The Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill 2024 that has been referred to the Bills, Petitions and Papers Committee is a culmination of many years of hard work of the current and previous heads of the Ministry of Infrastructure Cook Islands, says Deputy Prime Minister Albert Nicholas.

Nicholas, who is also the Minister for Infrastructure Cook Islands, presented the Bill to Parliament last week.

“…this document has been outstanding for many, many years and I believe it’s been in its process long before many of us even became Members of Parliament,” he said.

“The Bill before the House is a culmination of many, many years of hard work of the current HOM of ICI and also previous HOMs of ICI as well.”

The Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill 2024 was to merge existing legislation under the Environment Act and Public Health Act and include a schedule of banned plastic items including plastic straws, polystyrene containers, single serve butter and spreads as well as products containing microbeads.

According to ICI, the new Solid and Hazardous Waste Bill will also introduce an advanced disposable recovery fee known as the ARDF (advance recovery and disposal fee scheme) along with directing how different waste streams shall be handled at end of life.

The Bill will also introduce a schedule of banned products starting with eight single use plastic products and packaging:

–        Lightweight plastic bags including shopping bags
–        Plastic straws and cocktail stirrers
–        Plastic cutlery
–        Plastic containers with no PET number or with numbers 3, 4, 5, and 7, including plastic plates and sealable food containers
–        Plastic and polystyrene cups, including plastic-lined coffee cups
–        Polystyrene containers and meat trays
–        Single-portion breakfast spreads
–        Products containing microbeads

According to Infrastructure Cook Islands, the scheme will enable them to afford to send hazardous waste and recyclables from the Pa Enua to Rarotonga for processing with the Rarotonga stock.

The materials and products can then be sent to safe handling and recycling facilities overseas.