environment
‘Waste colonialism’: Fiji says no to Australian billionaire’s incineration plan
Government rejects offshore rubbish being shipped to Fiji and burned after opposition from traditional landowners and tourism operators
TL;DR
- Fiji's government rejected The Next Generation Holdings' (TNG) proposal for a waste-to-energy plant and private port.
- The plan involved shipping non-recyclable rubbish from the region to Fiji for incineration.
- Opposition came from traditional landowners and tourism operators who feared environmental and health risks.
- Villagers labeled the plan "waste colonialism."
- The Ministry of Environment cited issues with the project's scale, imported waste, hazardous ash management, and public health risks.
- Unresolved questions over the impact on tourism, the environment, and the economic case also contributed to the rejection.
- The proposal, by Australian billionaires Ian Malouf and Rob Cromb, claimed it could meet 40% of Fiji's electricity needs.
- An environmental impact statement showed the project would raise Fiji's national emissions by 25%.
- Ian Malouf had a similar waste-to-energy incinerator rejected in Sydney in 2018 due to human health risks.