Waste Management in Suva Area
Waste Management in Suva Area
Waste Management in Suva Area
Semester 1 2021
Assignment Project 1.
Key Objectives
The key objectives of the solid waste management are to:
The proposed action plans details programs that are to be implemented at national, local and community
levels. It is intended that the Strategy should provide a platform from which future waste management
activities can be developed and the mechanism for coordinating them. As much as possible, the
Government of Fiji will look at resourcing the proposed activities and actions but, in some cases, external
resources will be required and our development partners will be invited to participate on these aspects
of the strategy. The generation and disposal of wastes has direct and indirect linkages to economic
development. Waste materials represent wasted money, in terms of the original cost of the materials, the
costs of disposal, and also the potential value of the material as a recyclable and reusable resource. Poorly
managed wastes can have negative effects on tourism, by detracting from the “Pacific Paradise” image
that Fiji promotes, and by association with health warnings about infectious and vector-borne diseases.
There is the potential for contamination of food supplies, which can have impacts on local markets or
revenue from export crops. And there are numerous health and environmental hazards that arise when
wastes are poorly managed and disposed.
Introduction
Environmentalism ipromotes ijust iand iequitable iaccess ito iresources. iThe inatural ienvironment iis ian
iintegral ipart iof iFiji’s iproducts iand iservices iand ithe iquality iof inature iplays ia isignificant irole iin ithe isuccess
iof iany isocio-economic idevelopment. iAs isuch, ithe igeneration iand idisposal iof iwastes idoes ihave idirect iand
iindirect iimpact ion ithe isocioeconomic idevelopment iof iour ination. iThe iGovernment ihas itaken isteps ito
isupport isustainable iresource imanagement iand iencourage ienvironment iconservation ithrough ithe
iEnvironment iManagement iAct i(EMA) i2005. iThe iAct isets iguidelines iand ipolicies ifor ienvironmental iimpact
iassessments, iwaste imanagement, ipollution icontrol iand ipenalties. iWaste imaterial ipresent iwasted imoney
iin-terms iof ioriginal icost iof imaterials, icost iof imaterials, icost iof idisposal iand ialso ipotential ivalue iof ithe
imaterial ias ia irecyclable iand ireusable iresource. iPoorly imanaged iwastes ican ihave inegative ieffects ion
itourist idestination iimage iand iby iassociation iwith ihealth iwarnings iabout iinfectious iand ivector-borne
idiseases.
Municipal isolid iwaste iis istored iby iresidents iand icommercial iestablishments iin ismall ibins i(generally iof i60-
liter icapacity) iand iplastic ibags ikept ioutside ithe ihouse ion iraised iplatforms ito ikeep ithe iwaste isafe ifrom
idogs, ior isimply ion ithe icurb, iuntil iit iis icollected iby ithe iSuva iCity iCouncil i(SCC). iUnder ithe istreet ilitter ibin
isponsorship iprogram, icompanies iprovide ifunding ifor ipublic ilitter ibins iin iexchange ifor iplacing
iadvertisements ion ithese ibins. iHousehold irefuse icollection iis icarried iout idirectly iby ithe iSCC iusing iits iown
ifleet iof isix icompactors iand itwo icovered itrucks. iWaste icollection iservices iare iprovided iby iSCC ithree itimes
iper iweek iin iall iareas, iexcept ifor ithe icentral icity iarea, iwhere iservices iare iprovided isix itimes iper iweek.
iSuva iCity iis idivided iinto ifour iSWM iwards ithat iare ifurther idivided iinto i10 isectors. iIn ieach isector, ia iprivate
isector icontractor ihas ibeen iappointed ion ia i4-year icontract ifor icollection iand itransportation iof igreen
iwaste, igrass icutting, idrain icleaning, iand istreet isweeping. iGreen iwaste icollection iservices iprovided ito
iresidents ihave ibeen ireduced ito ijust ionce ia imonth iby ithe iSCC ito iencourage icomposting. iResidents iand
ibusinesses imay ialso imake iadditional iarrangements iwith ione iof ifive iprivate icompanies ifor iwaste
icollection iand itransportation. iHowever, iillegal idumping iand iburning iof iwaste iare istill icommon idue ito
iinadequate ienforcement. iThe i2010 iamended iLittering iDecree iallows ithe iDepartment iof iEnvironment
i(DoE) ito iappoint ipublic iofficials, iincluding ipolice iofficers, ihealth iinspectors, iand iland itransport iofficers, ias
i“litter iprevention iofficers,” iwith ithe ipower ito iimpose ion-the-spot ifines iof iF$40 i(around i$21.60) ifor
ilittering.
