By Staycey Yalo, EMTV News
Waste Management in Port Moresby continues to be a challenge as Papua New Guinea continues to develop.
Although PNG does not have a Waste Management Policy, National Capital District Commission’s Waste Management Policies have been utilised to develop the Baruni Disposal Site.
Director of Renewable Resource at the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, John Michael, said the lack of National Policy and Strategy on Waste and Chemical management makes it hard to manage and regulate wastes and chemicals.
“It is crucial and urgent for PNG to develop and strengthen an institutional framework in which an integrated waste and chemical management system can exist. A national Policy framework on wastes and chemicals must be developed supported by legislative tools and relevant existing legislations is harmonised,” He said.
JICA through close partnership with stakeholders such as NCDC, Health Department, CEPA, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, Provincial governments, and others have been working on waste management activities. They held their first joint Coordinating Committee discussion on the Japanese Technical Corporation of Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste management, (PRISM) Phase II program today.
JICA PNG’s Chief Representative, Takashi Toyama, said Phase 2 of the project was developed based on the lessons learnt in the phase 1 from 2011 to 2016.
“The wonderful outcomes of the phase 1 generated from PNG, such as landfill rehabilitation and promotion for 3R HEART initiative including 3R song we could listen to here today. I believe that we can expand these lessons learnt to improve waste management not only in PNG but also in the Pacific region,” Mr Takashi said
Toyama added that waste management is not only a technical issue but also people’s ethics and behaviour are essential in the long term sustainability of the plan.
