Plasticwise Gizo is a recycling program born from a community health crisis.
For years, families in Gizo were struggling with health issues, particularly malaria, due to the pollution from burning rubbish and poor waste management in Gizo. Piles of used tins and plastic rubbish would accumulate in the streets and with a hot, humid climate and seasonal monsoon this became prime breeding ground for mosquitos.
Determined to see an improvement, women of this small town of the Solomon’s Islands Western Province, formed the Plasticwise Gizo group in 2017. With a focus on creating a cleaner, healthier environment, their waste management and recycling program now has over 150 members across the Western Province.
Plasticwise focuses on community education, waste segregation and promoting the 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – for plastic bags and other plastic products. They also make handicrafts-bags, purses, flowers, and home decorations from plastics for fundraising for their program and selling them at the market.
OceanEarth Foundation has been working with Plasticwise Gizo for the past 5 years – providing financial support and assisting them to expand and scale the program. They are now actively working to implement infrastructure and technological solutions to address solid waste issues and expand their waste management and educational program throughout the Western Province, and beyond.
We are excited to be with them on this journey and see Plasticwise grow throughout the Solomons.