The iNeed iand iPurpose ifor ia iSolid iWaste iManagement iStrategy i
Our iconsumerist ilifestyle ibased ion iheavy ireliance ion iimported ifood icontinues ito iincrease iresulting iin
iincrease iof ithe iwaste ioutputs icausing iadverse ieffects ion iour ieconomy. iThe igeneration iand idisposal iof
iwastes ihas idirect iand iindirect ilinkages ito ieconomic idevelopment. iWaste irepresent iwasted imoney, iin
iterms iof, iboth ithe ioriginal icost iof ithe imaterials, ithe icosts iof idisposal, iand ialso ithe ipotential ivalue iof ithe
imaterial ias ia ireusable iresource. iPoor isolid iwaste imanagement ihas ia iserious iconstraint ito iour ihealth iand
ienvironment. iWaste iis idumped ianywhere iwhich iis inow iaffecting iour ireefs, ilagoons, iinshore ifisheries iand
itourism. iCurrently iwaste iis ibeing ithrown iwithout iregard ito ithe ienvironment ior iany icohesive ithought ito
ibetter iwaste imanagement. iUnused iland iplots iare ibecoming iillegal idumpsites iand ithe iso-called ilegal
idumpsites iare ioverflowing idue ito ino iwaste iminimization ipractices. iWaste iis ialso ibeing iburnt iin ipiles iat
ihomes iand ithis iis ian iaccepted ipractice iin iFiji. iThere iis ino imanagement isystem ifor iwhite ior ielectrical
igoods, ichemicals ior iany ihazardous iwaste iexcept ia ifew ichemicals ilike iasbestos iwhereby ia iprocedure ifor
ithe idisposal iof iasbestos iis iin iplace. iHowever, ithe ihealth iand ienvironmental iimplications ifrom ithese
ipractices ivary. iThere iis ithe ipotential ifor icontamination iof ifood isupplies, iwhich ican ihave iimpacts ion ilocal
imarkets ior irevenue ifrom iexport icrops. iConversely, ithe ibenefits ifrom igood iwaste imanagement ican
iinclude ireduced iraw imaterial icosts, ienhancement iof ithe itourism iexperience, ireduced ihealth icare icosts.
iEffective imeasures iwill ialso iavoid ithe ineed ifor iexpensive iclean-up ioperations iin ithe ifuture.
iwaste imanagement isystem, ithe iSuva iCity iCouncil ihas iintroduced iinitiatives ito ipromote iwaste
iminimization iand i3R i(reduce, ireuse iand irecycle) iinitiatives. iThe iCity iCouncil isubsidizes ithe icost iof
ipurchasing ihome icompost ibins ito iencourage iresidents ito icompost ifood ipeelings, igrass icutting iand iyard
iclippings iby isubsidizing. iThe icompost imanure iproduced iis ienvironmentally ifriendly iand iused ifor
igardening iand iother ifarming iactivities i(Suva iCity iCouncil, i2017). iA icompost iprocessing icentre iwas ialso
iestablished iby ithe iSuva iCity iCouncil ifor icomposting iof idomestic iwastes iand iwastes ifrom ipublic iplaces.
iThe iproduct ifrom ithe icomposting icentre iis isold ito ithe ipublic ias isoil iconditioner ifor iagricultural ipurposes.
iThe icollection iof igreen iwastes iis idone iby iprivate icontractors iwho ihave ibeen iengaged iby ithe iCouncil. iThe
iAgain, iThe iSuva iCity iCouncil iprovides irecycling ibins iat istrategic ilocations iwithin ithe icity ito ipromote ithe
iseparation iof irecyclable iwastes isuch ias ialuminum icans, ibottles, iwrappers iand ipapers. iThese iwastes iare
ithen irecycled iinto ivaluable iproducts isuch ias ieco ibags iwhich iare isold iat idesignated imarkets iin ithe icity. iAll
ithese iinitiatives iaccording ito ithe iSuva iCity iCouncil iare iexpected ito ienhance ithe icity’s iefforts ito ipromote
Finding iaffordable ihousing iopportunities iin iurban icenters iin iFiji ihas iincreased iin irecent iyears ias iinformal
isettlements iare igrowing.
