An $8-million project to construct a new rubbish dump for Tongatapu was officially launched at the Dateline Hotel, Nuku'alofa on April 8.

The new dump will be situated at an old quarry, Tapuhia, at the western outskirts of the village of Vaini and it is estimated that it has the capacity to accommodate all the rubbish of Tongatapu for the next 25 years.

The director of project, John Hibberd, said at the launching that the construction of the new facility would start once the Government of Tonga approved the design of the new Solid Waste Management facility. He said that the construction of the new facility was expected to be completed and begin operation toward the end of 2005.

The Australian government involvement on environment planning in Tonga started in 1997 when it funded a project, the Tonga Environmental Planning and Management Strengthening Project. At the completion of TEMPP in 2001 a need was identified for the establishment of a modern waste management facility.

A Memorandum of Understand for the project was signed in Nuku'alofa in December 2003 by the Minister for Health, Dr Viliami Tangi and the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Downer.

The project is being coordinated by the Public Health Chief Medical Officer, Dr 'Ake, the Deputy Director of Works, 'Isikelli Pulini and the Australian team Leader John Gildea.

The implementation of the project has been contracted to Coffey MPW Pty Ltd of Canberra, Australia.