3 April 2025 Case study

Building a circular economy for soft plastics in the Pacific Islands

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The Circular Pacific Plastics (CPP) initiative, delivered by WRAP, ANZPAC and the Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF), explores how flexible plastic waste can be managed more sustainably across Pacific Island nations - beginning with a pilot in Fiji. The CPP programme has been designed in 3 stages:

  • Stage 1: Feasibility study – providing valuable data for the design of a pilot (stage 2).
  • Stage 2: Proof of concept – piloting collection, processing and recycling and developing data analysis that can help develop a business case for businesses to engage in the voluntary EPR.  
  • Stage 3: Design and implementation of the voluntary EPR scheme.

Problem

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Fiji are on the frontline of plastic pollution. While they produce relatively low volumes of waste, they face disproportionately high impacts due to limited recycling infrastructure, high dependency on imported materials, and little influence over packaging design.

Solution

As part of stage 2, CPP piloted a collaborative model for soft plastics recovery, linking global brands, local partners, and governments. This phase focused on Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B) recovery trials, under a voluntary Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework designed specifically for the Pacific context, drawing on both local knowledge and global expertise.

Impact

CPP has demonstrated that real-world recovery of soft plastics is possible, even in remote and resource-constrained settings. In Fiji alone, over 6,500 tonnes of soft plastics could be collected annually - yet recovery rates in some Pacific Island Countries remain as low as 0.2%. By uniting international brands, local partners, and technical experts, CPP has shown that collaborative, community-informed approaches can create scalable solutions and lay the foundation for long-term systems change. The pilot generated strong local engagement and proves that, with the right investment, this model can reduce pollution, empower communities, and drive circular economy outcomes across the Pacific region.

Our recommendations/findings include:

  • The findings from the project highlight the strong potential for integrated, multi-stakeholder recycling initiatives to transform waste management practices, reduce plastic waste, and contribute to the development of a sustainable, circular economy in Fiji and the wider Pacific Islands region.
  • Targeted training sessions and enhanced communication strategies improved waste segregation practices among businesses. Further, the B2B pilot emphasised the critical importance of ongoing engagement with businesses to maintain and improve participation.
  • The B2C pilot indicated growing community interest and willingness to engage and successfully highlighted patterns in contamination and participation, providing a clear roadmap for enhancing future recycling programs. These insights will inform the development of tailored strategies for different B2C target groups.
  • In terms of end markets, the segregation of clear polyethylene should be maximised as this material can be easily identified and segregated with minimal contamination. Trials should be conducted on the residual stream to assess the commercial viability to sort these materials.

A collaborative model for change

The ANZPAC partnership facilitates brand collaboration, researching industry-led, voluntary EPR initiatives that benefit Pacific Island Countries.

Through collaboration with key partners including ANZPAC, PRF, WRAP, and brand support from Nestlé and Colgate-Palmolive, the pilot engaged 17 businesses and implemented collection points across supermarkets, communities, and schools.

Connecting businesses with on-the-ground recovery organisations to increase recycling rates and create circular economy pathways for plastic waste.

By generating real-world data and insights, the project supports the implementation of impactful, localised recycling solutions.

Explore the findings and be part of the solution

Get in touch to find out more detail on our work and plans for the next phase of the Circular Pacific Plastics (CPP) initiative.

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Tags

Initiatives
Prevent problem plastics Eliminating problem plastics Plastic packaging design Global Plastics Pacts Reuse and refill Film and flexible packaging