National Capital District Commission, under the leadership of Governor Powes Parkop, convened a high-level stakeholder meeting yesterday at City Hall to address Papua New Guinea’s escalating plastic waste crisis.
The meeting brought together key leaders and partners, including Governor Parkop, Jelta Wong, Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources, City Manager Ravu Frank; Daniel Gallagher, CEO of the Renew Recycling Solutions (Australia), the NCDC Waste Management Team including a special guest Petero Civoniceva, legendary former Brisbane Broncos prop and NRL icon.
Related news: https://www.postcourier.com.pg/ncdc-takes-action-on-the-plastic-crisis-in-the-city-with-a-new-recycling-initiative/
Port Moresby generates tones of plastic waste annually, with over half escaping into the environment.
Alarmingly, domestic waste specifically, soft plastics in all forms enters the marine ecosystem each year, threatening fisheries, marine resources, and livelihoods.
Without urgent intervention, projections indicate 2.3 million tons of mismanaged plastic between 2024 and 2035.
Governor Parkop highlighted the opportunity to link plastic recycling with Port Moresby’s infrastructure development and circular economy goals.
He noted that recycled plastics can be used in road construction, improving durability and reducing costs, as demonstrated in Asian Development Bank projects.
“This is not just an environmental issue; it is an economic opportunity. By turning waste into value, we can build a cleaner city, create jobs, and strengthen our infrastructure,” Governor Parkop stated.
Minister Wong emphasized the severe impact of plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and livelihoods, reaffirming his ministry’s commitment to regional partnerships with Australia and the South Pacific countries to reduce single-use plastics.
He called for stronger national regulation and enforcement to safeguard fisheries and coastal communities.
Daniel Gallagher, CEO of iQ Renew, expressed that looking ahead, there is hope for greater collaboration across the entire supply chain from brand partners to government.
Industry bodies in the Pacific region starting here from Port Moresby, PNG, so that they all can work together to deliver a circular economy, fit for our future.
He expressed that company in the long run intends to build a plastic and glass factory here. Partner existing contractors in the space.
Key priorities identified during the meeting included:
– Investment in local recycling facilities to address the near absence of domestic capacity.
– Expansion of waste collection, currently covering only 13% of households.
– Stronger enforcement of single-use plastic bans.
– Positioning Port Moresby as a pilot city for plastic-to-infrastructure innovation in the Pacific region.
City Manager welcomed it while planning another meeting with them to share information on existing interventions of NCDC Waste Management then formalize instrument to partner the proposed venture.
Governor Parkop reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to sustainable urban management and called on all stakeholders to collaborate in advancing a circular economy for Papua New Guinea.