The issue of waste management for Small Island Pacific nations is a highly challenging one and is no stranger to Tongan shores. The battle to minimise waste production and effectively manage Tonga's waste situation has been underway since 2004, with the Solid Waste Management Project and the development of the Tapuhia landfill facility in Vaini, Tongatapu (funded by AusAID). Management of the landfill facility and domestic household collection service is now managed by the Waste Authority Ltd, who are about to launch a mass scale community awareness campaign against littering.

The launch of the Talanoa Veve National School Competition on Monday, May 17 is the start of a community awareness program aimed at the youth, challenging them to think about waste management issues and their effects within their community.

The competition invites entries from students from Class 1 to Form 6 and encourages students to be creative and design a logo and slogan which will be used for the basis of a national 'no littering' campaign. The objective is to engage with the youth in an alternative context, encourage participation and interest in environmental issues and stimulate behavioural change towards waste within the Kingdom. A website has been created as a resource centre and school information packs are being sent to 150 schools to ensure widespread reach of the information.

This competition is the first of its kind within Tonga, involving the outer islands and laying a foundation of community networks and information with which to build upon for future waste management initiatives. Currently, there are no services provided by WAL to outer islands but the need for education to ensure communities are aware of the dangers and options for waste minimisation and reuse is evident.

The Waste Authority have partnered up with Office Equipment, Chathams Pacific, Pacific Timber & Hardware, Tourism Tonga and TCC to ensure the competition has the lucrative appeal to encourage maximum participation and promotion of the competition. For more information, contact The Waste Authority on 27827. - Waste authority, 17/05/10.