Think Tank to look into waste management

In a bid to manage and control littering and waste management disposal, the Ministry of Environment launched the Litter Free Fiji Think Tank yesterday.

Minister for Agriculture, Waterways and Environment Dr Mahendra Reddy said: “Decades ago littering was not really an issue because generation of waste was at a minimum. “Production systems were litter friendly and people were also at that particular point in time culturally quite conscious of how litter will affect people in the household communities.

“We need to get back to the drawing board and talk about how we can collectively manage waste.”

He said the think tank would discuss the basic solution of littering.

“Often we spend a lot of time on the demand side solutions, we need to go back and look back from the supply side perspective,” he said.

“If there was no supply then there won’t be any issue at all.”

Mr Reddy said clogged waterways was a threat to the nation’s infrastructure, and communities living along the waterways.

The think tank is led by Permanent Secretary of Waterways and Environment Joshua Wycliffe, representatives from municipal councils, community leaders and civil society organisations.