Proposal For Waste Sorting Station Not Popular With People
Permanent Secretary for Local Government, Housing and Environment, Joshua Wycliffe had highlighted the need to having a waste transfer station in Fiji.
He said there were plans to construct the project in Laqere.
Mr Wycliffe was making a submission during the Standing Committee on Public Accounts at the Parliament complex, in Suva, on Wednesday.
However, the communities were totally against the development idea.
Mr Wycliffe said the ministry had carried out the fourth round of community consultation in Kalabu, Wakanisila and the neighbouring community on the waste transfer station development.
However, they were unsuccessful.
Now the ministry is looking for other alternatives.
“The last consultation was beyond unsuccessful, the people were upset, and the community was against the idea,” Mr Wycliffe said.
He said the reason for a waste transfer station was because Naboro landfill was shrinking day by day.
The type of waste that has gone to Naboro has vastly changed,” he said.
“We do not have a recycling plant … so from tyres to toxic materials, they end up in Naboro and are occupying space.”
Mr Wycliffe said it was important to have a transfer station because it helps in sorting out the types of waste.
“If we can sort out before it reaches the landfill then we could better handle it through other means, the majority of the waste could be incinerated so it does not have to go to the landfill.
“Singapore is an example, 65 per cent of their waste is incinerated, 30 per cent is recycled and only 5 per cent goes into the landfill.
“So we are miles away from reaching that and the first step towards that is, a sorting station, and that’s a transfer station.”
He said for Fiji, 90 per cent of the waste goes to the landfill.
Mr Wycliffe assured that the waste transfer station will be underground, all the sorting of wastes will be underground and on top could be a clean nice park.
He added that the garbage would not stay beyond six hours at the station to avoid the decay and foul smell or health issues.
“The ministry is looking at other land and we will make a fresh Budget submission based on that,” Mr Wycliffe said.
Edited by George Kulamaiwasa
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