Last Update : 2021/02/01
Policy framework
National Action Plan
- National Waste and Pollution Control Strategy 2017-2026
- National Implementation Plan for Stockholm Convention
- National Biodiversity Strategic Action Plan
- National Ocean Policy-
Recognizes marine pollution as an ocean threat and stated its strategic action to develop proper sanitation and waste management systems throughout the country’s coastal catchments and shipping industry.
Legal framework
- Environment Act 1998
- Environment Regulation 2008
- Shipping (Marine Pollution) Regulation 2011
- Solomon Islands Maritime Authority Act 2018
Measures
| Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) | No |
| Reduce single use plastic (shopping bag, strew etc.) by regulations or voluntary measures | Yes |
| Restrict microbeads for cosmetics etc. | No |
| Improve waste management recycling system | Yes |
| Clean-up activity at rivers and coasts | Yes |
| Actions on fishing gear | No |
| Capturing trap/filter on drainage/river | No |
| Promotion of innovative solutions | Yes |
| Multi-stakeholder involvement and awareness raising | Yes |
| Sharing scientific information and knowledge: R&D and Monitoring | Yes |
| Participate in international cooperation through international organizations, multi-national groups, etc. | Yes |
Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation
- Single Use Plastic ban
Solomon Islands has initiated the process to ban single use plastics since November 2019 through initial stakeholder consultation. Proposed Ban on Single Use Plastics timetable and strategy for implementing these bans is currently under development. - Container Deposit Legislation
Through the EU funded PACWASTE PLUS regional project implemented through SPREP, a Terms of Reference (TOR) is currently being developed to review existing feasibility study on Container Deposit Scheme for Solomon Islands and to develop technical guide note for the drafting of a legal framework on Container Deposit Legislation for Solomon Islands. - Support Provincial Governments to develop Provincial Waste Management Plans
MECDM continues to assist provincial governments to develop their Waste Management Plans by conducting consultation workshops and waste audits to collect information and data and assessments for suitable landfill sites.
Promotion of innovative solutions
- Plastic-wise Gizo- Ministry of Environment Climate Change Disaster Management and Meteorology recognizes the work undertaken by Plastic Wise Gizo.
A grass roots group which works with women to turn plastic waste into marketable goods. The women of Gizo use their remarkable weaving skills to turn single use plastic packaging into a variety of products which are sold in the local markets.
This group was established to help decrease plastic wastes in Western Province. The initiative is to educate communities on waste management that also turns plastic waste into handicrafts. - Support the establishment of the Solomon Islands Recycling and Waste Management Association. The association has been formulated to promote Recycling activity in the Solomon Islands. The association would like to create a circular economy society through public and private cooperation with their next five years’ strategy to overcome the challenges facing Solomon’s recycling industry.
Multi-stakeholder involvement and awareness raising
- Friends of the City
Ministry of Environment recognizes the efforts by stakeholder partners to raise awareness on the importance of waste management and conduct public clean up campaigns. Friends of the city is a volunteer initiative which has brought together hundreds of people to participate in clean-ups across the capital city of Honiara and raise awareness of the importance of maintaining healthy and sustainable local environments. They have worked with the government on the ‘Battle against Plastic Pollution campaign’, organizing and participating in clean-ups across the city on ‘World of Environment Day’, ‘World Ocean Day’ and ‘Coral Triangle Day’. - World Environment Day, World Oceans Day and Coral Triangle Day Celebrations
The commemoration of these international events is usually a platform used to raise awareness on the importance of waste management. Clean up campaigns are usually organized during these events as well.
Sharing scientific information and knowledge: R&D and Monitoring
- The Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP), is led by the UK through the Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas).
CLIP supported the Solomon Islands to take action on plastics entering the oceans. Currently 80% of marine litter is estimated to be originated on land and Cefas contracted Asia Pacific Waste Consultants to assess the land waste production rates and waste management performances.
Promotion of international cooperation
The Ministry of Environment has been collaborating with a number of development partners such as JICA, EU, UNDP through regional projects on waste management.
- JPRISM II – A JICA funded regional project implemented by SPREP in 9 pacific countries. The objectives of the project are to strengthen waste management capacity in the region through implementing the Cleaner Pacific 2025 at both national and regional levels.
