Country Report (Fiji)

Transcription

1 Cuntry Reprt (Fiji)

2 1.0 Intrductin The ever increasing and imprper dispsal f wastes is fast becming glbal issue which Small Island Develping States (SIDS) f the Pacific increasingly find prblematic due the envirnmental cncerns assciated. Waste management was identified as a strategic issue fr the sustainable develpment f Small Island Develping States including Pacific island cuntries, at the UN General Assembly Special Sessin n the Sustainable Develpment f SIDS held in September 1999 in New Yrk. 3 Wrkshps n Municipal Slid Waste Management fr PIF Cuntries, Apia, Sama, Feb-Mar Waste management has als been identified as a pririty issue within the regin. This is recgnized in the Actin Plan fr Managing the Pacific Envirnment, which was prduced by the Secretariat f the Pacific Reginal Envirnment Prgramme (SPREP, 2001) after extensive cnsultatins with SPREP Member cuntries. The recently agreed t draft Actin Plan fr SPREP ( ) als highlighted Waste Management as an issue that needed attentin at the reginal level. 2.0 Fiji Fiji has an apprximate land area f 18,270 km 2 and cmprises 332 islands f which apprximately 110 are inhabited. The castline is apprximately 1,129km and the terrain is mstly muntains f vlcanic rigin. The climate trpical marine, and there is nly slight seasnal temperature variatin. The capital is Suva (n the island f Viti Levu). It is lcated at: Suth, East (gegraphic crdinates) and UTC+12 (the Date Line passing thrugh the cuntry). The ttal ppulatin is estimated at 918,675 (2007). Fiji like all ther Small Island Develping States in the Pacific regin recgnizes that waste management is the single mst pressing issue that needs immediate actin. It is recgnized as a majr cncern with the ptential t cause negative impacts n ur natinal develpment activities including public health, the envirnment, fd security, turism and trade. Slid Waste at the mment is either being thrwn in the pen dumpsites, illegally dispsed f in the sea r n unused land, in the streets r being burnt in piles in the backyard. Burning f municipal waste is als quite cmmn despite and twns and cities have been cntinuusly expsed t destructive effects such as carcingenic txins frm burning and impacts f pr waste management. 2

3 Prly managed wastes can have negative effects n turism, by detracting frm the Pacific Paradise image that Fiji prmtes, and by assciatin with health warnings abut infectius and vectr-brne diseases. There is the ptential fr cntaminatin f fd supplies, which can have impacts n lcal markets r revenue frm exprt crps. And there are numerus health cncerns assciated with pr waste management. In light f this, the Fiji Gvernment, tgether with relevant stakehlders frmulated a Natinal Slid Waste Management Strategy AND Actin Plan (NSWMS) which was endrsed by Cabinet in 2006, and launched in June The NSWMS sets ut a medium t lng-term prgram addressing waste management issues in Fiji, s as t avid r minimize the adverse effects f imprper waste dispsal. The strategy details the current waste management practices and utlines the inadequacies that exist in the system at the mment. The prpsed actin plans details prgrams that are t be implemented at natinal, lcal and cmmunity levels. It is intended that the Strategy shuld prvide a platfrm frm which future waste management activities can be develped and the mechanism fr crdinating them. As much as pssible, the Gvernment f Fiji will lk at resurcing the prpsed activities and actins but in sme cases, external resurces will be required and ur develpment partners will be invited t participate n these aspects f the strategy. The generatin and dispsal f wastes has direct and indirect linkages t ecnmic develpment. Waste materials represent wasted mney, in terms f the riginal cst f the materials, the csts dispsal, and als the ptential value f the material as a recyclable reusable resurce. 3.0 Themes f the Fiji NSWMS The strategy is based arund the fllwing seven majr themes, which were als the basis fr the wrking grups: - Legislatin, Regulatin and Institutin Infrmatin, - Educatin, Awareness and Cmmunity Prgrammes - Research and Develpment - Waste Minimizatin and Recycling - Imprving Final Dispsal, Mnitring and Litter Cntrl - Efficient pricing and Ecnmic Instruments - Infrastructure, Services and Cllectin Systems 4.0 Key Objectives f the Fiji NSWMS The key bjectives f the natinal slid waste management strategy are t: - reduce the amunt f waste that each cmmunity generates - make best use f the waste that is generated 3

