The HCC’s proposed waste management operational plans might benefit from a link-up with “Project Stop.”
It has been revealed in recent media reports that the Honiara City Council (HCC) will be embarking on a major exercise aimed at cleaning-up Honiara.
Apart from giving out public information on the issue of waste management, the HCC is aiming to establish a Waste Management and Control Division (WMCD) to be better able to collect waste and see to its effective disposal.
In creating a WMCD I would suggest there could be some direct benefit to the HCC if a referral is made to the organization “Project Stop,” (www.stopoceanplastic.com) since I believe there could very well be some donor sponsorship in linking up with “Project Stop” operations and practices.
Let me say a little of “Project Stop,” and I quote:
“Launched in 2017 at the Our Ocean conference in Malta, the first Project STOP was a city partnership in Muncar, a coastal fishing community in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. With minimal waste services in place, the majority of citizens were forced to dump their waste directly into the environment.”
“Project STOP is a frontline initiative creating comprehensive, economically sustainable waste management systems in areas of high plastic leakage into the ocean.
“The world is struggling with how to solve ocean plastic in a sustainable and scalable way. The fact is meaningful change requires hard work. A key pathway to success involves intensive, locally appropriate, on the ground efforts city by city, region by region, backed by national agreements and international support. Cities are assisted with investment, technical skills transfer, and embedded implementation teams. This is the work that results in permanent, verifiable ocean plastic reduction.
“This is the work of Project STOP:
“SCOPING
Project teams assess potential cities, looking for high levels of ocean plastic leakage and dedicated government support.
“PREPARATION & DESIGN
Baseline assessments, government agreements at all levels, and experts gathered from around the globe to design dependable, low cost, scalable waste system models built from the world’s best
“IMPLEMENTATION
In partnership with government authorities and local stakeholders, the team prepares the community to operate its own economically sustainable waste system and does not leave until the job is done.
“SCALE- UP
Applying learning’s from previous cities, “system enabler” teams expand to new regions.
“BENEFITS TO- DATE
+30,000 people served with waste management collection, most for the first time
60 full time jobs created
1,800 tons of waste (of which 300 tons of plastic) collected.
“Our Goal:
“Zero leakage of waste into the environment, grow local employment and provide replicable solutions and innovations for other cities.”
The Norwegian Government is a major sponsor of “Project Stop” and so are many international companies and organizations.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
