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This case study describes a scrap metal removal project implemented by the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA). ASPA has the mandate for providing national solid waste management services (collection, recycling, treatment, disposal) in American Samoa. The project was implemented through an international tender, and resulted in the removal of well over 6,000 tons of scrap metal from American Samoa. This case study is useful for any waste management agency or government department seeking solutions to managing large quantities of legacy scrap metal and derelict equipment.

The Cook Islands comprises 15 islands with a total land area of 237 sq km and a maximum height above sea-level of 652 m. The islands are scattered over an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 1.8 million sq km; one of the largest EEZ’s in the South Pacific.

This proposal has been prepared by the Ocean and Islands Programme (OIP) within the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) in collaboration with the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). It has been prepared in response to an invitation1 from the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) to assist the Cook Islands in deriving coastal related information to underpin and inform climate change adaptation decisions for coastal areas of Mangaia Island.

The Pacific Islands region is located in the western and central Pacific Ocean. The 15 Independent countries and eight territories that make up this region are delineated into three major culture areas, these are Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia (Table 1) and have a combined Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of approximately 29 million km

In the solid waste management context, economic instruments (EI) refer to a set of tools that makes use of monetary incentives and deterrents in addition to market measures in order to influence waste management behaviour. In short, they provide a country with the means to control the generation and disposal of solid wastes. They can also be voluntary and based on Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), or can be introduced through regulations.

Plastics have been an integral part of our lives for several decades in the form of convenient and useful commodity items. Plastic products are usually inert, chemically stable, resistant to corrosion, water-proof, durable and light-weight. Ironically, the same features which make them ideal as a raw material for such a wide range of products are also responsible for the environmental problems cited by many environmentalists. Furthermore, the fact that conventional plastics are derived from fossil fuels and are also responsible for greenhouse gas emissions during their manufacture is often a sore point. In particular, the plastic bag has in recent times come under attack for its prolific presence in the environment, and its impact on said environment.

Flooding imposes significant costs on households and businesses located in the lower Vaisigano catchment area. SOPAC, under the European Development Fund (EDF) project Reducing Vulnerability of Pacific ACP States, has worked with the Government of Samoa to develop the Samoa Flood Management and Action Plan, which identifies actions for government agencies, the private sector, NGOs and communities responsible for flood and floodplain management that can assist in reducing flood risks in Samoa, particularly in the lower Vaisigano catchment area located in Apia, which is subject to frequent flooding.

The Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) is currently executing the project Reducing Vulnerability in Pacific ACP States with funding from the European Development Fund (EDF). The project has the objective to reduce Pacific ACP States' vulnerability to natural disasters affecting their coasts through the development of an integrated planning and management system which targets: hazard mitigation and risk assessment; alternative sources of aggregates for construction; and water resources and sanitation. Major activities undertaken through this project with participating countries are: -assessment of aggregate resource supplies to mitigate the impact of unsustainable aggregate mining from the coastline; -development of bathymetric maps, 3D bathymetric and hydrodynamic models spatial databases relating to resource use, exploration and survey, and vulnerability to disasters; and -investigating and raising awareness about coastal processes.

The Government of Niue (GoN) is restructuring its Public Service which is a timely opportunity to integrate water management functions adopting the IWRM approach and principles in lieu of the current sectoral approach adopted over the last 3-4 decades. This will be an opportunity to integrate NGOs, civil society and all stakeholders in the process of water and wastewater management. The strengthening of the national capacity will enhance efficiency to deliver the required services by the public institutions, but also the awareness of the community on the sustainable use of water as a finite natural resource.