4 - develp and implement ecnmic and scial incentive mechanisms t change wasteful behavir - imprve and upgrade existing waste management and dispsal systems and - encurage/ prvide waste management practices, which minimize the envirnmental risk and harm t human health - Prvide a guideline template fr rural r cmmunity level slid waste management practices wrk. 5.0 Existing Scenari n Slid Waste Management Litter A litter survey was carried ut alng the Suva Edinburgh Drive fr 1.8km and 1.5km alng Suva Queen Elizabeth Drive. The predminant pllutants identified in bth the Draft 12 surveys were snack packets fllwed by Plyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bttles and plastic bags. In 2008, a Litter Prmulgatin Act was endrsed by Cabinet, where certain prvisins are nw being enfrced mstly with the assistance f cuncils. Plastic Bags The grwing number f plastic bags is ne f the majr envirnmental pllutants and f key cncern in Fiji, as it takes lnger time t degrade. Plastic pllutin is quite cmmn in public areas. In 1994 SPREP carried ut a waste audit with 5 husehlds in Suva fr a week and fund 7% f the waste was made up f plastics. PET Bttles In the year 2003 frm January t December, the ttal influx f PET bttles in Fiji was recrded arund 44 millin which includes 1.7 millin f imprts and 42 millin PET bttles being prduced lcally. (Nte that the prductin 5 f PET bttles serves t mean the bttles that are blwn up lcally using imprted pellets). Industrial r Trade Wastes Cnsiderable amunts f slid wastes are prduced by industries and dispsed f at municipal dumps. Sugar Mills Huge amunts f bagasse, mill mud and ash is prduced in ne cane crushing seasn. Sme bagasse is used as a surce f fuel fr the mill bilers, hwever stckpiles still develp Prper dispsal f such wastes are still being explred. Saw Mills There are 61 sawmills arund the cuntry, and with the permit system, these facilities wuld again need t prvide waste management plans n hw best they wuld dispse waste generated in an envirnmentally friendly manner. Gld Mine 4

5 A majr surce f slid waste frm the mine is tailings, which are retained in tailings dams at the mine site. Fr all mines, facilities wuld need t apply fr a waste dispsal permit, and with this, an imprtant criteria fr btaining a permit is submitting a waste management plan which shuld state hw waste wuld be prperly dispsed, and pre-treatments that is required, and s frth. Turism The turism industry is a majr generatr f waste. The cmpsitin f turism generated waste wuld be significantly different frm ther waste surces with a higher prprtin f plastics, packaging and cans. Difficult Slid Waste Other majr cntributrs f slid waste include mtr vehicles and parts (such as batteries, tyres, vehicle scraps and derelict vehicles), and white gds (The Department f Envirnment had a study dne n Scrap Metals, Derelict Vehicles, Batteries and Tyres). A permit system has been set-up t cater fr battery, tyres and scrap metal recycling, which shuld greatly assist in this. The Department is currently awaiting wrd n a research by Japan Autmtive Recyclers Assciatin n the recycling f car bdies (vehicle scraps/derelict vehicles), that wuld sn take place in cllabratin with ther pacific island cuntries. Hazardus Wastes Increasing urbanizatin and imprtatin f numerus cnsumer prducts ranging frm csmetics t labratry chemicals used in the educatin sectr and chemicals imprted mainly under the agriculture, manufacturing and mining sectrs cntribute t accumulatin f hazardus waste materials in Fiji. The Agriculture sectr fr example has stckpiles f waste/bslete agrchemicals. Given the absence f apprpriate dispsal facilities and management mechanism, a lt f these hazardus chemicals have fund their way int ur ecsystems via leachate frm rubbish dumps like the Lami dump, r thrugh intentinal dumping by sme peple. 6.0 Existing Dispsal and Cllectin Inefficiencies Dispsal Site Slid waste dispsal facilities are currently very pr in Fiji with abut 7 ut f the 11 sites being lcated in mangrves, which are plluting the water bdies. Nt a single rubbish dump arund the cuntry is envirnmentally safe and scially acceptable. These dumps are managed prly. Mst f these pen dumpsites are infested with flies, rdents, pests, and scavengers. Besides it emits a ful smell and there are n mechanisms in place t ensure that the leachates d nt leak int adjacent land and waterways. 5

