NEARLY 80kg of rubbish was hauled from the Wailea St trashboom in Vatuwaqa, Suva by the second day of cleaning yesterday, highlighting the scale of irresponsible dumping, with more than 30kg of diapers, 29kg of PET bottles and plastics, and potentially dangerous waste including used needles among the debris.
Trashboom Pacific environment data officer Bernadette Thomasina said the scale and nature of the waste highlighted the urgent need for people to change their attitude towards rubbish disposal.
“We’ve already collected more than 79kg of trash from this trashboom,” she said.
She said workers had collected about 30 bags of PET bottles in a single day, along with syringes.
“We also collected a bottle full of syringes yesterday. Today, just in 10 minutes, we found six syringes.”
She said workers had to proceed slowly and carefully because they were working in contaminated water.
“We are risking the lives of our workers because they go in a pool of contaminated water.”
Ms Thomasina said recyclable materials were separated and sent for recycling, while other waste was disposed of appropriately.
“The mentality of our fellow Fijians has to change if we want to see a change in our environment.
“You can’t be just throwing your trash anywhere you like.”
She urged people to consider the environmental and health consequences of careless dumping.
“Remember, what we throw into the sea, is what we eat.”
Ms Thomasina also reminded residents that those caught dumping rubbish irresponsibly face a $200 spot fine.
