- Funding: Export Initiative for Environmental Protection, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
- Country/Region: Fiji, Cook Islands
- Implementation period: 1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027
What if waste was viewed not as a disposal challenge, but as a valuable resource? Across the South Pacific, island communities are grappling with growing waste volumes, limited land availability and high transport costs. At the same time, many waste streams contain materials that could be recovered, reused or recycled, creating environmental, economic and social benefits. Plastics, metals, glass and electronic waste all represent untapped resource potential that is often lost due to limited infrastructure and fragmented management systems.
Rather than starting from scratch, the project builds on existing studies, waste audits, policy documents and available datasets. By consolidating and validating existing knowledge through stakeholder engagement, it seeks to identify remaining information gaps and create a more comprehensive and comparable understanding of waste and material flows in both countries.
Why does this matter?
For Fiji and the Cook Islands, effective waste management is about far more than waste disposal. It is closely linked to protecting marine ecosystems, supporting tourism, improving resource efficiency and building more resilient island economies.
Both countries have made progress through policies, programmes and local initiatives. However, decision-makers often lack a comprehensive picture of how materials move through the economy, where value is lost and which solutions are realistically achievable under island conditions.
Building the foundation for circular economy solutions
The project seeks to close this knowledge gap further by creating a robust evidence base for future action. Through the analysis of waste streams, infrastructure, logistics systems and institutional frameworks, the study will identify opportunities to recover value from materials that are currently discarded.
Rather than focusing on a single technology or solution, the project takes a broad and practical approach. It explores how collection, sorting, pre-treatment, recycling and resource recovery systems could be strengthened in ways that reflect the realities of South Pacific island states.
From analysis to action
Working closely with government agencies, infrastructure operators, businesses and regional organisations, the project will identify priority waste streams and evaluate possible pathways for their future management and utilisation.
The resulting recommendations will support future feasibility studies, pilot projects and investment decisions while helping stakeholders identify practical opportunities to advance circular economy approaches in Fiji and the Cook Islands.
Looking beyond the two countries
Although focused on Fiji and the Cook Islands, the project is expected to generate insights that are relevant across the South Pacific. Many Small Island Developing States face similar challenges regarding waste management, logistics and limited economies of scale.
By examining how resources can be recovered more effectively within island environments, the project contributes to broader discussions on sustainable development, resource efficiency and resilient circular economy systems throughout the region.
Download the Project Brief
