Pacific

Product Stewardship

Aerial view of Iririki Island in Port Vila, Vanuatu, surrounded by blue ocean and coral reefs, with lush greenery and white buildings, and the town of Port Vila in the background.

SUSTAINABLE FINANCING

At Searious Business, we work to develop sustainable financing systems that keep recyclable materials in the economy and out of the environment. In the Pacific, we collaborate with governments, SPREP, and PacWastePlus to implement Product Stewardship Schemes that cover the costs of material recovery and promote circular solutions like reusable packaging.

Our goal is to create financially sustainable systems that reduce waste, foster job creation, and integrate the informal sector, bringing both environmental and economic benefits to island communities.

Workers loading large white bags filled with plastic bottles onto a truck.

In Vanuatu, up to 35% of the waste arriving at the main Bouffa landfill consists of beverage containers, including aluminium cans, PET bottles, and glass. Although these materials are highly recyclable, a lack of formal waste management systems results in them being littered, burned in pits, or left to accumulate in the environment.

To tackle this issue, the government approved the introduction of a Container Deposit Scheme (CDS) in November 2019. This system aims to incentivize the collection and recycling of beverage containers by giving them value, keeping valuable materials in circulation and reducing environmental harm.

The development of an effective CDS will be a crucial step in transforming waste into a resource and ensuring Vanuatu takes meaningful strides towards a circular economy.

Vanuatu

Piles of yellow plastic bags and assorted trash in an outdoor landfill with green trees and mountains in the background.

The Solomon Islands faces significant environmental challenges from plastic and other waste streams, largely due to limited waste management infrastructure. While valuable materials like beverage containers, electronics, and vehicle components hold potential for recovery, most waste ends up in landfills or the environment.

In recent years, the Solomon Islands has taken bold steps toward sustainable waste management. A major milestone came in September 2023 with the implementation of a ban on single-use plastics. However, the country is now focusing on long-term solutions through the introduction of a Product Stewardship Scheme (PSS), which will ensure that materials like beverage containers, e-waste, and vehicle components are properly managed throughout their lifecycle, reused and repurposed rather than discarded.

Solomon Islands

Piles of garbage and yellow bags in a landfill with greenery and hills in the background.

Palau is taking a proactive approach to managing end-of-life tyres (ELT), a growing environmental concern. A 2019 waste audit found that over 13,000 cubic meters of old tyres are stockpiled in the country, with an additional 4,600 cubic meters entering annually. Most tyres are collected at the M-Dock landfill for shredding, but without a local market for the material, the stockpile continues to grow.

To address this challenge, Palau is working towards a Product Stewardship Scheme (PSS) for tyres. The initiative aims to create a sustainable financing system to support the recovery, recycling, or repurposing of tyres. Plans are also underway to explore reuse options, such as incorporating shredded tyres into local infrastructure projects.

Palau

Pile of old tires stacked outdoors with a cloudy sky in the background.

Fiji faces growing pressure on its waste management system, with nearly 80% of the country’s waste stream being recoverable, but lacking the infrastructure and financing needed to manage it effectively. Plastic, electronic waste, vehicles, and beverage containers continue to accumulate, contributing to landfill overflow and pollution across communities and coastlines. To address this, the Government of Fiji—through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC) and with support from the GEF ISLANDS programme—is developing a national Product Stewardship Scheme (PSS) and an improved Container Deposit Scheme (CDS). The project aims to create a sustainable, long-term system for recovering, sorting, and recycling priority materials, supported by strong legislation, economic modelling, and operational procedures.

Searious Business leads the technical design and implementation process, working closely with MECC, GEF ISLANDS, SPREP, and local stakeholders to build an inclusive, effective, and financially viable nationwide system.

Fiji

PACIFIC PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP SCHEME

The Product Stewardship Schemes will involve:

  • Designing systems for material collection across each island.

  • Evaluating recycling efficiencies including deposit return and end-market requirements.

  • Establishing producer agreements with importers and manufacturers.

  • Engaging in education initiatives and scheme promotion for effective uptake.

Group of people participating in a community cleanup, carrying trash bags filled with litter along a street, with parked vehicles and trees in the background.
Sea turtle swimming in clear blue water near a sandy beach with palm trees and rocky formations.
Logos of the European Union, SPREP, and PacWastePlus.

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