Fiji Incinerator Project Faces Opposition

An Australian billionaire, Ian Malouf, and his business partner, Rob Cromb, through their company EITC, have proposed a $630 million waste-to-energy incinerator project in Fiji. The project aims to burn 900,000 tonnes of non-recyclable rubbish annually, potentially meeting 40% of Fiji's electricity needs. However, an environmental impact statement indicates a 25% increase in Fiji's national emissions. The proposal has sparked widespread opposition from Fijian villagers, traditional landowners like Inoke Tora, Fiji's ambassador to the United Nations Filipo Tarakinikini, and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka, who label it 'waste colonialism' and warn of environmental and tourism damage. A similar project by Ian Malouf was rejected in Sydney in 2018. The Fiji government, through Michael Sivendra, is currently reviewing the project.