It’s a no-brainer

As a bit of a joke, I made this for a friend.  It might save me an untold world of pain typing and talking…..who knows?

Could one simple idea help solve the problem of how to get recycling going in Fiji?

 

Bins made out of PET bottles

Could this one simple idea be part of the solution to community education and a call to action for recycling of PET bottles and aluminum cans in Fiji?  Picture Source: http://www.designsclue.com/15-best-ideas-of-how-to-recycle-plastic-bottles/

The below photos are all taken in Suva City Fiji, Levuka (Ovalau Island, Fiji), Samabula (Suva City), Nakasi (on the Suva Nausori corridor), Nausori, Rewa River bank at Manoca Estates Nausori.  Even in the tranquil looking photographs, see if you can spot the floating PET bottles.  If you drive by, or stand on the river bank of the Rewa River, Nausori, which flows directly into Suva Harbour at Laucala Bay, you may not be aware of what lurks every 5 meters down the river bank.  Take a look over the edge, and you will see dump site after dump site of rubbish, PET bottles, recycling, cardboard, car parts, washing machines, tyres, fans, daipers.  All of this is regularly set alight (normally on Friday afternoons), or if heavy rains come, it is washed into the sea.  As the Rewa Delta is prone to flooding, at least once a year, a great proportion of this is washed into the ocean.

 

Koronivia Road, Fiji

Koronivia Road, Fiji, the large bag is the recycling bag provided by Coca Cola Amatil in partnership with Fiji Water – the only concession to recycling here. I had to get a taxi which cost $40 to collect the bag myself as a few weeks ago, Coca Cola would not drop them off anywhere.

Makoi, near Hanson’s Supermarket, Nasinu, Fiji

The alleyway between the Chinese restaurant and the Immanuel Christian Fellowship Church, Nabua, Suva City, Fiji

Suva City, the sea wall near the Holiday Inn.

The beach outside the Suva City Council Offices, Suva Fiji

Daily Skip bin, Suva City Markets, Fiji

The beach outside the Presidential Palace and Fiji Inland Revenue and Customs Authority Building, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Suva City

The beach opposite the Suva City Council Buildings and Sakuna Park (near McDonalds), downtown Suva City, Fiji

My location, Koronivia, Fiji

Fire burning rubbish in downtown Suva, on the sea wall area between Suva City Library and the Holiday Inn.

The beach in downtown Suva City opposite the Government Office Tower

Street bottle collector, Muhammad Ali, with his bags of PET bottles that he salvages from rubbish bins outside the Suva City Council Offices, the Government Towers, and the rubbish bins of Suva City. He walks miles to take these bottles back to the Coca Cola Amatil factory for $1FJD per kg, or washes them at the Mobil service station on Victoria Pde, and sells them to the juice sellers at Suva City Market.

Polystyrene lunch packs and plastic bags in downtown Suva City, by the sea wall near Tiko’s floating restaurant. Every one of the white polystyrene packs say “Bula” or “Fiji” so if you see one washed up on your beach you know where it is from. Maybe they should change the words to “From Fiji with love”

MH Supermarket, Nakasi, Fiji. Note the small red bucket near the door that serves as the only bin.

Rubbish at the bus stop, Nakasi, Fiji

Rubbish and recyclables in the drain at the bus stop, Nakasi, Fiji

Fiji Water bottle floats quietly towards the sea, downtown Suva, Terry Walk, Nubukalau Creek outside MHCC department store.

Garbage bags full of daipers and PET bottles dumped in Koronivia Creek at the Fiji National University, Koronivia Road, Fiji

Contents of 10 garbage bags of rubbish dumped in Koronivia Creek, Fiji National University, Koronivia, Fiji

Rubbish Koronivia Road, Fiji

Household rubbish dumped on Kings Road, between Nakasi and Nausori, near Koronivia Research Station, and Fiji National University Farms.

Plastic computer monitor disintegrates slowly in creek at Fiji National University Farm, Koronivia, Fiji

Plastics mixed with household rubbish, found in creek, Koronivia Research Station Farm, Fiji

Rubbish dumped over the bridge, downtown Suva, outside the fish market on Nubukalau creek.

