Pacific Waste Newsletter by SPREP

The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme has published the first in a series of newsletters that chronicles the progress of solid waste management in the Pacific islands.   

This newsletter is an output under the Pacific Regional Solid Waste Management Strategy 2010-2015, which is the region's guiding document for solid waste management. The Regional Strategy, whose implementation is coordinated by the Secretariat, was developed in 2009 with  assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

The first newsletter briefly discusses past and upcoming regional solid waste management projects, provides a matrix of regional projects by donor, examines waste management in Tokelau, and provides a summary list of the known solid waste management activities taking place in the Pacific Islands since November 2009.   

The newsletter also provides a summary of lessons learnt during the waste clean-up in the aftermath of the devastating September 29th tsunami in Samoa.

"It is only the first in a series, and it is intended to provide the reader with a snapshot of progress in solid waste management in the region, while also highlighting areas where resources are needed." said Ms. Esther Richards, SPREP's Solid Waste Officer.  

"We also hope to feature solid waste management success stories from the islands in each issue in order to promote a regional waste management network among the islands"

The newsletter, which will be published biannually in June and December, is expected to serve as a tool for disseminating the good lessons for solid waste management in the region and for promoting awareness of regional and national waste management needs in the Pacific.  

For more details please contact SPREP's Solid Waste Officer, Ms. Esther Richards at estherr@sprep.org.