NZ must not export waste to Fiji
Zero Waste Aotearoa is calling on the New Zealand government to explicitly reject the export of New Zealand’s waste to Fiji. A massive incinerator has been proposed for Fiji by Australian company TNG ltd.
It would be built in the Sawesi beachside area, a pristine coastline which is the ancestral arrival site for the people of the Vuda district. The application documents specifically mention New Zealand as a source of waste for the incinerator.
“This incinerator would burn 900,000 tonnes of waste per year, more than four times the waste that Fiji produces itself. Incinerating this much rubbish would leave Fiji with between 225,000-300,000 tonnes of highly toxic ash. This ash needs to be disposed of much more carefully than standard rubbish.” said Sue Coutts from Zero Waste Aotearoa
“Emissions to air, and ash from the incinerator will be toxic because mixed rubbish contains hazardous materials and chemicals of concern. When rubbish is burned these are concentrated in the ash and the filters and some escape into the air.”
“No wonder the locals are saying they don’t want Fiji turned into a giant ashtray for Australia and New Zealand.”
“Burning this waste will generate hundreds of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions, so sending our waste to Fiji would also mean offloading our climate emissions to Fijians. The New Zealand Government has all but abandoned emissions reduction and waste minimisation plans. New Zealand needs to step up and take responsibility for the waste and GHG emissions we create .”
“The Australian billionaire developer, Ian Malouf of TNG Ltd, had his proposal for an Incinerator in Western Sydney turned down, so now he is taking his incineration plans to Fiji where regulations to protect health and environment are weaker. This is waste colonialism. It is racist, and it is wrong.”
“It is completely unacceptable for New Zealand to impose onto Fiji the social and environmental burden of dealing with our waste. This proposal locks in an arrogant approach to the Pacific where New Zealanders get to enjoy the imported consumer goods that we use, often for a short time, before sending our rubbish to someone else’s country to burn and dump them so they bear the cost.” said Sue Coutts, spokesperson for Zero Waste Aotearoa.
“The global trade in waste and incineration technologies from countries with high GDP to those with lower GDP is based on power imbalances that are the result of historic political, economic and cultural injustice.”
“Imperial powers have treated the Pacific as a testing and dumping ground for 300 years. These practices trample on the human rights of the people of the Pacific and permanently damage the local environment. New Zealanders stood up against nuclear testing in the Pacific and we need to stand up against these toxic incinerators. It’s all part of the same pattern.”
A solidarity campaign will be launched outside the Fijian High Commission on Friday morning at 9am in Wellington to express support for the communities in Fiji who are fighting this proposal. A demonstration in Fiji is planned for the same day at 10am.
Link to the company website and application documents including environmental impact statement
Facebook page of Fiji community group opposing the waste incinerator
A fact sheet on the proposal is available here