Bus company introduces litter bins

By Rienaia Toleafoa 05 November 2019, 2:00PM

A waste management initiative promoted by local firm Sunrise Buses Company has been well received by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

The M.N.R.E. Chief Executive Officer, Ulu Bismarck Crawley, told Samoa Observer in an email response that they would like to see more companies joining the initiative including taxis.

“We welcome with appreciation all efforts to management waste which is a growing concern to all,” he said.

Ulu said such an initiative always started from somewhere and it often became the foundation for success stories to address the country's waste management challenges. 

“These shall cover for places like wharfs, parks, cinemas, cemeteries, schools, hospitals, transport (cars/busses/ferries/planes), sports etc.,” he said. 

The installation of trash bins and the displaying of posters that encouraged passengers to use the litter bins has been put in eight buses owned by the Sunrise Buses Company.

Sunrise Buses Company owner, Togisau Chan Sau, told this newspaper in an interview that before the M.N.R.E. approached him to discuss the initiative, he already had the litter bins idea in order to encourage cleanliness on his buses.

“A great help this is as it reminds the people to put their trash in its rightful place before getting off the bus,” he said.

With this new initiative on board, the buses have become better presented to the travelling public.

“Their services through the initiative are well calculated with the provision of trash bins and trash bags intended for each single bus,” he added.

Togisau said the people of Samoa should take ownership of the waste management challenges and support initiatives to address the problem.

“Just as plastics have been banned by the Government, it is therefore well deserving that littering should also be considered,” he said.

He said he supported the initiative and will promote a litter-free community in his interaction with local passengers and even tourists. 

“From my own personal observation, it takes time as I still see some people throwing rubbish inside and outside of the buses and cars even as well,” he said.

Plastic waste has been always been a challenge with Ulu saying one way of addressing it is to ban food and drinks on buses and taxis. 

Togisau added that he often felt sympathetic for bus drivers as people did not always follow instructions. 

“I just generally feel for drivers in particular as the people tend to rebel against their humble request in simply reminding them not to litter,” he said. 

“Now that I have done this good act of instilling trash bins in buses along with the MNRE program, it is going overly well with its development."

By Rienaia Toleafoa 05 November 2019, 2:00PM

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