According ito iFiji iBroadcasting iCorporation i(FBC), iRevitalization iof iInformal iSettlements iand iEnvironment
i(RISE) iProgram iCoordinator iIsoa iVakarewa isaid ion iTuesday ithat itheir ifindings iover ithe ipast ithree iyears
iindicated ithat ithe igrowth iof iinformal isettlements ihas iposed ia irisk ito ithe ienvironment.
He isaid ithat ias ipart iof itheir ipilot iproject, ithey ihave iidentified i12 iinformal isettlements iwithin ithe iSuva-
Nausori icorridor iwhere ithey iwill ibe iimproving iwaste imanagement isystem, isanitation, iand ihygiene. iSome
iof ithese iinformal isettlements istill ido inot ihave iproper iwater isupply iand ielectricity.
Vakarewa isaid ithat ithese isettlements iin iurban icenters iand ipart iof ithe icentralized isanitation ifacilities iare
inot iconnected, itherefore, itheir iwaste iis inot itreated iwhich iputs ia ilot iof irisk ito ithe ienvironment
RISE ihas ialso inoted ia i25 ipercent idecrease iin itheir icommunity iengagement isince iMarch ithis iyear idue ito
ithe iCOVID-19 irestrictions iimposed iby ithe iFijian igovernment. iHowever, ithe iteams iare iall igeared iup ito
imake iup ito iimplement ithe icommunity icode idesign iplans iat iidentified isettlements.
The iFijian igovernment isaid iearlier ithat iit iis icommitted ito iaddressing iurbanization iconcerns ithrough
iintegrated iplanning, istrengthening iurban igovernance iand ibalancing irural iand iurban idevelopments.
iareas. iIn i1994 iSPREP icarried iout ia iwaste iaudit iwith i50 ihouseholds iin iSuva ifor ia iweek iand ifound
i7% iof ithe iwaste iwas imade iup iof iplastics. iA iPlastic iBag istudy iconducted iby ithe iDepartment iof
iEnvironment iin i1999 irevealed ithat ithe iminimum inumber iof iplastic ibags iused iannually iis iaround
i50 ito i60 imillion iin iFiji. iFurthermore, ithe istudy idone iby iPACE-SD ifor iJICA irevealed ithat iplastic
iitems iwere ieither isecond ior ithird ihighest ipercentage iof iwaste iclassified iin ithe idifferent
ilocally. i(Note ithat ithe iproduction iof iPET ibottles iserves ito imean ithe ibottles ithat iare iblown iup
iapproximately i50% iin ithe isawmilling iprocess, iconsiderable iamounts iof isawdust iare iclearly ibeing
iproduced ias iwaste. iAlthough ia ismall iproportion iof isawdust iis iused ias ia isource iof ienergy i(e.g iat
iTropik iWoods), ithe ibulk iis ileft ito iaccumulate iaround ismall ipremises. iProblems iwith ispontaneous
istudy idone ion iScrap iMetals, iDerelict iVehicles, iBatteries iand iTyres). iFor iexample, iover ithe ipast
ifew iyears ion iaverage iabout i709,309 iend iof ilife ityres iwere iproduced iper iannum iwhich
icorresponds ito iabout i15,318 itons iof ityres, iand ithe iestimated iquantity iof iend-of-life ilead iacid
ibatteries iin iFiji iover ithe ipast ifew iyears iis i264,278 iand icurrently iin iFiji ielectrical iappliances iwastes
iare igenerated iat ithe irate iof i25-63kg/person iand iwaste iIT iequipment iis igenerated iat i50
itons/year. iGovernment iassets iare iusually iput iout ifor itender ito ibe idisposed iof iand iit ihas icome ito
ilight ithat ithe idisposal ipractices iare ioften inot ienvironmentally isound. i
V. Construction iWaste
Construction iand idemolition iwaste icontinue ito iincrease iin iparallel iwith ithe ieconomic igrowth
iespecially iin ithe iemerging iand ideveloping icountries ilike iFiji. iAmong iall ithe itype iof iwaste,
iconcrete iwaste i(CW) ioccupied ithe ihighest ipercentage iof itotal iwaste igenerated iand isome iof ithe
ireasons ifor ithis iare iburnt idown ihouses, istructures ifailed iby iengineers iand iother idemolition ithat
itake iplace idue ito irenovation. iThe iamount iof iconcrete iwaste ioccupying ithe iamount iof iland iin
ilandfill isomehow idepletes ithe ifinite iland iresource, ipotentially icause icontamination ito isubsoil
iand igroundwater. iConcrete iwaste imaterial iis iinert iwaste iwhich iis ineither ichemically ior
.