Plastic MH supermarket bag floating in Suva Harbour

Coke bottles float in Suva Harbour, downtown Suva City outside Tiko’s floating restaurant

Small boat moored near Tiko’s floating restaurant, downtown Suva City, with Coke bottle

Plastic Coke bottle Suva Harbour

Rubbish on beach in Suva City, opposite Sakuna Park and McDonalds

Close up of rubbish and recyclables on beach in Suva City, opposite Sakuna Park

Rubbish and recyclables on beach daily opposite Government Office Tower and Suva City Council Buildings, Suva City, Suva Harbour. Tiko’s restaurant floats in the background.

Tyres and assorted rubbish and recyclables on beach in Suva City, opposite Government Buildings

Private rubbish dump, Koronivia Road, Fiji. Once a week, the dump is set on fire to burn rubbish, daipers, plastics, glass, recyclables. The smell of burning plastics is overwhelming.

Recyclable PET bottles flattened by vehicles at the junction of Kings Road and Koronivia Road, Fiji

Rubbish and PET plastic bottles on the beach right outside the fence to the pool at the Holiday Inn, downtown central Suva City. The Suva City Council Office is also next door.

Rubbish and plastic bottles dumped in Koronivia Creek, Fiji

Rubbish, plastics, PET bottles, at Samabula, outside BSP bank, Fiji, near Suva City

Street person sleeping in doorway of shops near BSP bank, Samabula, Suva City. At least he has recycled bottles and packaging.

One of two full trucks that took away 10 tonnes of rubbish from a 5km stretch of rural road from Koronivia to Lokia, Fiji, collected in one morning by 300 volunteers.

Council workers and residents with the big recycling bag – the only avenue for recycling for a very limited number of Fijians.

Rubbish, PET bottles, recyclables, plastics, collect on the roadside between Nausori and Suva (this photo in Koronivia on Kings Road at FNU research farm) after being thrown from buses and cars.

Large bags of rubbish and plastics are regularly dumped in creeks and drains, Koronivia, Fiji

Rubbish and plastics awaiting collection to go to landfill near the beach at Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji. The stand is to try and keep dogs away. Children swim in the sea in the background.

Rubbish, plastics, tyres wash up on the beach at Levuka, Ovalau Island, Fiji

Plastic PET bottles, aluminum cans, and other rubbish is thrown into the sea at Natovi Landing, Viti Levu, Fiji. This is the place where you can get the boat from Suva to Savusavu on Vanua Levu, and Levuka, on Ovalau. There is a canteen at the landing (jetty) but no bins.

Rubbish, plastics, PET, cans collect along the roadside everywhere. Photo taken on the road between Nausori and Bau landing (Viti Levu), rural Fiji.

Government ship yards, Suva City, Suva Harbour, Fiji

Rubbish, PET bottles dumped in Nausori, Manoca Estates, at the edge of the Rewa River

Opposite the Mobil service station, Nausori, Fiji, Rewa River. Rubbish, plastics, PET bottles are dumped daily and burned as part of business practice.

Another rubbish dump for local businesses and households on the edge of the Rewa River, Nausori, Fiji. These rubbish dumps are all along the river, spaced out by about only 5 or 10 metres.

Another rubbish dump, Rewa River, Nausori, Fiji

Yet another rubbish dump, banks of the Rewa River, Nausori, Fiji

Five meters further down, another rubbish dump on the banks of the Rewa River, Nausori, Fiji

The view from the same spot, Manoca Estates, Nausori, Fiji, on the banks of the Rewa River, if you don’t look over the side. Maybe that is why people don’t know! You can’t see the rubbish from a car or bus. Most government employees have a staff driver, and they travel in SUVs.

And again, the next rubbish dump, Rewa River

And another!

And another!

The same private rubbish dump pictured above, across the road from my home, Koronivia Fiji. This rubbish has collected since 8th June when it was cleared during the clean up. It is regularly set on fire. It contains many many PET bottles, glass bottles, aluminum cans, as well as daipers, rotting food and cardboard. This was taken yesterday 8 July. It burned for many hours and the smoke haze could be seen for kilometers. The smell is choking. This dump is directly opposite the shop that has a recycling bag, and is used by only two families.

Rubbish that has accumulated from two families in Koronivia Fiji being set on fire last night, 8 July. All the rubbish has accumulated in one month. It contains plastics, PET, aluminum cans, daipers, cardboard, food waste. This is the only option for many people in Fiji. There is no rubbish collection here, and even though there is a recycling bag for these families, right at their house, they are not motivated enough to use it. People here do not see the benefit of separating rubbish.