The Lautoka City Council has generated an estimated $52,530 in revenue from the sale of market compost, with 170 tonnes sold between 2011 and April 2026.
Council Board of Special Administrators chairperson Taitusi Rasoki revealed the figures during a partnership event with the Recycle Organics Program, which is supporting the council’s waste management and composting initiatives.
Mr Rasoki said partnerships were critical to addressing growing waste management challenges and urged market vendors to support the program by properly separating organic waste.
“Partnerships are very important and I urge all the market vendors to embrace this project,” he said.
“And give it the whole hearted much needed support by separating the market organic wastes.”
He thanked the Recycle Organics Project team and the Government of Canada for their support and expressed hope for continued collaboration in the future.
Mr Rasoki said waste generation was increasing every year and remained a major challenge for municipalities. He noted that vendors at the Lautoka market generate an average of 3.2 tonnes of waste daily.
The Recycle Organics Program, funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, was introduced in Lautoka in mid-2024 to reduce methane emissions from the waste sector by promoting alternative methods of treating organic waste.
As part of the initiative, 20 organic waste separation bins were donated to the Lautoka market composting project in October 2024.
Mr Rasoki said the council was now receiving an additional 40 colour-coded wheelie bins, 100 compost bins and a new three-tonne Isuzu truck.
“This is indeed a milestone achievement for our Sugar City.”
The total value of assistance provided under the project is estimated at $146,603.