6 Cllectin Prblems Fr the majr cities waste cllectin is cntracted t private cmpanies. In mst part f Suva, husehld rubbish is cllected three times per week in 7 tnne cmpactr r cvered trucks. Even thugh the cuncil believes it has a high level f dmestic service t the ratepayers, the cmmunity at large believes they still need t imprve the system. 7.0 Existing Capacity t Manage Waste Plicies There is a lack f cmprehensive plicy framewrks fr slid waste management while the existing legislatins lack enfrcement. Sme f the laws that can been frced fr imprper dispsal, accumulatin f refuse r littering are: - Public Health Act - Litter Prmulgatin - Municipal authrities waste management by-laws - Fijian Affairs Act Financial Cnstraints Due t lack f cst recvery by municipalities n waste cllectin, there are high csts fr services and inadequate revenues, waste cllectin is ecnmically inefficient. On the ther hand, lcal municipalities d nt have the financial capacity t administer waste management effectively. 8.0 Prgress n Waste Management Envirnment Management Act With the preparatin and final prmulgatin f an Envirnment Management Act (EMA) in March 2005, Fiji has established a cmprehensive legal and institutinal framewrk fr imprving the cnditins fr waste management in the cuntry. The purpse f the EMA is t apply the principles f sustainable use and develpment f natural resurces and t identify matters f natinal imprtance fr Fiji with regards t the envirnment. 6

7 In December, 2007, Envirnment Management (Waste Dispsal and Recycling) Regulatins was endrsed by cabinet which has cme int effect n 1st January, 2008 (grace perid). The purpse f the regulatin is t prevent the pllutin f the envirnment by cntrlling the discharge f slid waste frm facilities, the discharge f liquid wastes, the emissin f plluting gases, smke, steam and dust, and dispsal f wastes and hazardus substances generally. Part 5 f the Envirnment Management Act 2005 sets ut the framewrk fr Waste Management and Pllutin Cntrl in the Fiji Islands. It prhibits any cmmercial r industrial facility frm discharging any waste r pllutant int the envirnment r handling r string hazardus materials withut a permit and gives the Waste Management and Pllutin Cntrl Administratr pwer t issue permits. The WPC Administratr can als mnitr discharges and issue rders t prevent illegal r excessive discharges. Landfills Fiji nw has a prper Sanitary Landfill, the Nabr Landfill, which has been in peratin since Octber, This landfill is lcated in Suva and caters fr Suva City Area, Nasinu Twn Cuncil, Nausri Twn Cuncil, Navua Rural Lcal Authrity and Krvu Rural Lcal Authrity. It is an Anaerbic Landfill System that was funded by the Eurpean Unin. It is maintained by a Private Cntractr and mnitred by the Department f Envirnment. This landfill has alleviated sme majr slid waste prblems assciated with pen dumps, such as health cncerns frm flies, rdents, and envirnmental health cncerns frm leachates. Hwever, a lt is still needed in terms f cnsistency f waste received frm the cuncils as factrs such as fuels csts assciated with distance and gate fees have been prblematic. 9.0 Current Wrk in the Area f Waste Management A cnsiderable amunt f wrk is ging n in the area f waste management in Fiji. Belw are examples f sme Gvernment Departments, Nn Gvernment Organizatins and ther cmpanies wh are cntributing t waste management in Fiji. There are ther departments, rganizatins and cmpanies wh als d significant wrk regarding waste management. Department f Envirnment The Gvernment thrugh the Department f Envirnment had always recgnized the imprtance f having infrmatin n waste matters t make infrmed decisins. In this regard, the Department in cllabratin with relevant stakehlders frmulated strategies and plicies regarding waste management. Much f the wrk 7

8 f 2008 wuld be fcusing n the implementatin f the Natinal Slid Waste Management Strategy, and the implementatin f the permit system. Internatinal Waters Prject (IWP) The IWP had wrked with 2 pilt cmmunities; the cncept cmmunity has a range f meanings and interpretatins acrss a number f disciplines. The prject runded in February 2007 with a Sustainability Strategy frmulated which shuld greatly assist the Department regarding Rural Waste Management. Lessns Learnt frm this prject is currently being prmted during cmmunity awareness wrks. Training and Prductivity Authrity f Fiji (TPAF) TPAF prvides training and undertakes prjects n varius issues. Envirnmental issues like waste management is ne f them. A mre recent ne is the Waste Recycling Cmpetitin fr schls in Fiji Pririties fr the cming years. ( Natinal Slid Waste Management Strategy?; landfill imprvements?; better cllectin service?; medical waste dispsal? Waste minimizatin? Recycling? Paying fr waste? A hlistic apprach twards waste management. Waste Minimizatin (Recycling, Reusing, Cmpsting Prmtins) As stated earlier, an imprtant aspect f waste management that the Department has taken n bard, are the activities that lead twards waste minimizatin such as reusing, recycling, cmpsting, and refusing. These wuld be the highlights f the Western Regin Waste Management Prject funded by JICA which began in Octber 2008, with this being the third year f implementatin. The fcus n this prject is nt s much n Landfills but waste minimizatin activities in which the peple need t take n bard and learn abut. All cmpnents f baseline survey have been cmpleted with engagements f cnsultants, and tgether with invlvement f the Lautka and Nadi Twn cuncils. These include waste characterizatin survey, capacity assessment, cmmunity survey, final dispsal amunt survey, time and mtin survey, public pinin survey, cmpst demand and market survey. The Department is nw fcusing n this prcess which is quite imprtant, with the last resrt being landfills. Here are sme activities that were undertaken during the preparatin and implementatin phase (2009): Field survey f Vunat landfill. Waste characterizatin survey at pilt areas / trial Cmmunity capacity Assessment Survey Final dispsal amunt survey Time and mtin survey Public pinin survey 8

