Waste Management and Pollution Control
Partnerships and national commitment to promote waste minimisation, especially green waste through composting in communities and the Tafaigata landfill in Samoa, was the theme of the Shibushi Model Project Stakeholder Meeting "Green Samoa Initiative Awareness Event".
Organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Government of Samoa (MNRE) in collaboration with Shibushi City, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Samoa Office, JICA's Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative Soild Waste Management (J-PRISM), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the meeting was held in the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) convention center in Apia, Samoa on 17 May 2016.
This meeting was designated as a preparatory meeting for the future development of the "Green Samoa Initiative", which will be launched as a national initiative of Samoa to promote the composting activity in communities during the Environmental Week in November 2016.
Huge amounts of green waste generated from the garden in communities and construction sites such as cut trees, logs and leaves, and food waste generated from the kitchen, market, restaurants, hotels and manufacturing companies is a critical issue to be urgently managed. This can pose a potentially health and environmental risk for the people in Samoa.
Organic waste including green waste and food waste is currently collected with mixed waste and disposed of at the Tafaigata landfill. This occupies the space of the landfill, generates Green House Gases (GHG) and can contaminate underground water. In addition if these green wastes are burned, POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) are generated which can affect human health.
Ms. Tauti Fuatino Leota, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, MNRE, declared the opening of the meeting followed by remarks from Mr. Hideyuki Suzuki, Resident Representative of JICA Samoa Office, highlighting the importance of "separation at source" and "stakeholders' involvement" to manage and minimise waste.
Mr. Suzuki also encouraged MNRE officers in charge, who have been trained through many opportunities such as training courses provided by Shibushi City, SPREP and JICA, as well as projects such as J-PRISM, GEFPAS and PacWaste, to lead the way.
Mr. Junichi Nishikawa, Director, Shibushi City Council encouraged participants through repeating the phrase of "mixture produces waste, separation produces resources", which shows that all people in Samoa are responsible for managing waste for the protection and development of communities in Samoa. Mr. Nishikawa also encouraged MNRE staff to visit communities often to work more closely with them, to listen to their voices and to develop sustainable action on waste management.
Ms. Lo'i Esekia from Vaiala village, Mr. Irwin Polataivao from Falefitu Primary School, and Mr. Edwin Tamasese from Soil Health Pacific (SHP) shared their own activities on composting and waste management respectively. This leads to the opportunity for all participants to exchange their ideas and thoughts with each other.
Mr. Lucie Isaia and Mr. Setoa Apo from MNRE also presented the composting programme to be commenced in Savaii and in Tafaigata landfill respectively. Both MNRE officers highlighted the importance of collaboration with communities, NGOs and the private sector to sustain the composting activity.
The outcome of the meeting is that all stakeholders recognise their responsibility in managing waste with mutual collaboration among the community, the private sector and the government.
A Japanese Volunteer (JOCV), Ms. Chihiro Nemoto, has just developed the logo to promote "Green Samoa Initiative" to the whole of Samoa. The leaves on top of the Clock Tower logo symbolises "Management of green waste" as well as "Involvement and Collaboration of all stakeholders". (Right)
For more information on the Shibushi Project or J-PRISM contact Makoto Tsukiji (Mr.) ([email protected])
Organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of the Government of Samoa (MNRE) in collaboration with Shibushi City, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Samoa Office, JICA's Project for Promotion of Regional Initiative Soild Waste Management (J-PRISM), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the meeting was held in the Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi (TATTE) convention center in Apia, Samoa on 17 May 2016.
Participants of the "Green Samoa Initiative Awareness Event".
About 40 participants from communities, schools, non-government organisations (NGOs), the private sector, the government and donors in Samoa joined this meeting and shared information of their activities on the composting and separation at source to minimise waste.This meeting was designated as a preparatory meeting for the future development of the "Green Samoa Initiative", which will be launched as a national initiative of Samoa to promote the composting activity in communities during the Environmental Week in November 2016.
Huge amounts of green waste generated from the garden in communities and construction sites such as cut trees, logs and leaves, and food waste generated from the kitchen, market, restaurants, hotels and manufacturing companies is a critical issue to be urgently managed. This can pose a potentially health and environmental risk for the people in Samoa.
Organic waste including green waste and food waste is currently collected with mixed waste and disposed of at the Tafaigata landfill. This occupies the space of the landfill, generates Green House Gases (GHG) and can contaminate underground water. In addition if these green wastes are burned, POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) are generated which can affect human health.
Ms. Tauti Fuatino Leota, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, MNRE, declared the opening of the meeting followed by remarks from Mr. Hideyuki Suzuki, Resident Representative of JICA Samoa Office, highlighting the importance of "separation at source" and "stakeholders' involvement" to manage and minimise waste.
Mr. Suzuki also encouraged MNRE officers in charge, who have been trained through many opportunities such as training courses provided by Shibushi City, SPREP and JICA, as well as projects such as J-PRISM, GEFPAS and PacWaste, to lead the way.
Mr. Junichi Nishikawa, Director, Shibushi City Council encouraged participants through repeating the phrase of "mixture produces waste, separation produces resources", which shows that all people in Samoa are responsible for managing waste for the protection and development of communities in Samoa. Mr. Nishikawa also encouraged MNRE staff to visit communities often to work more closely with them, to listen to their voices and to develop sustainable action on waste management.
Ms. Lo'i Esekia from Vaiala village, Mr. Irwin Polataivao from Falefitu Primary School, and Mr. Edwin Tamasese from Soil Health Pacific (SHP) shared their own activities on composting and waste management respectively. This leads to the opportunity for all participants to exchange their ideas and thoughts with each other.
Mr. Lucie Isaia and Mr. Setoa Apo from MNRE also presented the composting programme to be commenced in Savaii and in Tafaigata landfill respectively. Both MNRE officers highlighted the importance of collaboration with communities, NGOs and the private sector to sustain the composting activity.
The outcome of the meeting is that all stakeholders recognise their responsibility in managing waste with mutual collaboration among the community, the private sector and the government.
A Japanese Volunteer (JOCV), Ms. Chihiro Nemoto, has just developed the logo to promote "Green Samoa Initiative" to the whole of Samoa. The leaves on top of the Clock Tower logo symbolises "Management of green waste" as well as "Involvement and Collaboration of all stakeholders". (Right)
For more information on the Shibushi Project or J-PRISM contact Makoto Tsukiji (Mr.) ([email protected])