Vanuatu exports first commercial container of PET Bottles for recycling
October 30, 2024 9:57 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook
Vanuatu Beverage Limited, Coca Cola Europacific Partners, and RecycleCorp hosted government representatives, members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Mayor, public servants, customers, and suppliers on Tuesday afternoon at RecycleCorp’s recycling facility in Bladiniere Estate.
The event marked the milestone of exporting Vanuatu’s first commercial container of PET plastic bottles for recycling.
RecycleCorp Managing Director Andrew Hibgame shared the history behind this achievement, reflecting on the efforts made over several years.
“We’re about to export Vanuatu’s first commercial container of PET,” Hibgame said. “This journey began around seven years ago when then-Prime Minister Salwai returned from the Oceans Conference in New York in 2017 with a commitment to make Vanuatu plastic-free.”
He noted that the initiative sparked actions across various sectors. Movements like “No Plastik Plis,” led by Green Wave’s Georges Cumbo and Christelle Thierry, and advocacy from his wife — Christina Shaw’s Vanuatu Environmental Science Society (VESS) conservation group, played essential roles. Manufacturers and importers also began addressing the plastic issue.
Hibgame mentioned the Vanuatu Recycling and Waste Management Association (VRWMA), formed by environmental groups, manufacturers, and importers, which continued to push for a container deposit scheme, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through this association, new recycling initiatives emerged.
“COVID-19 unexpectedly provided an opportunity,” he explained. “World Vision redirected underspent funds from halted travel, with Australian aid support, to a bottle buy-back scheme, injecting vital money into the economy.”
Following this programme’s success, the Plastic Waste Free Island (PWFI) project, funded by NORAD and managed by IUCN, offered additional resources. RecycleCorp received a grant for a baler, partial funding for a truck, and bins. The pilot project evolved to a full commercial model, presenting a sustainable, long-term recycling solution.
Hibgame praised Vanuatu Beverage Ltd’s commitment to sustainability, acknowledging Managing Director Manutea Durand as a key advocate for a container deposit scheme despite various obstacles. Coca Cola Europacific Partners have also increased their involvement, with Jeff Maguire, Director of Collection and Recycling, recently offering to purchase collected PET bottles for recycling.
The first exported container holds approximately 9 tonnes of PET bottles, or around 300,000 bottles, collected through RecycleCorp’s recycling bins and from Vanuatu Beverages.
This export reflects a successful collaboration within Vanuatu’s business community to establish a sustainable recycling programme to tackle plastic waste, demonstrating a model for addressing pressing environmental challenges.
