The Cook Islands, a small island nation in the Pacific, faces significant challenges in managing its waste. With a population spread across 15 islands, including the most populated one, Rarotonga, waste management has become an increasingly urgent issue.

Over time, the country has relied heavily on landfills, less formal dumping sites, and fires to dispose of waste, but the limitations of this are becoming more apparent, raising concerns for both the environment and public health.

Rarotonga’s landfill is a facility originally designed as a sanitary landfill with the support of the Asian Development Bank in 2006. While this system worked for a time, it has struggled to keep up with the volume of waste generated by both residents and tourists, and for the Pā Enua (outer islands) in particular, shipping/boating waste that washes ashore. The landfill was not designed for long-term use, and issues like leachate management have led to concerns about potential contamination of local freshwater supplies. As the waste piles up, it has become clear that relying on landfills as the primary waste disposal solution is no longer sustainable.

In response to these challenges, the government of the Cook Islands, in partnership with international organisations, has been exploring alternative waste management practices. One key initiative under consideration is the implementation of the Advance Recovery and Disposal Fee (ARDF) system. Once operational, this programme will place a fee on certain imported goods, with the funds generated used to support waste collection, recovery, and recycling efforts for those goods. The goal is to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill and promote a circular economy where materials are reused, recycled or removed from the island rather than building up in local landfills. This initiative has been sitting with Government for some time, waiting to be proritised.

The Pacific Waste Plus programme, through the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Progamme (SPREP), which provides technical assistance and funding for waste management projects, has also played a role in supporting the Cook Islands’ waste management efforts. One notable project has been the introduction of a hand-operated crusher for recyclable materials in the Pā Enua, the outer islands. This technology helps make recycling more accessible, especially in remote areas where waste management infrastructure is limited. These initiatives represent significant steps toward reducing the country’s dependence on landfills and shifting towards more sustainable waste management practices.

However, despite these efforts, the Cook Islands still faces significant challenges in waste management. Infrastructure improvements are needed to manage waste more effectively, and there is a need for increased community engagement to reduce waste generation and encourage recycling. Changing longstanding behaviours and habits around waste disposal is not easy, and the transition to more sustainable practices requires time and effort from both the government and the public.

While there is still much work to be done, there are signs of progress. The Cook Islands government is taking steps toward more sustainable waste management, and the population is becoming more aware of the importance of reducing waste and recycling. One of the more promising initiatives is the Plastic Reboot project. The Cook Islands is the only Pacific Island Country among 15 countries in this Global Environment Fund financed project. While specific activities are still being worked out, the project will focus on the up stream plastics, that is, the source of the problem. If we can minimise the amount of plastic packaging coming into the country by using biodegradable non plastic alternatives and refillable options, we can significantly reduce our plastic pollution problem.

The country’s small size and the interconnectedness of its people mean that changes in waste management practices could have a significant positive impact on both the environment and public health. With continued investment in infrastructure, education, and community involvement, the Cook Islands can build a more sustainable future for generations to come.