Mosese Raqio 
Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji Peter Loy Chong. [Photo: FILE]
Head of the Catholic Church in Fiji Peter Loy Chong has warned that plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue, but a moral failure, particularly for Pacific island nations already threatened by climate change.
Archbishop Chong says scenes of plastic bottles scattered along beaches and vulnerable islands were deeply disturbing.
He highlighted Kiribati and Tuvalu as among the first Pacific nations at risk of going underwater due to rising sea levels, while also being overwhelmed by plastic waste.
“These islands depend heavily on bottled water, but then face the problem of what to do with the plastic.”
He also warned of the growing “plastic island” in the ocean, saying waste from homes ends up in rivers, the sea, and eventually back on people’s plates through contaminated fish.
Archbishop Chong praised the Pacific Recycling Foundation and St Pius X Parish for leading environmental action, saying recycling must be seen as a moral imperative, not a choice.
He said Catholic social teaching calls on people of faith to reject the throwaway culture and protect our common home.
Archbishop Chong says with more than 98 percent of Fiji’s population belonging to a faith group, churches, temples and mosques must lead by example.
He is urging faith communities to treat recycling with the same seriousness as moral commandments, saying caring for the environment is a duty owed to God, future generations and the Pacific itself.
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