste has once again highlighted the importance of maintaining clean, pristine surroundings.

This year, a SPREP study into the cost of waste management in the Cook Islands indicated that each family spends over US$2000 a year in health costs, reduced fisheries and tourism income. It would be a similar tale in other Pacific countries. We know that:

• the region has already thrown out enough tinned fish cans to build a Manhattan skyscraper;
• the amount of rubbish Pacific islanders now dump is increasingly leaching into finite freshwater resources and lagoons;
• poor wastewater disposal is placing the health and well-being of thousands of Pacific islands children at risk; and that
• washing your pick-up truck for ten minutes can use up to a 1000 litres of drinking water and pollutes streams.

A key element of the year's activities has been working with national governments to develop action plans to reduce the levels of solid waste generated within the region, and to develop appropriate methods in dealing with what remains.

The high costs of safe landfills mean they are a valuable resource. Minimising the waste that we have to dispose of makes sound economic sense.

Throughout the campaign, the importance of national waste strategies to underline the need to “avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle” has been publicised to good effect. The initiative taken by Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa Tonga and Tuvalu to begin legislation to outlaw the use of plastic bags deserves acknowledgement for its far-sightedness. These bags kill our turtles, breed disease and make our countries ugly. Next year is the Year of the Turtles and SPREP is planning to expand on this initiative.

Fijian recycling companies came on board to pledge increases in the volume of materials being recycled. They ran a “Trash-for-Cash” campaign to promote the benefits of their industry. The Fijian Affairs Board facilitated a “Live and Learn Education Module” on Environment Education to support the campaign.

The North-West Pacific islands have joined forces to deal with bulk waste. Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau and Yap State of the Federated States of Micronesia are all working together to implement this recycling project. The lessons learned from this plan can be used as a model for the rest of the region.

Countries have also been active in removing almost 150 tonnes of hazardous wastes stockpiled in a number of locations around the region.

This AusAid funded initiative is being done under SPREP's Persistent Organic Pollutants in Pacific Islands Countries project, also known as “POPs in PICs”.

The chemicals are being packed and shipped to Australia, where they will be destroyed in an environmentally sound facility. This will remove the serious threats these chemicals pose to human health and ecosystems.

To maintain this momentum, a Pacific Regional Centre is being set up at SPREP headquarters in Apia, to promote sound waste management of toxic substances.

To prevent the Pacific becoming a dumping ground, the centre, armed with four regional and international conventions, will also monitor the trans-boundary movement of hazardous wastes.

We cannot carry on dealing with waste in the manner we are doing so at the moment. We know the problem.

The volume of waste, particularly in our growing urban and industrial areas, is increasing.

Domestically, there are overflows of our septic systems and a growing shortage of our own water supply for domestic use. Pollution, disease, personal frustration, as well as extra costs and loss of tourism earnings are the results. We all have a responsibility.

SPREP will continue to work closely with our communities at all levels, to promote collective environmental aims based on sustainable development. Such development can only be achieved within a bond of partnership with the community and leadership by government.

This foundation has to be applied with commitment, consistency and determination by all sectors of the community. This is why strong support from our tribes or villages, our schools, civil society, business and church leaders is necessary. SPREP will continue to improve its advisory role and rise to meet the ever-increasing challenges ahead.

Pacific communities must be willing to strive to be more innovative in their efforts to overcome geographic isolation and economic vulnerability. These are disadvantages that developed countries do not have to consider.

Encouraging and appreciating how each and every one of us can play a part in minimising waste is a good starting point.