PacWaste (Pacific Hazardous Waste) is €7.85 million, a four year project funded by the European Union and implemented by SPREP to improve regional hazardous waste management across the Pacific in the priority areas of asbestos, healthcare waste, E-waste and integrated atoll solid waste management.
PacWaste will commence with a baseline survey that will collect and collate information about the current status of hazardous waste and its management practices in the region and identify options for interventions that are cost-effective, sustainable and appropriate for Pacific island communities. These interventions will be implemented in priority countries. The atoll Majuro (RMI) been selected to demonstrate best practice integrated atoll solid waste management.
PacWaste further aims to strengthen regional collaboration and information sharing by establishing a recycler’s network as well as national coordination committees for each waste type. PacWaste will also facilitate a regional workshop to showcase the interventions introduced in priority countries and facilitate the sharing of experiences and lessons learnt within and between participating countries.
To ensure best-practice is maintained, SPREP will provide additional assistance to Pacific island governments in the development of national waste management policies and frameworks to support new and existing regulatory systems.
Hazardous waste in the Pacific
Poor waste management is a major threat to sustainable development in Pacific Island Countries and Territories as it has negative impacts on the region's environment, as well as on human health, water quality, fisheries, agriculture, tourism and quality of life in general. Significant progress is underway, but there is opportunity for improvement in the management of hazardous waste such as asbestos, healthcare waste and E-waste across the Pacific.
What will PacWaste do?
Over the next four years, PacWaste will contribute to building a healthy, economically and environmentally sustainable Pacific for future generations. The project will support the efforts of Pacific island countries and territories to adopt cost-effective and self-sustaining priority waste management systems under the four result areas:
| Result Area 1: | Assessment and prioritisation of Pacific hazardous waste status and management options. |
| Result Area 2: | Implementation of best available practices in priority hazardous waste management in demonstration countries and in integrated waste management in atoll countries |
| Result Area 3: | Enhanced capacity and appropriate policies and regulatory frameworks in place to mitigate and better manage hazardous waste streams achieved in Pacific island countries |
| Result Area 4: | Improved regional collaboration and information exchange on hazardous and atoll waste management practices |
These result areas reflect the objectives of SPREP'S Pacific Regional Solid Waste Management Strategy 2010-2015 and the following regional hazardous waste strategies:
- An Asbestos Free Pacific: A Regional Strategy and Action Plan 2011
- Pacific E-waste: A Regional Strategy and Action Plan 2012
- Pacific Healthcare Waste: A Regional Strategy and Action Plan 2013-2015 (draft)
Download the PacWaste Project Fact Sheet