Kiribati

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Names of actions:
Plastic Banning under the Customs Act.

Targeted products: Single use shopping plastic bags, ice bags and Non-Biodegradable Nappies

Brief description: The plastic products that are currently being banned from import under the Customs Act 2019 are:

1. non-biodegradable nappies;
2. single use shopping plastic bags; and
3. ice-block bags.

The ban is effective since October 2020 under the Custom Act 2019 and KCAE has taken the lead with the enforcement work under the Act with MELAD’s ongoing support.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
Despite the banned that is now in place there are still challenging that we face especially with the Nappies and food packaging such as Bread, Buns, Fish and Vegetables.

Numerical data if any:
( You can get this from the Kiribati Customs)

Actions for encouraging sustainable / circular product design

Names of actions:
Waste Repurposing Initiatives.

Brief description:
This initiative was implemented to encourage women from communities to make something valuable out of the waste such as turning car tyre into chairs, plastic noodles into purses and PET Bottle into jewelry etc. This will also help in reducing the amount of waste ends up in the landfill, ocean, dumped or even burned.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
What we experience now is the lack of funding to support the improvement of this initiative. We need funding to purchase our tools and machines from overseas and also to hire the Technical Adviser who is an expert in this field.

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Names of actions:
Waste Recycling System Or the Kaoki Maange System.

Brief description:
The system operates Monday to Friday, enabling customers to return their recyclable items to receival outlets (collection point).

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
Numerical data if any: On a yearly

basis the Kaoki Maange receive approximately;

• 4,000,000 aluminum cans,
• 1,000,000 PET bottles, and
• 2,000 Lead – Acid Batteries (LABs)

Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

– Names of actions: Littering Enforcement by Community Policing and Staff.

Brief description:
This activity began this year, and we are engaging securities from each community in Betio. The activity entails issuing an infringement notice to the person who is seen throwing rubbish anywhere. The individual has 28 days to pay his or her fine, if they do not pay within that time, they will be brough to court.

Comments:

• We notice a slight change in people’s behavior, they’ve learned to dispose their trash in the bin.
• Lack of funding for the waste receptacle.

Measures

Achievements

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Names of actions:
Clean-up activities with Communities, NGOs and Ministries.

Brief description:
The purpose is to promote and encourage environmental awareness and discussion of pollution and associated issues by encouraging and coordinating clean-up campaigns and other activities at the community level.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Promotion of innovative solutions

Policy actions for encouraging plastic alternatives (e.g. biodegradable plastics, circular product design – including use of recycled materials or closed loop recycling and so on’)

Comments:
There is a plan but the Policy is still in the process.

Public-private partnerships for creating and implementing innovative solution

Names of actions:
Waste Recyclable System

Brief description:
The Kaoki Maange system is privatized and operated by a local agency widely known as ‘One Stop’ company. The current contract was signed on the 1st of November 2019 between the One Stop and the MELAD. One Stop has been operating the Kaoki Maange system when it started in 2004.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Education and awareness raising

Education system for encouraging public awareness on MPL issues

If yes, give a brief description of your efforts related to education:

We paid a visit to a school. Its goal is to teach primary school students about the importance of waste management. In the presentation, the color receptacles used in Kiribati are discussed, which are green (organic waste), red (plastic waste/general waste), and yellow (Recyclable waste). The presentation also includes waste sorting.

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
Lack of funding for materials to enhance the awareness activity

Awareness raising campaigns related to MPL

National level:
Names of actions:

• Meetings with Ministries
• Clean-up activity with the Ministries.

Local level:
Names of actions:

• Clean up campaign with the communities
• Workshops with the securities of the community
• Waste Repurposing Initiative (Communities- Women)

Brief description:
These are the initiatives that have been put in place in Kiribati. These also help with waste reduction, resource recovery and value creation.

International / Regional level:
Names of actions:
Virtual Meetings

Brief description:
The virtual call was to seek advices from Secretariat/ Consultants in regards to plastic nappies etc.

National level:
We see a positive improvement from last two years

Local level:
We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

1) Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics