SPREP launches campaign to tackle pollution from garbage
Updated
Reducing the damage and pollution caused by garbage is going to be one of the top priorities for the region's peak environmental organisation this year.
The 25-nation Pacific Regional Environment Program has made solid waste the centrepiece of its 2012 Clean Pacific campaign.
Presenter: Jemima Garrett
SPREP Director General David Sheppard
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SHEPPARD: There are major problems on the management and disposal of solid waste throughout the Pacific, so the program is focussing on that, raising awareness and building capacity.
GARRETT: So what are the main problems that you're seeing with garbage or solid waste?
SHEPPARD: The main problem is the buildup of solid waste, which impacts on a lot of different sectors in islands, particularly issues like pollution affects coral reefs, it has many different impacts across the region. So the aim of the Clean Pacific is to accelerate efforts to better manage waste, and placing particular emphasis on what we call the 3 Rs, and this is reduce waste, the second R is reuse material, such as for example plastic bags and recycle wherever possible. So we're encouraging that. We're very happy Jemima to have support from the government of Japan, the government of France to improve the management of waste facilities, garbage tips, and improve the way in which they're managed in the Pacific as well.
GARRETT: Just how much difference could it make to people's lives and the environment if we saw some of the solid waste problems we have at the moment tackled?
SHEPPARD: Well it makes a big difference, the issue of waste as I said impacts across all sectors, it is a factor that really impacts on development, so if we can improve the management of waste we can improve the lives of people and also the plants and animals in the Pacific as well, because issues like marine pollution have major impacts on fish, on coral, so we need to look at all of those impacts together. But we hope that the program will raise awareness of this issue, which is perhaps a low profile issue, and also looks at some of the ways that we can practically address it.
GARRETT: Can you give me some examples of some of the things that governments could do that would make a big difference to the impact garbage is having on people and the environment?
SHEPPARD: Well there's some practical ones in Samoa where we're based at SPREP, the government's introduced a ruling that there are no more plastic bags. So the only bags that are used are recyclable bags. In Kiribati for example there are schemes now for recycling of tin cans, aluminium cans, and this is just simple practical measures have made major impacts in terms of the waste that's being produced. Also the issue of awareness programs to encourage people to use the three Rs, particularly the recycling and the reusing can have a big impact. And just small programs, grassroots programs can have a significant impact across the islands.
GARRETT: Public dumps can leach some pretty horrible chemicals into the marine environment. What sort of things can governments do to limit the impact that garbage has from dumps?
SHEPPARD: Well it's basically looking at how we can better manage dumps. So in Fiji and also in Samoa with the support of the Japanese government we've introduced a new system for waste management, which is based on the Japanese system of dump management of dumps, which is basically aeration and composting and separation of material prior to going into the dump. And simple measures like that can make a difference in terms of the management of these dumps, which are pretty toxic and smelly places.
GARRETT: What action would you like to see from Pacific governments to make sure that the Clean Pacific campaign reaches its goals?
SHEPPARD: I'd like to see the Pacific governments treat this as a priority, recognising that the management of these areas is increasingly a big issues for many of the Pacific countries, and recognising that there is support there from SPREP and from governments, such as the government of Japan. I'd also note Jemima that there are some international agreements, for example the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, through the International Maritime Organisation. So if governments sign up to these types of agreements that can also release funding and support from international organisations, in addition to SPREP.
