News - Jun 4, 2025 PacWastePlus Behaviour Change Pilot Tanem Tuvaruhu in the Solomon Islands Wraps Up
The PacWastePlus-designed behaviour change pilot project implemented in the Solomon Islands is now complete.
The Tanem Tuvaruhu initiative aimed to tackle waste management challenges in Tuvaruhu, Honiara by fostering community-led solutions through a circular economy model.
The intervention consisted of (i) Tanem Hub, a digital plat form for community engagement and business registration; (ii) Tanem Pathways, a structured waste collection system linking recyclables to businesses; and (iii) Tanem Market, a space for selling upcycled products.
Despite challenges like limited infrastructure and inconsistent participation, the initiative successfully increased recycling efforts, waste awareness, and local business involvement.
The following is information sourced from the final project report explaining the activities and findings from this pilot activity.
The challenge
The Tuvaruhu community in Honiara struggles with waste management due to unreliable collection, ca using behaviours such as littering, dumping, and pollution.
Poor road conditions, limited collection vehicles, and equipment maintenance issues worsen waste management challenges. Traditional organic waste disposal practices, such a s burying or discarding in waterways, persist due to a lack of alternatives.
However, community groups like the Zone Three Women’s Group and the Resilience, Innovation, and Social Change Girls Club (RISC) promote recycling, composting, and sustainable practices, reflecting a growing awareness despite systemic obstacles.
Tanem Tuvaruhu – Implementation
Tanem Tuvaruhu was designed and implemented as an interrelated system of interventions designed to champion each other as a circular economic model. Implementation ran from July 2024 with the launch of the Hub, to February 2025 with the first iteration of the Tanem Market day.
Tanem Hub
Tanem Hub served as the central digital platform to connect businesses, community members, and stakeholders, promoting circular economy principles and facilitating participation in the initiative. Initially launched as a Facebook Page, the Hub allowed local businesses to register for recycling pathways with a Google Form link.
The Hub was also a platform for providing updates on collection efforts, milestones, and educational content on upcycling and circularity. However, after the unexpected shutdown of the page by Meta in December 20 24, the initiative transitioned to a Facebook Group. Although this shift allowed the content to be preserved, engagement levels did not reach those of the original page.
Moving forward, the Hub will be managed by local leader Sussie, who will integrate it into Tanem Market, using it as a promotional and networking tool for ongoing waste-to-value business opportunities in Tuvaruhu.
Tanem Pathways
Tanem Pathways introduced a structured and community -driven waste collection and recycling system by establishing designated pathways that connected discarded materials with businesses that could repurpose them.
Businesses registered through the Tanem Hub and were assigned collection points—cages, crates, and large bags —strategically placed in accessible locations with clear signage indicating what materials were being collected and which businesses would be using them. Community volunteers, led by Sussie and the RISC-CG group, regularly monitored and managed these pathways, ensuring that waste was counted for evaluation purposes, and properly sorted and delivered to businesses for reuse.
The ongoing management and oversight of Tanem Pathways will be fully handed over to Sussie and RISC-GC, in efforts to ensure that waste collection efforts remain active and sustainable within the community.
Tanem Market
Tanem Market was developed as a dedicated marketplace where local entrepreneurs and artisans could sell products crafted from recycled and repurposed materials collected through Tanem Pathways, reinforcing the circular economy model in Tuvaruhu.
A market venue was constructed, providing a space for vendors to showcase innovative products made from waste materials. The first market day, held on February 19, 2025 , featured stalls from 2 Tanem registered businesses selling home decor, vases, and hand – crafted fans made from reclaimed materials collected from the Pathways, demonstrating the economic potential of upcycling.
With sustained interest and community participation, it is hoped that Tanem Market will continue to operate beyond the initial intervention period, with ongoing support from Sussie and RISC-GC.
Recommendations
Key recommendations for sustainability include expanding waste collection pathways, enhancing community ownership, and conducting a litter survey to track long -term impact. With continued support, Tanem Tuvaruhu has the potential to be a scalable model for sustainable waste management in the Solomon Islands.
Tanem Tuvaruhu was turned over to the Zone three Women’s Group that had partnered with the consultants during the design and implementation stages of work and will continue to be implemented both online, and through the newly constructed marketplace.