News - Mar 19, 2024 Ensisi Valley Community Excited to Implement Behaviour Change Project to Better Manage E-Waste

 

Elders and members of the Ensisi Valley community expressed their enthusiasm and appreciation for removing unwanted e-waste from their homes and reaffirmed that not everything needs to be thrown away, as they don’t want an increase in waste that ends up in landfills or on community grounds.

The Ensisi community eagerly participated in the commencement activities of a new behaviour change project which will engage with the community to properly manage and dispose of electronic waste. Community representatives noted that by implementing proper waste management practices, they can help protect the environment and reduce the negative impact of e-waste on their community. With their commitment to sustainability and conservation, the Ensisi Valley community is looking forward to a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.

 

 

Staff from the European Union-funded PacWaste Plus Programme implemented through SPREP, and ThinkPlace undertook a week-long engagement programme to coordinate with NCDC, CEPA, community leaders, and stakeholders, enhancing understanding of the proposed pilot project activities and gaining community support for their implementation.

The program engaged community elders and members to test seven draft interventions to determine which interventions may work, how best to deliver them, and how to measure their impact and potential adoption amongst members of the community.  The intervention eventually selected for implementation will be assessed for its long-term effects on the targeted behaviours.

There is a sense of awareness amongst community members in the Ensisi Valley as they currently creatively repurpose old fridges and gas stoves into tables and chairs, which they use to display and sell their produce at roadside market stalls.

 

 

This project aims to decrease the disposal and dumping of e-waste in Ensisi Valley, as well as reduce the amount of unused e-waste in homes and the community and look at activities that will enable community members to repurpose unused products into valuable items, offering them opportunities for responsible disposal of e-waste and creating value within the community.

The project will utilise workshops and training sessions to empower community members to repurpose electronic devices, turning them into new and useful products and improve services provided by NCDC for e-waste collection within the community.

 

 

With careful planning and coordination, the pilot project is set to make a significant impact in the Ensisi Valley and serve as a model for sustainable e-waste management in other communities.

The Ensisi Community pilot project will join with communities in Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands, and the outcomes of the pilot projects will assist communities and governments throughout the Pacific to replicate the actions and extend the benefits past the pilot communities.

 

 

Improper waste management in the Pacific Islands results in heightened disease exposure, ecosystem damage, and reduced tourism income. Electronic devices are increasingly integrated into both the economy and the daily lives of individuals, as a result, protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects associated with the unsafe handling and disposal of these products becomes increasingly challenging.

Efficient e-waste management can generate green jobs, enhance health, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and provide economic incentives for reclaiming valuable metals from obsolete electronics.

 

 

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