Pacific countries are increasingly recognising the importance of robust data and community participation in tackling marine litter and plastic pollution.
As part of these efforts, Fiji hosted a Marine Litter Training Workshop from 2–5 June 2026 under the Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific – Phase 2 (SWAP2) Project at the Greenhouse Co-working Space in Suva.
Dr. Sivendra Michael, Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, highlighted the importance of collective action in addressing marine litter.
“Marine litter is more than an environmental issue,” he said. “It is a development challenge, an economic challenge, and increasingly, a challenge to the resilience of our island nations.”
The workshop was organised by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MECC), the Agence française de développement (AFD), Sustainable Coastlines New Zealand, and a local partner Community Centred Conservation (C3).
The training included two community workshops in Korotubu Village and Kia Island in Macuata Province, followed by a national stakeholder workshop in Suva. A total of 105 participants took part in the activities, representing government agencies, local authorities, civil society organisations, community groups, youth representatives, and the private sector.
“As small island developing states, our relationship with the Ocean is deeply intertwined with our identity, culture and prosperity. Protecting our marine environment is therefore not simply an environmental obligation, it is an investment in our future,” added Dr. Michael.
The workshops were delivered by Sustainable Coastlines New Zealand and focused on building national capacity in beach surveys, waste audits, data collection, and the use of the Litter Intelligence platform. The standardised methodology is used across nine Pacific Island countries and territories participating in SWAP2, allowing regional comparison of marine litter data.
Ms. Elodie Vitalis, Head of AFD Fiji Office, emphasised the importance of reliable data for environmental management.
“Every piece of litter found on a beach has a story,” she said. “The purpose of this training is not simply to count waste. It is to understand that story, so that we can prevent the next piece of litter from ever reaching the ocean. Good public policy starts with good evidence.”
The field surveys conducted during the workshops highlighted the scale of marine litter challenges facing Fiji. While plastic remained the most common category of litter recorded during the surveys conducted on Kia Island and in Suva, representing 67% and 72% of audited items respectively, the Korotubu Village survey identified household batteries as the most frequently recorded item, with 177 batteries collected.
The presence of deteriorated batteries in the coastal environment raises concerns regarding the potential release of hazardous substances into surrounding ecosystems. Participants noted that these findings highlight the importance of improving waste collection and disposal systems, particularly in remote communities where waste management options remain limited.
The audit exercises helped participants better understand the types and sources of litter affecting their local environment and reinforced the importance of improving waste management systems. Discussions highlighted the particular challenges faced by remote and coastal communities that rely heavily on marine resources for their livelihoods and wellbeing.
Ms. Vasiti Vosabalavu from the Macuata Provincial Council said: “What I learned today is that there is a lot of responsibility within the communities themselves regarding waste management. It is not only the waste we can see, but also microplastics and other items that are less visible. These are the things we also need to consider.”
Mr. Wayne Fuakilau from Trashboom Pacific highlighted the value of data collection.
“The main takeaway from this workshop is understanding the different types of data that we find during beach audits,” he said.
“We really admire the statement that we cannot manage what we cannot measure. That is important for us to compare the waste intercepted in rivers with what is ending up on our beaches.”
The training also supports the implementation of Fiji Marine Litter Pilot Project under SWAP2, with the local support of Community Centred Conservation (C3). In parallel, discussions have already commenced between MECC, SPREP and Trashboom Pacific on opportunities to integrate litter audits into river-based waste interception systems, helping generate comparable data on waste collected from rivers and coastlines.
Through SWAP2, Fiji will continue implementing marine litter monitoring activities, awareness programmes, and waste management initiatives through to 2028, helping generate the evidence needed to inform policy development, strengthen community action, and reduce the impacts of marine litter and plastic pollution.
ABOUT SWAP
SWAP2 contributes to the objectives of the Cleaner Pacific 2025 Strategy by improving waste management infrastructure, strengthening capacity and promoting regional collaboration. With total funding of EUR 4.3 million provided by the Agence française de développement (AFD), the programme supports nine Pacific Island countries and territories: Fiji, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, French Polynesia, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Wallis and Futuna.
The Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific – Phase 2 (SWAP2) project is funded by the Agence française de développement (AFD) AFD and implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) SPREP. For more information, please visit SWAP Project Website or contact Ms Julie Pillet, SWAP Project Manager, at juliep@sprep.org.