The group that led opposition to the proposed Vuda waste-to-energy incinerator project says it is now open to supporting alternative waste management solutions from the developer.
The comments follow the Department of Environment’s rejection of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the Vuda project.
Protect the Heritage Coast – Vuda-Saweni Taskforce organiser Paul Forrest says the decision should not be seen as opposition to all forms of waste management development.
Instead, he says it presents an opportunity for The Next Generation Holdings (TNG) to pursue projects that are more appropriately scaled and better suited to Fiji’s needs.
Forrest says waste-to-energy technology could still have merit if properly designed, located near existing landfill sites, and focused on managing local waste.
“We’d be happy to see TNG focus their efforts on building something to scale in the right location. I think this technology could be investigated and might have credibility. But if it was placed beside the Vunato dump, or somewhere like that, where the rubbish could be easily sorted and burned there, that could have possibilities.”
He says the original proposal faced strong public opposition because it was oversized and located near tourism developments and culturally significant sites.
The project was designed to process up to 900,000 tonnes of waste annually, far exceeding Fiji’s current waste generation levels.
In rejecting the Environmental Impact Assessment, the Department of Environment raised concerns over waste importation, hazardous ash management, environmental and public health risks, and economic viability.
Despite welcoming the decision, Forrest says Fiji still needs workable solutions to address its growing waste problem, including options such as landfill methane capture for energy generation.
He says future proposals must strike a balance between environmental protection, community concerns, and national energy needs.
