Samoa will join a waste management regional project called Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific (S.W.A.P.) in a bid to address challenges associated with waste.

A statement issued by the Apia-based Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P.) says Samoa will join Fiji, French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Tonga, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna in the S.W.A.P.

The project is funded by Agence Française de Développement (A.F.D.) and will be implemented by the S.P.R.E.P.

S.P.R.E.P. Waste Management and Pollution Control Acting Director, Anthony Talouli, said that they are excited with the opportunities that the SWAP will open for Pacific islands nations when it comes to addressing their waste problems.

“We’re very grateful to our partner A.F.D. for their support in helping to make this happen.  Our waste problem across our region continues to grow, we need help for a Cleaner Pacific and this SWAP is just one of many initiatives to make it happen,” he said.

A feasibility study was done to ensure the S.W.A.P. was on the right track and helped guide selected actions in the different countries.

The project will help improve the delivery of waste services, strengthen the capacity of Pacific communities and local authorities in the areas of technical waste management, and help them develop national waste management policies with a global approach from collection, sorting, recovery and proper waste disposal.

S.W.A.P. will also help countries explore the possibility of sustainable financing mechanisms, such as advanced recovery systems which will assist in minimizing waste generation. This would include potentially an extended producer responsibility scheme or container deposit programme.

Other activities with the countries that are part of the S.W.A.P. include training on disaster waste management, used oil management, and coastal clean-ups and financial support will also be provided for storage collection and on-site disposal of used oil, and activities will be held on land to prevent plastic waste from entering the ocean.

Mr. Talouli further stated that the available statistics and the impact of waste on the region confirms the task that lies ahead. 

“We have a daunting battle ahead of us as we work towards changing behaviour for good waste management practices – prevention is always better than a cure,” he said.

“We can do this – our Cleaner Pacific Strategy for us all across the Pacific has us working towards set goals by 2050.  The S.W.A.P. Project is one of many that will empower good waste behaviour across our Pacific islands.”

A virtual inception meeting of the S.W.A.P. will be held this month at the start of the four-year €3 million project, which can be increased to €5 million as it is being rolled out.