The Lautoka City Council’s Return & Earn Centre has recently made significant strides in promoting recycling, paying out $1,039 and collecting an impressive 20,780 recyclable items. This initiative, which launched on January 22, has been instrumental in the city’s recycling efforts, accumulating a total of 60,641 recyclable plastic bottles and cans so far.
Shalend Singh, the head of health services, expressed optimism about the program’s impact, estimating that approximately 3.1 million beverage containers could be collected annually in Lautoka. This would result in around $155,000 being distributed to citizens participating in the program. Since its inception, the council has disbursed a total of $3,032.05, benefiting not only local residents but also those engaged in informal recycling, including individuals known as Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPRs), and even street dwellers who can earn 5 cents for every beverage container returned.
Singh acknowledged the collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Return and Earn Fiji, emphasizing the initiative’s communal support. Return and Earn Fiji operates as a not-for-profit organization that aligns the efforts of eight beverage companies to create a nationally coordinated recycling system. This partnership aims to enhance accessibility to recycling for families and communities throughout Lautoka.
The participating beverage companies include notable names such as Carpenters (Fiji) Pte Ltd, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (Fiji) Ltd, Eddie Hin Beverages Pte Ltd, FIJI Water, Frezco Beverages Pte Ltd, Motibhai and Company Ltd, Pacific Island Beverages Pte Ltd, and Pleass Global Ltd.
This collaborative effort not only boosts recycling in Lautoka but also enriches the community by providing a financial incentive for participating in sustainable practices.