Guidelines for municipal solid waste management planning in small island developing states (SIDS) in the Pacific region

Disposal of solid waste is a world-wide problem. The Small Island Developing States (SIDS) of the Pacific increasingly share in this problem. As the economies of the island States develop and move toward a cash based, consumer goods society, the volumes and complexity of waste products increase. However, unlike the mainly organic waste of the past, much of the modem waste stream may take many years to break down. Some components of the waste may be harmful. Inadequately managed waste disposal has the potential to affect the health of the people, damage the environment of the islands and be a barrier to economic development, Further discussion on the extent of the problem in the region may be found in SPREP (1998): "Solid Waste Issues in Pacific ACP