Page 13 - IB FEB 2020

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corner, you burn in that corner. Where we can, we try to
provide that third alternative, bring your bottles back in this
corner. And that is how we’ve actually run it in those villages
I’ve mentioned. In the north we have just started, there are
15 villages up in Bua, they’ put it on as part of their ‘keep
their village clean’.”
Lomaloma says the dream would be to run recycling plants
here in Fiji (or the Pacific) but that volume is required to do
that.
Once Mission Pacific receives the used bottles—paying $1
per kilo for bottles produced by the participating companies—
the onsite compactor turns them into blocks of about 200kg.
They are strapped and stored. As a container is filled, Mission
Pacific alerts its New Zealand-based recycling broker, who
then looks for buyers. Once that’s secure, Mission Pacific ships
the bottles to the buyer, he loads up his own shipment and
then it is all sent overseas.
China’s decision to stop importing plastic in 2018 has plastic bottles littering the environment.
made the whole recycling industry a much more challenging “If you see it in the environment, it has the potential to
business. Mission Pacific doesn’t make any money for its be seen as just litter, but accumulated, the value is there. A
partners. bag of this is like a pair of new shoes. Two bags is like a new
Lomaloma says it “breaks his heart, it really does” to see bumper for your car.”

PLASTIC FREE PACIFIC? comes into effect in January 2021.
Marshall Islands: banned the importation, manufacture
What is the status of single-use plastic around the Pacific? and use of single-use plastic shopping bags, Styrofoam cups
Here is a country-by-country run-down. and packaging in March 2017.
American Samoa: banned petroleum-based non- Niue: From 2018 a phased ban on plastic bags. Re-usable
biodegradable or non-compostable plastic bags way back bags were provided to households as part of the transition.
in 2010/11. It’s now looking to ban Styrofoam containers, New Caledonia: plastic bags were banned from August
plates, cups, bowls and trays in a bill that has been sent to 2019, and plastic plates and straws were banned a month
the fono. later. Single use food packaging to be banned from this May.
Commonwealth of Northern Marianas: The Plastic Bag Palau: the importation and distribution of single-use
Bill, or Senate Bill 21-37, seeks to prohibit the importation plastic bags was banned from November 2019.
and production of single-use plastic bags in the CNMI four PNG: A ban on the issuing of permits and importation of
months after its enactment, and would bar businesses from non-biodegradable plastic bags was first announced in 2018.
providing single-use plastic checkout bags a year after Its implementation has been repeatedly delayed, and is
its enactment. It’s currently making its way through the now due to come into effect from March 16. It applies to
Senate. bags less than 40 microns.
Cook Islands: Parliament is due to consider a ban on Samoa: Single use plastic bags, straws and packing bags
single use plastics as part of the Solid and Hazardous Waste banned from January 2019. Now looking at a Styrofoam
Bill. The banned product types are lightweight plastic bags ban.
including shopping bags, plastic straws and cocktail stirrers, Tokelau: Single-use plastic bottles under 1.5 litres,
plastic cutlery, plastic containers with no PET number or plastic plates, cutlery and food wrap banned from 1 August
with numbers 3, 4, 5, and 7, including plastic plates and 2019.
seal-able food containers, plastic cups, including plastic- Tuvalu: Single-use plastic bags, straws, cups, plastic
lined coffee cups, polystyrene containers, meat trays bottles under 1.5 litres, plastic plates, cutlery and food
and cups, single-serve butter and spreads and products wrap vanned from 1 August 2019. Individuals are fined
containing plastic microbeads. TV$5,000 (about US$3,420) for the first offence. Corporate
Federated States of Micronesia: From 1 July 2020, bodies face a TV$10,000 for contravening the act.
imports of single-use Styrofoam, plastic plates, cups, Vanuatu: banned single-use plastic bags plastic straws
utensils and shopping bags will be banned. Reusable, and polystyrene containers in 2018. In March 2019, other
recycled or biodegradable plastic items will be allowed. single use items including plates, cups, stirrers, food
Fiji: A ban on single-use plastic bags thinner than 50 containers and plastic flowers were banned. Vanuatu is now
microns came into effect 1 January 2020. Manufacturers looking at banning disposable nappies, plastic cutlery and
defying the ban face fines of F$500,00 or seven years’ grocery packaging like netting and clamshells.
imprisonment or both. Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Wallis and
Guam: A ban on plastic bags, with limited exemptions, Futuna have not imposed national bans/restrictions.

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