Return & Earn creates green jobs

Discarded plastic bottles and aluminum cans are now generating income for Fijian communities through the Return & Earn Fiji recycling program. The initiative provides new green revenue streams for schools, youth groups, faith-based organizations, and individuals by rewarding them for collecting and returning recyclable materials.

Dwain Qalovaki, a representative for Return & Earn Fiji and Head of Public Affairs at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, highlighted that the program's benefits extend beyond waste reduction. He noted that recycling now offers communities a way to earn money. Participation is broad, with schools incorporating recycling into clean-up activities where students collect bottles and cans for refunds. Some communities are also exploring recycling as a consistent income source.

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The program’s impact extends beyond waste reduction, with recycling now creating opportunities for communities to earn.

The program has also created opportunities for individuals collecting large quantities of recyclables, including street dwellers and retired community members. These groups are actively collecting bottles and cans and delivering them to collection centers. This increased community involvement has led to a substantial rise in collections. Return & Earn recorded just over 2 million containers in the first quarter, which surged to 5.5 million by the end of last month. This represents a 179 percent quarter-on-quarter growth, demonstrating stronger public engagement in recycling efforts and a shift in household behavior towards returning containers instead of discarding them.

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The numbers indicate a behaviour change, with more households choosing to store empty beverage containers and return them instead of disposing of them.