THE amount of rubbish trapped by a new trashboom at Wailea has raised fresh concerns about the volume of waste entering Fiji’s waterways, with more than 75kg collected within its first six days.
Trash Boom Pacific director Wayne Fuakilau said the boom’s first collection on July 28 produced 75.69kg of waste — including 23kg of food packaging and soft plastics and 25kg of sanitary items such as diapers and sanitary pads.
“The system was installed on July 22, 2026. Our first collection on July 28, yielded 75.69kg of waste,” Mr Fuakilau said.
The figures provided an early snapshot of the waste flowing into the Wailea waterway and highlight the role of the trashboom in preventing rubbish from reaching the sea.
Mr Fuakilau said the system continued to intercept floating waste effectively despite the accumulated rubbish remaining at the site.
“The system continues to function effectively by intercepting trash, as you’ve seen.”
However, the boom has not been cleared since the first collection because the company discovered a leaking Water Authority of Fiji sewer line discharging into the surrounding area.
Mr Fuakilau said the leak created a serious safety concern for workers responsible for clearing the boom.
He said the Wailea site was scheduled for weekly collection after the initial 75.69kg haul.
Questions sent to WAF about the leak and its response remained unanswered.
