Aubrey Motsinger
Islands are frequently compared to paradise, but growing volumes of waste from increasing tropical storm severity, urbanization, and a reliance on imported goods mar that resemblance. Urbanization occurs to accommodate the tourism industry, which accounts for a significant portion of many island economies. The debris from construction (i.e. building new hotels) has to go somewhere… but where? Managing solid waste is uniquely difficult for islands as they have limited available land. Even spaces that can accommodate the refuse are filling fast. A landfill on Oahu that only collects construction debris is nearing its capacity and seeking to open a second site. This instance only deals with a single type of rubbish on one island. Expanding to consider the amount of refuse also generated by tourists and residents globally, it seems like islands are sinking under all the trash. Unfortunately, the geographic isolation of islands makes transferring waste off-island impractical, so what can be done?
Landfills can be suitable for island waste management. The word “landfill” often generates mental images of heaped and smelly garbage, but those neglected sites are actually “open dumps”. Proper landfills are sanitary–meaning rubbish is disposed of without troubling the environment and public health and safety–and the oldest form of solid waste management. Luckily, open dumps can be reclaimed into sanitary landfills. It’s important to improve current sites before adding more to make sure all facilities stay sanitary.
The downside to using landfills is that, until they’re full, the land cannot be used for another purpose. A less area-consuming option for islands is to deal with waste through incineration. This route burns nonhazardous refuse, generating energy that can then power surrounding areas. This method can also reduce methane emissions by keeping trash out of landfills. While air pollution is the main concern with incineration, the sustainability of any system is determined by its overall impact on economic, social, and environmental climates. The environmental climate factors in any potential impact on water, soil, ecosystems, and landscapes, not just air quality.
Determining what waste management facilities will work best for each island is a long but eventually rewarding process. Separating waste by material can help with that process. After sorting, the most abundant type of trash should influence which waste handling method is used. For example, if there’s a high percentage of organic matter, composting would be a good measure to establish. Implementing a return system for cans and bottles is another immediate measure that would ensure recyclable materials get properly disposed of instead of being tossed with non-recyclable rubbish. Islands could also add a small fee in the tourism sector to cover the cost of trash pickup and disposal, helping to fund their waste management efforts.
Waste management efforts can eventually expand to control refuse at a regional level. For example, islands in the Caribbean have united to ban single-use plastics. This greatly reduces the amount of items imported to the island that will quickly become rubbish to be managed. Islands could also establish regional recycling networks and make a relatively stable market for recycled materials. This would in turn incentivize the institution of recycling facilities by creating a demand for the materials.
Managing waste is made all the easier by limiting waste from the start. Changing global throwaway culture requires everyone on and off islands alike to care. As a starting point, implement the 3Rs in your life: reduce the number of new things you buy, reuse items that still work, and recycle items that have been used up but could be remade into new items.
Citations
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Honolulu Civil Beat. https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/08/how-is-oahus-trash-impacting-the-waianae-coast/
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4. Huang, J. (n.d.). For Clean Islands and a Clean Ocean in the Pacific, Start with Solid Waste Management | Asian Development Blog. https://blogs.adb.org/blog/clean-islands-and-clean-ocean-pacific-start-solid-waste-management
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