British American Tobacco (BAT) Fiji is the first corporate organisation in the country to implement its ‘I Recycle Hub’ at their factory in Nabua, Suva yesterday.
The ‘I Recycle Hub’ is an initiative of the Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF) through which all waste created at the BAT Fiji Nabua site will be recycled offshore.
PRF founder and Waste Recyclers Fiji Ltd (WRFL) chief executive officer Amitesh Deo said the concept would allow BAT Fiji to align its sustainability agenda with PRF’s waste management and recycling programs.
“We’ve been trying to lobby for involvement and participation from different sectors,” he said.
“BAT Fiji coming on board as the first corporate organisation, it really resonates well with us for that call out for organisations to take sustainability seriously and no longer a tick in the box kind of approach but really integrate it into their program.
“We’ll be training their staff to become recycling advocates, so within BAT you will have a group of individuals who will then influence the change of behaviour of others in that space.”
Mr Deo said PRF’s advocacy work focuses on change in attitude towards recycling and those involved in waste picking.
“The ‘I Recycle Hub’ concept is a fundamental tool in terms of visible and practical participation in recycling.
“The program represents a unique concept that challenges the traditional views of recycling and aims to bring recycling to the very forefront of all operations.
“As more individuals and organisations join the movement, we will be able to increase volumes, and this is where PRF will be able to fulfil its vision of moving Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPRs) into the formal sector through green jobs.”
BAT Fiji general manager Sam Dormor said the company was taking this positive step towards achieving its environment, social and governance (ESG) agenda and addressing climate change and environmental management.
“We have already been working to reduce our waste from 2017 to 2022 and we managed to reduce it by 17 per cent,” he said.
“Our total waste in 2022 was 170 tonnes compared with 205 tonnes in 2017 and currently 60 per cent of BAT Fiji’s waste is being recycled while the remaining 40 per cent of waste is going to the landfill.”
He said the new partnership with WRFL, would allow BAT Fiji to reach its zero waste to landfill target.
“From this month our waste going to landfill will reduce significantly further – on our way to achieving zero waste to landfill.
“All our waste will either be recycled or composted, allowing BAT Fiji’s Nabua site to completely eliminate its waste from ending up at landfills. “Our tobacco waste will be composted thanks to our partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.”
Mr Dormor says BAT Fiji will be taking two ‘I Recycle Hub’ bins for their Nabua factory and intended to get a similar set up for its leaf division in Nadi.
“BAT Fiji has further ambitions for a solar project that will deliver renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. “All these initiatives are under our environment ambitions that will allow us to improve things in the future.”
