BY AGNES MENANOPO
KOLOALE Community High School has currently engaged with the plastic waste management project initiated by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) through its Waste Management Innovation Initiative.
The initiative which aims to improve and encourage waste management behaviour in Solomon Islands has enrolled five schools in Honiara to be part of the initiative to improve waste management in schools.
The five schools are: St. Nickolas College, Koloale High School, Honiara Senior High School, Florence Young Christian School and Emaus Christian School.
Koloale High School, Careers Mistress, Rebecca Eretoro said the school are very much improving from this new initiative to reduce the use of plastics in the school compound.
She said school market vendors are not allowed to wrap foods using plastics. Plastics such as disposal plates, cups and spoons and reusable utensils are encouraged.
“Vendors are also made aware of illnesses caused by plastics when storing food,” she said.
Rebecca said there is much improvements of plastic usage in the school, however, there are still some challenges encountered in the progress.
“Some vendors do not want to listen to the new regulations (on plastic littering & waste management) given by the school. When discouraged not to use specific plastics, instead, they brought in different plastics.
“Pop corns are still sold in plastics instead of brown paper bags. Few students have also raised they disappointment over the sharing of plates and cups under the new initiative,” she added.
Although the project initiative has been underway in specific schools in Honiara, Rebecca would like to recommend the Honiara City Council (HCC) Environment Division Officers to go the schools and do more awareness to students and vendors on the plastic waste management project initiate.
Rebecca said she and others teachers will continue to inform the school community of the importance of plastic waste management in order to achieve the school a plastic free zone.
“If we want our country to be free from plastic, we must work together and listen to what responsible authorities.
She also urged the government make a strong laws or policies to ban plastic usage in the country.