Apia's shoreline along the harbour is littered with plastic bottles, cans, wrappers and styrofoam food containers. For some, it is not just an eyesore but an environmental issue, stemming from irresponsible behaviour.

Annfereni Sene, who enjoys walking around Apia where the beach meets the town, said the rubbish drifting out from the nearby river has become a major concern.

“Sometimes drunk people dump rubbish along the river,” she said. "This could affect the fish.”

A taxi driver, Lafoga Matini, echoed the concern, saying the behaviour threatens the marine environment and Samoa’s reputation.

“People continuing to dump rubbish in areas like this could be a red flag to the tourist," Matini said. “They might think that Samoan people don’t care about the environment.”

Ariana Nielsen, a former worker at the Sheraton, said she noticed the problem frequently while passing the Apia beachfront on her way to work.

“People should conserve the beauty of Samoa,” Ariana said. “I notice this while passing by Apia, where the beach is… people constantly don’t understand the importance of the environment, and I like to urge people to keep Samoa clean.”

The growing clusters of rubbish washing ashore are mixed with driftwood. Locals say the environmental damage is already visible, and they worry the shoreline could suffer lasting harm if the habits persist.

In 2024, 12 schools collected more than 6000 kilograms of plastic waste in one day, and it was estimated that if all schools participated, it would take two years to collect all the litter in Samoa. 

Last week, volunteers collected litter as part of the King's Baton relay. Each week different sets of groups clean up the Apia shoreline but the problem still persists.