WASTE MANAGEMENT A GROWING CONCERN IN POHNPEI; WAY FORWARD

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLONIA 000157

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV PGOV FM
SUBJECT: WASTE MANAGEMENT A GROWING CONCERN IN POHNPEI; WAY FORWARD
UNCLEAR


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Pohnpei's Environmental Protection Agency is
focusing on litter, pollution and waste management and how to
implement an April 2006 law on those issues. The two largest
environmental NGOs in Pohnpei meanwhile are concerned that the
state is not adequately addressing a growing waste problem.
Everyone involved also has a different understanding of what the
state is or should be doing. End Summary.

Environmental Protection Agency Focus
--------------


2. (SBU) During a December 8 meeting, Pohnpei Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) consultant Donna Scheuring and other
members of the EPA staff discussed the agency's primary efforts
to manage waste. The single largest issue is a plan to move
Pohnpei's current dump site. Other activities include three
annual island wide clean-ups, implementing a 2006 waste
management legislation, and reviewing possible "container fees."
Scheuring added that two of the biggest waste problems are
aluminum cans and car batteries. The sheer bulk of cans
available in Pohnpei that end up on the side of the road or in
any of hundreds of dump sites prevent any realistic cleanup.
Pohnpei also has no reliable means to dispose of hazardous waste
(computers, old cars, used oil). When car batteries are
replaced, the old ones are used to tie down tarps, seats, or
just left to rot. According to Scheuring, the improper disposal
of car batteries has led to high blood lead levels in children.


3. (SBU) Pohnpei has set aside land near Palikir, the national
capital, to act as a new dump site. In conjunction with the new
dump site, EPA is reviewing how it can more effectively manage
the waste. The most economical and practical method would be
for people to sort waste at home, but without legislation
mandating the separation of biological, recyclable, and other
waste, it will not happen. Scheuring is not convinced people
will take an active involvement in limiting waste-related
problems. As an example she cites three island-wide cleanup
programs EPA sponsors every year, with support from each of the
Embassies in the FSM. People actively clean up the roads and
collect trash and are well aware of the negative side effects
from improper waste disposal, including simple aesthetics to the
impact on water and soil. Yet the day after trash is picked up,
the same people throw stuff anywhere.


4. (SBU) Scheuring believes one of the most effective steps the
state can do to limit some waste is to charge a "container fee"
on all imports. The fee would go towards waste management or
can be refunded when items such as aluminum cans are returned.
That said, importers and businesses in Pohnpei strongly object
and to date no such fees are assessed. Another option is for
the police to enforce litter laws currently in place. Scheuring
does not anticipate enforcement to take place any time soon.


5. (SBU) The EPA staff believes the one area that it can have
the greatest impact is litter control. It is working with the
Conservation Society of Pohnpei to reach out into the schools to
discuss the negative effects of litter. Minor steps by the
state government also seem to have dramatic impact. In the
areas that the state clears the grass and shrubs along roadsides
there is a noticeable decrease in litter. Scheuring believes
that there is enough awareness that people don't want to be seen
as leaving trash on the side of the road. She adds, however,
that, as in many other areas, there is no enforcement.
Abandoned cars, oil runoff, car batteries, and other waste are
simply ignored.

NGOs Comment
--------------


6. (SBU) Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP) Director
Patterson Shed opened his comments to EconOff on December 10 by
stating that the state keeps putting waste management on the
back burner, and without state action not much will be done.
Shed added that he had approached Pohnpei State legislators
about adopting the Fukuoka waste management system that the
Kosrae state government successfully implemented in its state.
(Note: Shed described the Fukuoka waste management system as a
well established, low impact, and proven cost-effective system.
End Note.) Pohnpei commented that it cannot afford the $100,000
start up fee, to which Shed responded he can help raise the
funds if the State would just provide legislation.


7. (SBU) Nature Conservancy advisors Mae Adams and Ricky Carl
echoed Shed's same point that the State is simply not taking a
leading role. Carl gave two examples. He stated that on at
least one occasion JEMCO provided incentives to purchase junked
cars, but it did not work. He argued that many complain about
lack of enforcement, which is accurate to some extent, but on

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some waste issues the legislation is unclear or simply provides
authority for regulations to be written by someone else. When
the legislation is weak, law enforcement will have a difficult
time knowing what to enforce.


8. (SBU) Adams, Shed, Carl, and Scheuring all expressed
concerns about how Pohnpei will collect trash in one location.
They each agreed that the location near Palikir is appropriate,
but that people would rather use the hundreds of informal
dumpsites around the island instead of going to the current
site. There is no reason to believe that will change. Shed and
Adams implied that beyond providing some land, no plan is yet in
place on how to properly use or manage that land and the waste
that should go there.

Recycling Too Expensive
--------------


9. (SBU) Adams and Carl reviewed recycling efforts to date and
the limited steps Pohnpei has taken to address the growing waste
management issue. When commodity prices hit their peak in the
mid-2000s, two private companies opened collection sites in
Pohnpei for aluminum cans and other metals. When commodity
prices dropped, one company closed and the other, a Chinese
firm, stopped exporting cans and used vehicles. The site, with
all the cans, junked vehicles, and equipment is for sale.
Kolonia town, meanwhile, has its own plant that can melt cans
and it continues to take in aluminum cans.


10. (SBU) Adams added that 2006 legislation permits the state
to charge a five cent fee on all aluminum cans and that a
portion would be refunded when the cans were brought to a
recycling plant. When businesses complained and said they would
not pay the upfront cost, the State decided not to enforce the
law. (Note: Post was unable to find such a precise law.
Legislation passed in 2006 gives the EPA authority to establish
a fee, but Post is unaware of the EPA implementing any fee. End
Note.) Shed, meanwhile, states his organization continues to
press the legislature to pass recycling laws. In particular,
the CSP believes a five cent per can deposit would work.


11. (SBU) Scheuring states that her organization continues to
press the state government to pass an aluminum can deposit fee,
but has had no success. According to Scheuring, Governor Ehsa
is supportive of a strong recycling program, but there is not
much impetus within the legislature. Other than aluminum cans,
the EPA does not see much opportunity for recycling within
Pohnpei or the FSM. The EPA has reviewed a number of options.
There is not enough volume to make paper or plastic recycling
cost effective. Tires are a particular problem. The limited
volume makes tire shredders uneconomical, so many end up
floating in the lagoon or in mangrove swamps.


12. (SBU) Towards the end of the discussion with EconOff, Adams
expressed some hope that Yap State may be finding an innovative
approach to removing aluminum cans from Yap. Adams stated that
within the FSM, Yap is the largest per capita consumer of
Budweiser products. The Matson shipping company imports the
products and then leaves Yap with empty containers. Yap, she
states, is working with Budweiser to have Matson take the cans
back out with the containers for Budweiser to recycle.

Comment
--------------


13. (SBU) Although litter and waste issues are not yet
ubiquitous, it is a clearly visible issue and a growing health
hazard. The one common theme between each of Post's
interlocutors, including the State's EPA, is that elected
officials are just not paying attention to the growing problem.
Post's experience seems to reinforce that perception. When
trying to arrange a meeting with State legislators on waste
management or recycling, each of the offices contacted replied
"we don't handle that issue" and did not know who did. End
Comment.
DOUGLASS