9 Cmpst demand and market survey / trial Launching f 3R Prject in Nadi and Lautka Installatin f weighbridge at Vunat Landfill Upcming activities: A wrkshp fr teachers in Nadi twn area is scheduled fr the 19 th f February. The purpse f this wrkshp is t create awareness t teachers n the Clean Schl Cmpetitin whereby 11 primary schls and 4 secndary schls arund Nadi Twn cuncil are targeted t participate. DE wuld be required t frmulate a guideline n waste management fr schls based n the lessn learnt thrugh this Clean schl cmpetitin which is scheduled frm the 19 th Feb and ending n July, Seminar n the Master Plan is scheduled fr the 23 rd and 24 th f February at Nadi Twn cuncil and Lautka City Cuncil respectively. The 5 th JCC meeting is scheduled fr the 9 th f March at DE cnference rm and n the 10 th f March at JICA ffice. Members are Central Bard f Health, Lcal Gvernment and Envirnment, Municipal Reps (Lautka and Nadi), JICA Fiji ffice, and chaired by the Permanent Secretary f Lcal Gvernment and Envirnment. Onging awareness, and 3R practices at pilt sites, and replicatin with Nadi and Lautka. Rehabilitatin f the Lami Dump Fllwing the clsure f the Lami Dump in year 2005, serius envirnmental risks remain at the site, including the emissin f leachate and gas and the risk f fire r tidal wave. The Department f Envirnment tgether with the Eurpean Unin is wrking n the rehabilitatin wrks at the Lami Dump site in rder t minimize these envirnmental hazards. Cmmencement began in April 2009, with the recruitment f cnsultants t make assessment, recmmend and supervise rehabilitatin wrks t be undertaken. Part f the cnsultancy als invlve institutinal strengthening f the Department, feasibility n future peratins f Nabr Landfill, assisting with Envirnment Impact Assessments f prpsed sites, finalizatin f tender dcuments & recruitment(february June 2010), and versee wrks t be undertaken (June 2010 June 2011). Prpsed Cntainer Depsit Legislatin The UNDP had funded a feasibility study t lk at the pssibility f intrducing Cntainer Depsit Legislatin (CDL) int Fiji, building n the experience gained 9

10 frm their successful prjects in Kiribati and the Federated States f Micrnesia. The study identified that the value f recyclable materials currently being landfilled in Fiji is high which cntributes t the high cst in cllectin and landfill space. This prject is divided int tw phases with the fllwing: The three (3) expected utputs fr Phase I included the setting up f the Prject Management Unit (PMU), frmulatin f a legal framewrk fr the depsit and refund beverage cntainer recycling system and the setting up f the Managing Agency. With the mdel prpsed the Department f Envirnment, with the assistance f UNDP, will establish a Prject Management Unit (PMU) fr verall management and crdinatin f Phase I. The Department f Envirnment will advice and guide the PMU and prvide emplyment cntracts and perating prcedures, bth financial and persnnel. The PMU wuld be based at the Department f Envirnment and the unit wuld cnsist f a Prject Crdinatr, Prject Assistant, Prject Administrative Officer and Financial Officer. The system as prpsed wuld require a revisin t the current law, which wuld best be achieved thrugh amending Part 7 Envirnment Management (Waste Dispsal and Recycling) Regulatins 2007 t prvide fr similar cnditins t be applied t all beverage cntainers. The amendment wuld require anyne imprting r prducing a beverage cntainer in Fiji t have a permit t d s, and issuance f a permit wuld be frm the Department f the Envirnment. A Cntainer Depsit Recycling Specialist wuld be emplyed in Phase I t prvide expert advice and assistance t the creatin f the system. An Implementatin Plan has been prduced which prvides cnsiderable detail cncerning the activities required, and the crdinatin f thse activities. In additin a cmprehensive Cmmunicatin Strategy has been develped fr a strng public educatin campaign, using all types f mass media, against littering and the dumping f uncntained wastes in streets, waterways, bush and beaches. In the Preparatry Assistance Phase, the fllwing were undertaken: a) Feasibility Study f CDL in Fiji, b) Develpment f a Cmmunicatins Strategy c) Legal Endrsement in relatin t Legal framewrk linking t the current legislatin (Envirnment Management Act 2007) b) Securing cmmitments frm beverage and recycling industries thrugh fur sets f Rundtable Cnsultatins Fiji wide This wuld then be fllwed by the signing f agreement with UNDP fr cmmencement f phase 1 wrks. Transfer Statin 10

