Moana Taka Partnership animation

Abstract

Like the rest of the world, small Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) have adopted consumption based lifestyles that are heavily dependent on the importation of a large variety and volume of external goods and inputs, including petroleum, machinery, cars, materials, manufactured goods and even basic foodstuffs. These imports and associated packaging generate pollution, in the form of solid waste and hazardous materials, including plastics, waste oil, chemicals, electronic waste (e-waste) and bio-medical wastes. With extremely limited land-area, shallow groundwater aquifers and limited waste management infrastructure and technical capacity, dealing with pollution and waste is a major environmental challenge for PICTs