Regional Organics Project

32 new organics management facilities established in the region 

Though PacWastePlus support, the number of organics management facilities increased from 18 at project commencement to 50 facilities.   PacWastePlus support included investment in:

• Central compost facility construction x 2 (Chuuk (FSM) and Gizo (Solomon Islands)
• Community compost facility construction x 27 (25 in Fiji, and 2 in Yap (FSM))
• Support for operationalisation of facilities x 3 (Majuro (RMI), Funafuti (Tuvalu), and Port Vila (Vanuatu) 

PacWastePlus also supported the operationalisation of the existing facility in Yap (FSM) which was already recorded in the baseline but was not operating effectively.

To ensure that composting facilities are sustainable and effective in the long term, all PacWastePlus investments in organic waste facilities were supported though training on facility operations (including remote support and follow-up with the trainer for 3-6 months post training session), development of a specific operation plan, provision of specialist equipment, data collection templates, and signage to guide facility operation.

Operation of Medium-Scale Compost Facilities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste Training package

Operation of Medium-Scale Compost Facilities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste training package was developed to be specific for the region, considering throughput types and volumes and level of financial and mechanical support available. 

The course was delivered to increase the capacity of 120 government representatives and private sector operators in eight countries plus 20 additional participants in an online session. The PNG course included participants from the waste picker community, increasing capacity to establish new or additional livelihood.

Using a train-the-trainer approach, participants from the Fiji training have passed on their knowledge to an additional 150 people (25 officers from the Provincial Council and an estimated 125 people in Fiji community committees).  The The training course is published online as a Training Resource Package as a resource for any government or NGO representative, or facility operator seeking to provide training on compost facility operation in the Pacific.  Resources in the Training Package include:

• PowerPoint slides - to support the delivery of the organics training session, guiding trainers in the facilitation of both classroom learning and hands-on practical exercises.
• Facilitator Guide /Speaking Notes – to accompany the PowerPoint slides providing facilitators speaking notes, guidance, and step-by-step instructions for delivery of both the classroom and hands-on components of the course

Video Resource viewed by trainers prior to facilitating the Operation of Medium-scale Composting Facility in the Pacific and Timor-Leste course.

Training 

The medium-scale composting training programme and community-level training sessions were delivered using hands-on, practical approaches that are inclusive for participants with varied literacy and educational backgrounds.

Decision support for member counties to design and implement appropriate organics management solutions 

Decision-makers in the Pacific and Timor-Leste have the resources to implement an effective organics management solution suitable for their specific context and needs.  Resources support decision makers from selection of appropriate solution right using a Decision Support Tool, through to the operation of a facility with the Framework Operation Procedures and monitoring templates. Specific resources include:

• Decision Support Tool – An interactive resource to aid stakeholders in selecting appropriate organic management solutions based on local context and needs

• 8 x factsheets on each of the common organic management solutions Animal Feed, Mulch & Woodchip, Small‑Scale Composting, Small‑Scale Anaerobic Digestion, Centralised Anaerobic Digestion (Dry), Bay Composting, Windrow Composting, and Aerated Static Pile Composting.

• Editable design drawings to guide for facility design for 4 common compost facilities (Small‑Scale Composting, Bay Composting, Windrow Composting, and Aerated Static Pile Composting)

• Framework Operation Plans to guide facility operation for 4 common compost facilities (Small‑Scale Composting, Bay Composting, Windrow Composting, and Aerated Static Pile Composting) 

• 2x Monitoring and data collection template to monitor compost throughput and compost performance 

• Composting Handbook to provide technical advice for management of common organic materials in the region

• Minimum Standards Framework outlining essential criteria for designing and operating organic waste processing facilities in the region 

• 1 x animation to assist compost operators in monitoring a compost facility

• Case studies on elements of the Fiji and RMI projects

• E-learning Moodle Course turning the resources into an interactive self-paced online training

Community-focussed resources to support households understand organic materials and implement composting solutions

Resources developed for member countries to share with their communities to raise awareness on organic materials management and provide guidance for the implementation of household and community composting solutions. Specific resources include:

• Community Composting Handbook: A Guide for Community Composting

• Home Composting Factsheet

• 1 x animation provide an illustrative resource to assist in the establishment and operating of a community compost facility (less than 50 homes).  This animation was published 10 times, in English and with subtitles of nine pacific languages: 

Using animations to visually communicate key practices and benefits of organics management 

Two animations developed and published to visually communicate key practices and benefits of organics management and composting in an engaging, accessible format.

Animation 1 “Monitoring Your Compost Bin: Checking the Food, Air, and Water” assists operators of a compost facility at any scale - backyard or a large central facility - to complete daily checks to monitor compost performance by checking the Food, Air, and Water and troubleshoot any issues as they arise.

Animation 2 “Establishing a Compost Facility in Your Community” assists communities (up to 50 households) to establish a compost program, covering the following topics:

• importance of organic materials management
• how to make a compost bin
• how to add items: understanding the “carbon / nitrogen ratio”, and ensuring correct balance of air, food and water
• how to use compost

The animations have been published on the PacWastePlus and SPREP websites and shared by member countries on their social media platforms.

Training to increase the capacity of member counties to operate typical compost facilities in the region 

Seeing the need for specific training support for the region, PacWastePlus designed the “Operation of Medium-Scale Compost Facilities in the Pacific and Timor-Leste”, containing classroom and hands-on exercises specific to composting in the Pacific context.  

The course was delivered to increase the capacity of 120 government representatives and private sector operators in eight countries: Cook Islands, Kiribati, FSM (Chuuk), Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.  An additional online session was held with 20 participants from FSM (Chuuk and Pohnpei), Fiji, and Tonga.

Using a train-the-trainer approach, participants from the Fiji training have passed on their knowledge to 25 additional officers from the Provincial Council, who oversee waste management in villages across Fiji. In turn, these Provincial Council Officers have facilitated training sessions with 25 different committees (and an estimated 125 people) responsible for managing community composting facilities.