The Lautoka City Council has launched its Return and Earn Centre to promote recycling and keep the environment clean.
LCC’s special administrator chairman and acting CEO Taitusi Rasoki said the initiative would benefit about 100,000 people within the municipality and surrounding communities, allowing them to return beverage containers in exchange for cash.
“The council will dedicate three full-time staff members who will assist members of the public and facilitate the smooth operation of the centre,” Mr Rasoki said.
Following the launch, the Return and Earn Centre will operate on a rotating schedule across two locations.
Collections will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9am to 1pm at the IYC Children’s Park, and on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9am to 1pm at the Vunato Landfill.
Return and Earn Fiji representative Dwain Qalovaki encouraged families and communities in Lautoka to start collecting plastic bottles and aluminium cans, offering a refund of five cents per beverage container.
“In partnership with the Lautoka City Council, the centre aims to collect all brands of beverage containers,” Mr Qalovaki said.
He said Return and Earn Fiji is a not-for-profit organisation that brings together the collection efforts of eight beverage companies under a nationally coordinated recycling system, working alongside municipal councils to make recycling accessible.
Participating companies are Carpenters (Fiji) Pte Ltd, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (Fiji) Ltd, Eddie Hin Beverages Pte Ltd, FIJI Water, Frezco Beverages Pte Ltd, Motibhai Group of Companies, Pacific Island Beverages Pte Ltd and Pleass Global Ltd.
