On 18 March, people who usually work unseen gathered in Ratu Sukuna Park in Suva: grassroots recyclers who have been pulling reusable materials from the city’s waste for decades. The Pacific Recycling Foundation had organised a Global Recycling Day event, and this time it was more than a celebration.
The park became the first public recreational space in Fiji and the wider Pacific region to receive a structured recycling system. Suva City Council signed an official partnership with the foundation to strengthen municipal waste management. A Declaration of Resilience and Partnerships was also signed, symbolising a national commitment to include grassroots recyclers in the system.
Amitesh Deo, founder of the Pacific Recycling Foundation, spoke about what needs to change. For too long, collectors have worked in the shadows. Cleanup campaigns attract attention, but the everyday labour of those who keep recyclables out of landfills and dumpsites goes unnoticed. The event put their stories at the centre.
The theme was “Grassroots Recyclers’ Journey: Peaks, Valleys and Resilience”. It was about the highs and lows of work that most people take for granted.