Fiji's government has rejected a controversial plan by an Australian billionaire to ship non-recyclable rubbish from across the region and burn it for energy, following fierce opposition from traditional landowners and tourism operators who labelled the proposal 'waste colonialism'.
Government Decision
Fiji's environment ministry announced on Thursday that it had turned down the proposal by The Next Generation Holdings (TNG) for an energy-from-waste plant and a private port. The ministry cited unresolved issues concerning the project's scale, imported waste, hazardous ash management, and public health risks. Questions about the impact on tourism and the environment, as well as the economic viability, were also not adequately addressed in the company's submission.
'This is not a decision against investment or against new waste solutions,' said Sivendra Michael, Fiji's secretary for the environment. 'The department was not satisfied that the potential impacts and risks of the project could be adequately assessed or managed.'
Background of the Proposal
The plan, spearheaded by Australian entrepreneurs Ian Malouf and Rob Cromb, aimed to build an incinerator capable of consuming 900,000 tonnes of waste annually near Nadi, Fiji's tourism gateway. Malouf, a billionaire who made his fortune in rubbish disposal, and Cromb, owner of the Paris-based fashion label Kookai, had claimed government support for the project. They argued it could meet 40% of Fiji's electricity needs, reducing reliance on diesel.
However, an environmental impact statement revealed that the incinerator would increase Fiji's national emissions by 25%. Critics, including Fiji's ambassador to the UN, Filipo Tarakinikini, warned that the Vuda coast north of Nadi would become 'the Pacific's ashtray'. Residents expressed concerns that the emissions would damage Fiji's eco-tourism reputation and pose safety risks to nearby hotels and schools.
Previous Controversies
This is not the first time such a project has faced rejection. Malouf spent seven years trying to get a similar waste-to-energy incinerator approved in Sydney before it was rejected in 2018 over human health risks. TNG had no immediate comment on the latest decision.
