Trashboom Pacific says effective waste management requires collective responsibility

Trashboom Pacific is set to expand its operations to Vanua Levu, targeting key river systems in the North as part of efforts to address growing waste management challenges.

Founder and Director Wayne Fuakilau says potential sites have already been identified in Labasa, including the Wailevu River, Naseakula, Labasa, Qawa, and areas near Vulovi Bridge.

He says the initiative is designed to intercept waste before it reaches the ocean, where it continues to damage mangroves and marine ecosystems.

The organisation says effective waste management requires collective responsibility at all levels of the community.

“But holistically speaking, the data that’s coming from a trash boom really tells the story of what’s happening upstream. Whether it’s less bins, less collections, frequency of collections, whether the municipality needs to increase their boundary to informal sectors because they’re doing informal disposing, whether burning or tossing into the rivers, because we didn’t expect it.”

Fuakilau says one of the key challenges lies in the operation and maintenance of the systems, particularly due to the volume and weight of debris being collected.

He says at Bailey Bridge, for example, the team conducts weekly maintenance checks to address issues such as loose bolts and detached cables. He adds that beyond collection, safety remains a major concern including how staff access the sites, carry out retrieval operations, and exit safely, all of which are critical factors considered before installing any system.

Labasa Town Council Special Administrator Samuela Ligairi has confirmed that discussions are underway to support the initiative.

“Yes, I do confirm that we had a meeting with them and we have also identified the river mouths or the places where we’ll be installing the trash boom. So we’re providing the necessary support to them in terms of implementing those ideas.”

Meanwhile, Trashboom Pacific is also working with municipal councils to strengthen wider waste management systems including providing bins for market waste and diverting organic waste away from landfills.