Plastic challenge grows for Fiji's recycling program

Fiji's Return and Earn initiative has successfully collected 7.5 million beverage containers in its first six months, significantly reducing the amount of waste heading to landfills. This achievement demonstrates a growing community readiness to participate in recycling efforts, according to program representatives.

However, the program faces its next major hurdle: expanding beyond the current focus on beverage bottles and aluminum cans to encompass a wider range of plastic waste. Return & Earn Fiji, represented by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Head of Public Affairs Dwain Qalovaki, aims to incorporate household plastics such as those used for oil, yogurt, butter, and milk. These items are often discarded as general waste due to limited recycling options.

Successfully broadening the program's scope will require strengthening the underlying systems. Qalovaki emphasized the need for municipal councils to grow their capacity to support return and earn centers. This expansion necessitates more collection points, improved equipment, and enhanced support for local councils to build a robust recycling network capable of handling diverse materials. Making participation easier for communities is also a key objective.

Transporting collected materials, particularly from rural and maritime areas, remains a significant logistical challenge for an island nation like Fiji. Qalovaki noted that strategic partnerships will be crucial to making recycling more practical and sustainable across the archipelago. The success with beverage containers provides a foundation, and the next step is to leverage this momentum to create a more comprehensive recycling system that reduces more waste and gives plastic a second life.