Pacific Magazine > Daily News
Turning Around The Trash Problem
By Margo Vitarelli
Friday: February 29, 2008
In ancient times waste management on a Pacific island was simply a matter of throwing out taro peels and fish bones somewhere where they would decompose safely. It is a different story today to try to figure out where to dispose of rusty old cars, plastic water bottles, and beer cans. On many islands there is one central landfill site, where everything is dumped together, both biodegradable and not. These dumping areas can be unsightly, unhealthy, wasteful and even dangerous, not to mention a poor use of valuable land.
Just recently the Koror State Government in the Republic of Palau initiated a new project that is helping to address its waste management issues. The project covers the renovation of a final disposal method, the improvement of waste collection and the recovery of recyclable materials from the solid waste system. Koror State now operates a new Compost Facility and Recycling Center where they have implemented Waste Segregation Stations (WSS). The goal is to have residents bring their waste to the WSS already separated so that they can put it in the appropriate trash bin. Each WSS is equipped with labeled bins, which allow people to dump biodegradable items, recyclable items and non-recyclable items in separate containers.
The Solid Waste Management Office in Koror developed the system in response to a 2005 study done by SPREP (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environmental Program). Both the Koror State Governor, Yositaka Adachi, and the 8th Koror State legislature saw the need for such a project due to the effect solid waste was having on the community, environment and tourism industry. Palau is known for its pristine natural environment that supports tourism, fishing and a healthy lifestyle for its residents. To ensure the quality of Palau’s natural environment they knew that effective solid waste management was crucial.
The construction of the new Compost Facility and Recycling Center was a substantial financial investment. Setting up a waste management system may be expensive, but in the long run, it can be even more costly not to do so. Waste-related pollution results in illness and healthcare costs. Unmanaged waste causes increased numbers of mosquitoes and rats. Dumping sites contribute to ocean pollution and loss of near-shore fish, and other seafood. And waste pollution can result in lost tourist income.
There are also impacts of solid waste and water pollution in Palau that cannot be measured in monetary units. Pollution from dumping sites can damage biodiversity, decrease recreational areas, and result in a loss of scenery and landscape aesthetics, all things that affect the quality of life.
Eileen Babauta, of the Solid Waste Management Office in Koror reports “Our waste disposal system has only just begun, but the community has been very supportive of our efforts to keep the environment clean and healthy. With any new system there’s always bound to be people who do not comply, but we do have more people who do cooperate so that makes our efforts worthwhile.”
Palau’s national government, in a collaborative effort with the Government of Japan, is now working on a National Solid Waste Management Plan for the entire Republic of Palau that should be finalized some time in 2008. Participating departments include Palau’s Ministry of Resources and Development, Environmental Quality Protection Board (EQPB), Office of Environmental Response and Coordination (OERC) Office of the President of the Republic of Palau, Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education.
