News - Nov 7, 2024 Training Targets Improved Organics Management

Seeking to double the throughput of existing compost operations in Port Vila, Vanuatu has become the second country to receive the PacWaste Plus regional training on organic management.

The Vanuatu team is already operating a composting process but gained valuable insights from the hands-on training.

“We learned how to manage the composting process more efficiently given the constraints of our site, how to troubleshoot and rectify issues more quickly to avoid disturbing our close neighbors, and what additional materials we can incorporate into our compost batches,” said Mr Michel Raikatalau, Manager of the Port Vila Compost Facility.

Organic materials comprise over 40% of waste disposed of in the Pacific region. PacWaste Plus is excited to roll out the regional organics training to raise capacity for the operation of medium-scale compost facilities to process typical Pacific vegetation.

“Of all ‘waste’ disposed, organic materials such as grass and hedge clippings, tree fronds, peelings and scraps, and cardboard can be diverted and processed in Pacific without a need for expensive equipment or reliance on overseas shipping,” said Ms Hilary Boyes, PacWaste Plus Technical Officer. “Yet organics still make up the largest portion of our landfills, where they contribute to climate change, leachate, and odour.

“We have investigated the reasons behind this disconnect, wanting to understand the barriers and opportunities for establishing compost facilities in our region. One of the main barriers we found was a lack of understanding of how to operate a facility to manage our typical throughput of 5-10 tonnes per week. This scale is generally too much for simple manual processing but not quite enough to justify investment in the operation and maintenance of the required equipment.”

As a result, PacWaste Plus has designed a training course for the operation of medium-sized compost facilities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste. The training consists of modules that help participants understand the impact of organic material, how composting works, guidance on establishing a medium-scale composting operation, managing the composting process, and troubleshooting any issues that arise.

The training was first piloted in Tuvalu, and now Vanuatu has received the training. The Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, and Papua New Guinea have also requested this training, which will be delivered in the coming months.