- PACWASTE PLUS Programme – This initiative is funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by SPREP to sustainably and cost effectively improve regional management of waste and pollution. The programme is being implemented in 15 countries: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
The activities are tailored to address the specific needs of each country based on their identified priorities. Priority waste stream identified by Solomon Islands under this programme includes Solid Waste (recyclables and organic waste) and hazardous waste (e-waste). - Solomon Islands is a party to a number of international and regional conventions related to waste and pollution management. For instance, the Stockholm Convention, Marine Pollution (London) Convention, UNCLOS, Waigani Convention, SPREP Convention, Pollution Protocol for Dumping.
Achievements
Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation
- Development and completion of the Honiara City Council Waste Management Plan
- The establishment and launching of the Solomon Islands Recycling and Waste Management Association in November 2019.
Promotion of innovative solutions
- The expansion of Plastic Wise Gizo network which gains national, regional and international recognition has been a great achievement for this group. The group has sold its recycled handicrafts to tourists who travel to Gizo town in the Western Province from cruise ships and gained small amount of income.
- Establishment and launching of the Solomon Islands Recycling and Waste Management Association is an achievement in the area of recycling.
Multi-stakeholder involvement and awareness raising
- A number of successful clean up campaigns have been conducted over the years which contributes to increasing knowledge and awareness of the importance of proper waste management practices. This is usually done during international event commemorations.
Sharing scientific information and knowledge: R&D and Monitoring
- In collaboration with the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), under the Commonwealth Litter Program (CLiP), the article “Occurrence and abundance of meso and microplastics in sediment, surface waters, and marine biota from the South Pacific region” is now available containing full bibliographic details in the Marine Pollution Bulletin.
Refer to the article link: https://authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0025-326X(20)30690-1
This is for the Microplastic Survey that was carried out in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Promotion of international cooperation
- Development of the National Implementation Plan under the Stockholm Convention
- Data collection, development and design of in-country projects through collaboration with Pacwaste Plus Project.
- Strengthening of institution and technical capacity through the JICA funded J-PRISM Project which results in the newly established Waste Management Division under the Honiara City Council.
Challenges
- Lack of waste management supporting infrastructure has been a major challenge over the years. For instance, there is only one managed landfill site in the capital city Honiara. This landfill over the years has reduced space and there is a need for a new landfill site to provide for the increasing waste generated. In the provinces there is no proper landfill sites but only unmanaged dumpsites. This is due to land issues as well as technical and financial capacity to develop their landfill. There is a need to improve waste disposal site operations in the provincial towns.
- Very low budget allocation for the waste management sector. There is always limited financial support to keep the waste management system functional in an efficient manner. Storage, collection, transportation to final disposal site requires huge budget allocation. This is experienced in the capital city Honiara as well as the provincial towns.
- Lack of recycling facilities in country. Aluminum cans and scrap metals are the main recyclables that are exported out of the country. Other recyclable materials are either dumped in landfills or into the environment or stockpiled in various locations.
- Limited Human Resources – The issue of limited human resources and capacity is also an ongoing one. While there is a certain level of capacity being developed at the national level, the number of staff being recruited is insufficient to deal with all the waste and pollution issues. The Honiara landfill for example has one dedicated staff as Landfill Manager, and for each province, the environmental health officers under the Ministry of Health also manage waste and pollution issues. There is no dedicated waste management officer in the provinces. The underlying challenge is with the number of staff members being recruited and the ability of relevant institutions such as MECDM, Ministry of Health and Provincial governments to finance new positions.
Best practices
National level
- Support provided to community initiatives through purchase of clean up tools such as knives, wheel barrow, grass cutter, rakes for their community clean-up programmes. This support is provided under the Ministry of Environment Waste Management Programme Development Budget.
- Clean up campaigns and awareness programmes during international events such as World Environment Day, World Oceans Day, Coral Triangle Day.
- Promotion of waste minimization through the 4R (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) initiative. This includes waste segregation at source and introduction of home composting of organic wastes. Eco-school programme and eco-bag pilot projects were implemented as part of this promotion.
Local level
- The national government has Western Provincial Government has developed a policy to ban plastic bags use in their provincial town.
- Two out of nine provincial governments recruit their own Environment Officers under their provincial plan and budget without relying on national government to send officers to their province.
Private sector
- Solomon Breweries Ltd. operates a bottle reuse scheme whereby glass bottles are redeemed by retail distributors at SI$0.50 a bottle. Some tourist accommodations similarly recycle bottles and aluminum cans, ultimately for export.
- Establishment of the Solomon Islands Recycling and Waste Management Association to manage and recover recyclable materials in country.
Further information
Contact details
Debra Kereseka
DKereseka@mecdm.gov.sb