Mitigation iof iwastes iIdentified
I. Plastic iBags iand iPET iBottles.
• Stop iusing iplastic istraws, ieven iin irestaurants. iIf ia istraw iis ia imust, ipurchase ia ireusable istainless
isteel ior iglass istraw
• Use ia ireusable iproduce ibag. iA isingle iplastic ibag ican itake i1,000 iyears ito idegrade. iPurchase ior
imake iyour iown ireusable iproduce ibag iand ibe isure ito iwash ithem ioften! i
• Give iup igum. iGum iis imade iof ia isynthetic irubber, iaka iplastic. i
• Buy iboxes iinstead iof ibottles. iOften, iproducts ilike ilaundry idetergent icome iin icardboard iwhich iis
imore ieasily irecycled ithan iplastic.
• Purchase ifood, ilike icereal, ipasta, iand irice ifrom ibulk ibins iand ifill ia ireusable ibag ior icontainer. iYou
isave imoney iand iunnecessary ipackaging. i
• Use imatches iinstead iof idisposable iplastic ilighters ior iinvest iin ia irefillable imetal ilighter. i
• Avoid ibuying ifrozen ifoods ibecause itheir ipackaging iis imostly iplastic. iEven ithose ithat iappear ito ibe
icardboard iare icoated iin ia ithin ilayer iof iplastic. iPlus, iyou'll ibe ieating ifewer iprocessed ifoods! i
• Don't iuse iplasticware iat ihome iand ibe isure ito irequest irestaurants ido inot ipack ithem iin iyour itake-
out ibox.
• Ask iyour ilocal igrocer ito itake iyour iplastic icontainers i(for iberries, itomatoes, ietc.) iback. iIf iyou ishop
iat ia ifarmer imarket, ithey ican irefill iit ifor iyou.
• Use icloth idiapers ito ireduce iyour ibaby's icarbon ifootprint iand isave imoney. i
• Make ifresh isqueezed ijuice ior ieat ifruit iinstead iof ibuying ijuice iin iplastic ibottles. iIt's ihealthier iand
ibetter ifor ithe ienvironment.
• Make iyour iown icleaning iproducts ithat iwill ibe iless itoxic iand ieliminate ithe ineed ifor imultiple iplastic
ibottles iof icleaner.
• Pack iyour ilunch iin ireusable icontainers iand ibags. iAlso, iopt ifor ifresh ifruits iand iveggies iand ibulk
iitems iinstead iof iproducts ithat icome iin isingle iserving icups.
iwood ichips iand iit iis inormally iclassified ias ilight iweight iconcrete iand irecommended ifor iuse iin
III. Use iof iAutomotive iShredder iResidue ifor iDifficult iSolid iWaste
Due ito ithe idecreasing ispace iin ilandfills iand ithe ipossibility iof ihazardous ichemicals ileaching iout,
irecyclers iare itrying ito iprevent ithis ithrough idrying iand irecycling iASR iand iextracting iuseful iand
ivaluable imaterials isuch ias icar iscraps, ibattery iand ityres ithat ican ibe iused ias ilandfill imaterials ias iit
ilimits iodours iand iprevents itrash ifrom iblowing iaway. iThis icontributes ito ia icleaner iand isafer
ienvironment. iAlso, imost iof ithe imaterials iextracted iare iplastics iwhich iare imade iof ipetroleum, iit
ialso ihas ithe ipotential ifor iuse ias ia ifuel isupplement iin icement ikilns.
