Fourth trash boom installed at Nabua to tackle waterway pollution

A fourth trash boom was installed at Nabua yesterday to intercept rubbish flowing through Fiji’s waterways before it reaches the sea.

Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Lynda Tabuya said the installation is part of a wider effort to address pollution hotspots, or “choke points,” where waste from nearby settlements accumulates in rivers.

Similar systems have already been deployed in areas such as Grand Pacific Hotel and Nakasi.

Ms Tabuya said the Nabua site was recently cleaned by the National Fire Authority (NFA), and the new trash boom is intended as a follow-up intervention to prevent waste from re-entering the marine environment.

However, she acknowledged the system is largely reactive, as it captures rubbish only after it has already been dumped into waterways.

“Just weeks ago, the NFA was here clearing out waste that should never have been in our waterways in the first place. We cannot continue to rely on cleanups. That is not a system, that is a cycle,” she said.

“What we are seeing is not just plastic bottles or packaging. It is diapers, electronic waste, household rubbish, everything. That tells us one thing: we do not yet have a waste management system that reaches everyone.”

She said the long-term solution must focus on improving waste collection upstream in communities, particularly informal settlements where disposal systems remain limited.

“As Minister, I must also acknowledge this: if we are serious about protecting our environment, then Government must step up with a national solution that works for all communities, not just those within formal municipal boundaries.”

The minister indicated that proposals were being prepared for the next budget to expand rubbish bins and formal waste disposal infrastructure in these areas.