Waste Management and Pollution Control
Representatives from 20 Member countries of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) have met over the last two months to help define the strategic direction for progressing regional waste and pollution management over the next 10 years.
The three Pacific waste meetings have been held in Fiji, for the Melanesia Group, Samoa for the Polynesia Group and, Guam for the Micronesia and Atoll Group during June and July 2015.
Participants of the Meeting of the Micronesia and Atoll Group
This was also an opportunity for the members to present their respective countries' initiatives and progress in managing waste and pollution.
"The strategic actions and implementation activities developed during the workshops will be contained in the draft Pacific Regional Integrated Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy (2016 to 2025)" said Dr David Haynes, Director of the Waste Management and Pollution Control Division at SPREP.
"The development of this new strategy builds on the current Regional Solid Waste Management Strategy which is due to end in 2015, and will also incorporate management of hazardous wastes and pollution control in the Pacific region".
SPREP and JICA have partnered to develop the new regional waste management and pollution control strategy in consultation with Pacific islands and territories.
"The new strategy is based on the four goals of preventing waste and pollution, recovering resources from wastes and pollutants, improving management of recyclable items and improved monitoring of the impacts of poor waste and pollution management on local environments" said Mr Makoto Tsukiji, the Samoan based Project Coordinator for the Japanese JPRISM Project.
"Achieving these waste and pollution management goals will help minimise pubic and environmental health risks associated with wastes and pollution, and also promote sustainability in waste management systems in the region".
Actions which also develop and strengthen Pacific island and territory human and institutional capacity will help in the national promotion of waste minimisation strategies and the implementation of sustainable best practices on the ground.
The draft Strategy will undergo a final review by Pacific island countries and territories during a regional consultation workshop in Suva, Fiji on the 15th to the 16th July 2015. SPREP partners and donors are also invited to the consultation. The final revised document will be presented for SPREP Member country endorsement at the annual SPREP meeting in September.
The three Pacific waste meetings have been held in Fiji, for the Melanesia Group, Samoa for the Polynesia Group and, Guam for the Micronesia and Atoll Group during June and July 2015.
Participants of the Meeting of the Micronesia and Atoll GroupThis was also an opportunity for the members to present their respective countries' initiatives and progress in managing waste and pollution.
"The strategic actions and implementation activities developed during the workshops will be contained in the draft Pacific Regional Integrated Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy (2016 to 2025)" said Dr David Haynes, Director of the Waste Management and Pollution Control Division at SPREP.
"The development of this new strategy builds on the current Regional Solid Waste Management Strategy which is due to end in 2015, and will also incorporate management of hazardous wastes and pollution control in the Pacific region".
SPREP and JICA have partnered to develop the new regional waste management and pollution control strategy in consultation with Pacific islands and territories.
"The new strategy is based on the four goals of preventing waste and pollution, recovering resources from wastes and pollutants, improving management of recyclable items and improved monitoring of the impacts of poor waste and pollution management on local environments" said Mr Makoto Tsukiji, the Samoan based Project Coordinator for the Japanese JPRISM Project.
"Achieving these waste and pollution management goals will help minimise pubic and environmental health risks associated with wastes and pollution, and also promote sustainability in waste management systems in the region".
Actions which also develop and strengthen Pacific island and territory human and institutional capacity will help in the national promotion of waste minimisation strategies and the implementation of sustainable best practices on the ground.
The draft Strategy will undergo a final review by Pacific island countries and territories during a regional consultation workshop in Suva, Fiji on the 15th to the 16th July 2015. SPREP partners and donors are also invited to the consultation. The final revised document will be presented for SPREP Member country endorsement at the annual SPREP meeting in September.