11 Transfer Statin has been an area currently being explred by the Department and Municipal Cuncils (specifically fr the Suva Regin) under the EU Lami Rehabilitatin Prject, and a feasibility study n this is cmpleted. Landfill Imprvements As stated earlier, there is nly ne sanitary landfill in Fiji which has been in peratin fr the past tw years, with a life-time f apprximately 10 years. There have been n-ging discussins regarding the need t install prper landfills in the Western Regin and the Nrthern Divisin. An imprtant utcme t nte is the JICA funded Western Regin Waste Management Prject that began in August Trainings have als been held in 2009 with cuncils and lcal authrities n lw-cst slid waste dump imprvements with a lt f fcus n the prper peratins, and the requirements under the Waste Dispsal and Recycling Regulatins Imprved implementatin f the EMA 2005 The Department will be fcusing n imprving the mnitring f the permit system, and mnitr the set-up f Envirnment Management Units/Cmmittees in facilities and gvernment Department fr better implementatin f the EMA Anther need are testing equipments fr analysis, and capturing samples fr better mnitring purpses Other prgress wrks a. Litter A secnd review fr the purpse f effective implementatin was held in August 2009, with relevant stakehlders, and this is currently awaiting cabinet decisin (2 nd cabinet sitting in 2010). b. Plastic Bags At the mment, the department are wrking clsely with municipal cuncils n hw best this issue culd be tackled, where the fcus wuld be mre n awareness and setting up incentives, rather then fcusing t much n alternatives such as bidegradable plastics, which als has adverse effects. In line with the actin plan under the NSWMS, a plastic free Christmas campaign was rganized by DOE and Westpac with the supprt f leading supermarkets. This was a 6 weeks campaign which was launched at MHCC (busy centre) and invlved radi advertisements, TV cmmercials, newspaper 11

12 advertisements, and distributin f shpping banks at Westpac Centre s Fiji wide. The Department A Feasibility study n the ecnmic incentive f plastic bag will als be undertaken shrtly (March Mid April 2010) and a cabinet paper will be frmulated ut f this study, tgether with utcmes f campaigns such as this. c. Industrial/Trade Waste A permit system is enfrced where all industries are t btain a permit fr dispsal f any waste generated within facilities, and this shuld greatly assist with minimizing f adverse effects, as cnditins fr prper dispsal wuld be laid ut by the department. S far, abut 600 facilities have applied fr a permit Fiji wide, where sme have mre than ne lcatin. The Department is als currently being cnsulted by the Water and Sewerage Department f Fiji n a Trade Waste Plicy fr Fiji. d. Hazardus Waste A Hazardus Waste endrsement has been incrprated in the regulatins fr the handling & transprtatin f such wastes in Fiji, where a few majr cmpanies have btained endrsement as part f their permit. This is in additin t the Assessments/Ntificatin as per the Waigani Cnventin fr the transbundary mvement f Hazardus Waste. Human Resurces The Department f Envirnment currently has 3 full-time staff lking after waste management and pllutin cntrl in Fiji, with an additinal 3 staff t be recruited in early March, mainly t lk after Nabr Landfill peratins, Nrthern and Western Regin Envirnmental wrks (includes Waste Management and Pllutin Cntrl) Cnclusin Fiji being a small island cuntry in cmparisn t ther develped cuntries, cannt place enugh emphasis n its slid waste management. With the limited space, it is imprtant that strategies such as the Natinal Slid Waste Management Strategy and Actin Plan are implemented at the earliest fr the alleviatin f adverse effects which easily affect the ppulatin. Better waste management will nt nly lead t mre ecnmical use f land but in it there are ways t earn incme fr the public as well, thrugh recycling and save mney in reusing sme f the material which peple disregard as waste. 12

13 The Natinal Slid Waste Management Strategy is an effrt by the Gvernment thrugh the Department f Envirnment t prduce a well structured plan t manage ur slid waste better. It fits in very well with the Reginal Slid Waste Management Strategy finalized by the Secretariat f the Reginal Envirnment Prgramme (SPREP) in Furthermre, with the enfrced waste dispsal and recycling regulatins, this shuld be a stepping stne fr the cuntry fr imprvement and mve twards the nce, pristine and resurceful Fiji. 13