[Photo: FILE]

Millions of bottles and cans are now being kept out of landfills, but Return and Earn Fiji says the next challenge is dealing with other types of plastic waste.

The program has already collected 7.5 million beverage containers in six months. Still, Return & Earn Fiji Representative and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners Head of Public Affairs Dwain Qalovaki says the focus will eventually move beyond bottles and aluminium cans.

He said the system could expand to include other household plastics, such as oil, yoghurt, butter, and milk containers.

These items often end up as general waste because there are limited options for recycling them.

“The challenge looks like ensuring that the municipal councils can grow at a rate that they can support a return and earn centre for beverage containers and then to be able to grow beyond the beverage containers to other types of plastic packaging like oil and yogurt containers and butter containers and milk containers.”

Qalovaki states that expanding the program will require stronger systems, including more collection points, better equipment and support for municipal councils.

He says the aim is to build a recycling network that can handle more materials while making it easier for communities to take part.

The challenge will also be moving these materials across Fiji, especially from rural and maritime areas.

Qalovaki says transport remains a major issue for an island country, but partnerships will help make recycling more practical and sustainable.

Return and Earn Fiji adds that the success of beverage container recycling shows that communities are ready to be part of the solution.

The next step is turning that momentum into a wider recycling system that reduces more waste and gives plastic a second use instead of sending it to landfills.