• Large ipieces iof iconcrete islabs ican ibe iused iin iwalls ias ibuilding ias istones, ias islabs iin iwalkways, ior
ias iriprap irevetments ito ireduce istream ibank ierosion.
• Small ipieces iare iused ias igravel ifor inew iconstruction iprojects isuch ias ibuildings iand iroads. iSub-
base igravel iis ilaid ias ithe ilowest ilayer iin ia iroad, iwith ifresh iconcrete ior iasphalt ipoured iover iit.
• Concrete ipavements ican ibe ibroken iin iplace iand iused ias ia ibase ilayer ifor ian iasphalt ipavement
ithrough ia iprocess icalled irubblization iwhere iexisting iconcrete iis iturned iinto irubble.
• Crushed iconcrete ifree iof icontaminants ican ibe iused ias iaggregate ito imake inew iconcrete.
• Crushed iconcrete imaterials ithat iwell-graded iand iaesthetically ipleasing ican ibe iused ias
ilandscaping istone iand imulch.
• Wire igabions i(cages), ican ibe ifilled iwith icrushed iconcrete iand istacked ias iretaining iwalls ior ifence
ito iprevent isoil ierosion. i
Benefit ito ithe iindustry i
How ican iarchitects iand idesigners iplay iin ithese iparts, iconverting icommunities ito iprovide ias ihealthy
iliving ipattern, iwhile ikeeping ithese ipositive icharacteristics iintact iin ithe irenewed isolution? iIt ihas ibeen
iobserved ithat, ifrom ithe ihistory iof iimproving icommunities iin idifferent iregions, iwherever iappropriate
iupgrading ipolicies iand ihealthy iliving idesigns ihave ibeen iput iin iplace, ihave ibecome iincreasingly isocially
icohesive; ioffering iopportunities ifor isecurity iof itenure, ilocal ieconomic idevelopment iand iimprovement iof
Whereas idesigners iand ipublic iofficials imight ionce ihave ithought ijust iin iterms iof iimproved ihousing, imany
i
inow irecognize ithat iproviding ihousing iby iitself iisn’t ian iadequate iresponse. iIt ihas ito ibe ipaired iwith
iimprovements iin itransportation, ijob itraining, ihealth, iand isafety. iAs idifficult iand icomplex ias iconditions
iare iin ilow-income icommunities, ithey iprovide iclues ito itheir iown iimprovement. iResidents iof inon-formal
icities ioften idisplay icultural iadaptations iand isurvival istrategies ithat ican iguide ifuture iinterventions.
iDesigners iare ibeginning ito ibe iable ito igive ispatial iform ito ithe ienvironmental, isocial, iand ieconomic
iambitions iof ithese icommunities, ihelping ito imarshal ithe ifinancial iinvestment iand ipolitical iwill ito ibegin
itheir itransformation.
Conclusion
In sum, this work explores the relationship between social ethics and creativity in design culture. Fiji, and
Suva City, in particular, has achieved important improvements in SWM in recent years. The new landfill in
Naboro has significantly reduced environmental and public health risks. Waste collection services
provided by the SCC are reasonably efficient, well-managed, and financially self-sustaining. However,
illegal dumping and burning of wastes continue to be problems due to inadequate enforcement. No one
project is perfect and complete in itself; many are flawed. The important point here is to get the ideas out
in the hope of starting to define best practices.
Reference
• Sustainabledevelopment.un.org. 2021. [online] Available at:
<https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/dsd/dsd_aofw_ni/ni_pdfs/Nati
onalReports/fiji/WasteManagement.pdf> [Accessed 13 April 2021].