Health Ministry Urges Relocation of Rubbish Dump: Health and Environment at Stake

In a stark warning highlighting the grave health risks posed by the Vunato rubbish dump, the Health Ministry has issued an urgent call for its relocation.

In a statement issued in response to queries by the Fiji Sun, the ministry made an urgent call to the Ministry of Local Government to identify a new suitable waste disposal dumping site with due health, social and environmental considerations.

The Vunato dump is a five-to-seven-minute drive outside of Lautoka’s Central Business district.

What was once a small landfill in the midst of the country’s second city has now ballooned into a ‘50-acre’ of extensive expanse of trash.

The journey to Vunato Dump is a distressing one, marked by an overpowering odor that assaults the senses long before the site comes into view.

As one approaches, the magnitude of the problem becomes painfully apparent: mountains of refuse stretch as far as the eye can see.

But beyond the nauseating stench and unsightly heaps lies a deeper, more insidious threat.

Once a year the dumpsite catches fire, that is the trend according to local residents.

When this happens, the toxic smoke covers Lautoka city, transmitting into residential areas, schools and even the main Lautoka hospital.

The toxic reach of the dump situated by the ocean, extends far beyond its physical boundaries, seeping into the soil and waterways, contaminating the very lifeblood of the surrounding ecosystem.

Lautoka Vunato Open Aerobic and Evaporation dumpsite at Vunato, Lautoka. Photo: Sereana Salalo

“One of the issues is the need to cordon off the dump area to deter members of the public from accessing it,” Mr Sowane said.

“We’ve also noted that most fires occur at night, which is based on when we receive the call to respond,” he said.

“Another pressing matter is that while fires occur the dump operators continue dumping on top of the rubbish heaps, stopping NFA firefighters from getting to the base of the fire.

“This means the fire keeps burning with firefighters unable to put it out as the added rubbish becomes fuel.”

He added that their firefighters would be left to spray water on top of the heaps while fires smolder below and give off thick smoke, which poses an environmental and health hazard to firefighters and the residents.

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