There are key stakeholders who up until this day do not want to talk about recycling such as beverages and manufacturing companies who are contributing drastically to waste pollution.
This has been highlighted by the Founder of Pacific Recycling Foundation and CEO of Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited Amitesh Deo during the ‘Mindset and Behaviour towards Recycling’ roundtable discussion on the eve of Global Recycling Day.
Deo says every time they talked about recycling or any aspect of waste management, there is a desire to run across countries and get someone from overseas countries to give advice but there is an absence of listening to the experts in Fiji and realizing there is a structure in place.
He says they have reached out to organisations to talk about their plastic waste but their emails are ignored or unanswered most of the time.
He says corporate bullying has been a part of it.
Deo says there may be pushback because they are a recycling company but they just want to help solve the problem.
He believes a lot of pushback is also created by a lack of an environment where they can talk and solve this problem collectively.
The Director adds they want to solve the problem of plastic waste through recycling.
Assistant Minister for Housing and Local Government, Lenora Qereqeretabua says collaboration is absolutely important.
She says one thing the government has not done a great job is listening to the experts and Government is not the expert.
Qereqeretabua says experts should be the ones advising government and giving solutions if the government is willing to listen.
She says in the past few months, she has been to Lokia Landing and there are so many solutions available but the onus is on the government to open the door.
The Minister says she believes they are on the right track now.
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