VZCZCXRO2334
PP RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHMJ
DE RUEHKN #0157/01 3560457
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 220457Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY KOLONIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2407
INFO RUEHKR/AMEMBASSY KOROR 0365
RUEHMJ/AMEMBASSY MAJURO 0479
RUEHC/DEPT OF INTERIOR WASHINGTON DC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEHKN/AMEMBASSY KOLONIA 2776

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KOLONIA 000157 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV PGOV FM
SUBJECT: WASTE MANAGEMENT A GROWING CONCERN IN POHNPEI; WAY FORWARD 
UNCLEAR 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY:  Pohnpei's Environmental Protection Agency is 
focusing on litter, pollution and waste management and how to 
implement an April 2006 law on those issues.  The two largest 
environmental NGOs in Pohnpei meanwhile are concerned that the 
state is not adequately addressing a growing waste problem. 
Everyone involved also has a different understanding of what the 
state is or should be doing.  End Summary. 
 
Environmental Protection Agency Focus 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) During a December 8 meeting, Pohnpei Environmental 
Protection Agency (EPA) consultant Donna Scheuring and other 
members of the EPA staff discussed the agency's primary efforts 
to manage waste.  The single largest issue is a plan to move 
Pohnpei's current dump site.  Other activities include three 
annual island wide clean-ups, implementing a 2006 waste 
management legislation, and reviewing possible "container fees." 
 Scheuring added that two of the biggest waste problems are 
aluminum cans and car batteries.  The sheer bulk of cans 
available in Pohnpei that end up on the side of the road or in 
any of hundreds of dump sites prevent any realistic cleanup. 
Pohnpei also has no reliable means to dispose of hazardous waste 
(computers, old cars, used oil).  When car batteries are 
replaced, the old ones are used to tie down tarps, seats, or 
just left to rot.  According to Scheuring, the improper disposal 
of car batteries has led to high blood lead levels in children. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Pohnpei has set aside land near Palikir, the national 
capital, to act as a new dump site.  In conjunction with the new 
dump site, EPA is reviewing how it can more effectively manage 
the waste.  The most economical and practical method would be 
for people to sort waste at home, but without legislation 
mandating the separation of biological, recyclable, and other 
waste, it will not happen.  Scheuring is not convinced people 
will take an active involvement in limiting waste-related 
problems.  As an example she cites three island-wide cleanup 
programs EPA sponsors every year, with support from each of the 
Embassies in the FSM.  People actively clean up the roads and 
collect trash and are well aware of the negative side effects 
from improper waste disposal, including simple aesthetics to the 
impact on water and soil.  Yet the day after trash is picked up, 
the same people throw stuff anywhere. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) Scheuring believes one of the most effective steps the 
state can do to limit some waste is to charge a "container fee" 
on all imports.  The fee would go towards waste management or 
can be refunded when items such as aluminum cans are returned. 
That said, importers and businesses in Pohnpei strongly object 
and to date no such fees are assessed.  Another option is for 
the police to enforce litter laws currently in place.  Scheuring 
does not anticipate enforcement to take place any time soon. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The EPA staff believes the one area that it can have 
the greatest impact is litter control.  It is working with the 
Conservation Society of Pohnpei to reach out into the schools to 
discuss the negative effects of litter.  Minor steps by the 
state government also seem to have dramatic impact.  In the 
areas that the state clears the grass and shrubs along roadsides 
there is a noticeable decrease in litter.  Scheuring believes 
that there is enough awareness that people don't want to be seen 
as leaving trash on the side of the road.  She adds, however, 
that, as in many other areas, there is no enforcement. 
Abandoned cars, oil runoff, car batteries, and other waste are 
simply ignored. 
 
NGOs Comment 
------------ 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Conservation Society of Pohnpei (CSP) Director 
Patterson Shed opened his comments to EconOff on December 10 by 
stating that the state keeps putting waste management on the 
back burner, and without state action not much will be done. 
Shed added that he had approached Pohnpei State legislators 
about adopting the Fukuoka waste management system that the 
Kosrae state government successfully implemented in its state. 
(Note:  Shed described the Fukuoka waste management system as a 
well established, low impact, and proven cost-effective system. 
End Note.)  Pohnpei commented that it cannot afford the $100,000 
start up fee, to which Shed responded he can help raise the 
funds if the State would just provide legislation. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Nature Conservancy advisors Mae Adams and Ricky Carl 
echoed Shed's same point that the State is simply not taking a 
leading role.  Carl gave two examples.  He stated that on at 
least one occasion JEMCO provided incentives to purchase junked 
cars, but it did not work.  He argued that many complain about 
lack of enforcement, which is accurate to some extent, but on 
 
KOLONIA 00000157  002 OF 002 
 
 
some waste issues the legislation is unclear or simply provides 
authority for regulations to be written by someone else.  When 
the legislation is weak, law enforcement will have a difficult 
time knowing what to enforce. 
 
¶8.  (SBU) Adams, Shed, Carl, and Scheuring all expressed 
concerns about how Pohnpei will collect trash in one location. 
They each agreed that the location near Palikir is appropriate, 
but that people would rather use the hundreds of informal 
dumpsites around the island instead of going to the current 
site.  There is no reason to believe that will change.  Shed and 
Adams implied that beyond providing some land, no plan is yet in 
place on how to properly use or manage that land and the waste 
that should go there. 
 
Recycling Too Expensive 
----------------------- 
 
¶9.  (SBU) Adams and Carl reviewed recycling efforts to date and 
the limited steps Pohnpei has taken to address the growing waste 
management issue.  When commodity prices hit their peak in the 
mid-2000s, two private companies opened collection sites in 
Pohnpei for aluminum cans and other metals.  When commodity 
prices dropped, one company closed and the other, a Chinese 
firm, stopped exporting cans and used vehicles.  The site, with 
all the cans, junked vehicles, and equipment is for sale. 
Kolonia town, meanwhile, has its own plant that can melt cans 
and it continues to take in aluminum cans. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) Adams added that 2006 legislation permits the state 
to charge a five cent fee on all aluminum cans and that a 
portion would be refunded when the cans were brought to a 
recycling plant.  When businesses complained and said they would 
not pay the upfront cost, the State decided not to enforce the 
law.  (Note:  Post was unable to find such a precise law. 
Legislation passed in 2006 gives the EPA authority to establish 
a fee, but Post is unaware of the EPA implementing any fee.  End 
Note.)  Shed, meanwhile, states his organization continues to 
press the legislature to pass recycling laws.  In particular, 
the CSP believes a five cent per can deposit would work. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Scheuring states that her organization continues to 
press the state government to pass an aluminum can deposit fee, 
but has had no success.  According to Scheuring, Governor Ehsa 
is supportive of a strong recycling program, but there is not 
much impetus within the legislature.  Other than aluminum cans, 
the EPA does not see much opportunity for recycling within 
Pohnpei or the FSM.  The EPA has reviewed a number of options. 
There is not enough volume to make paper or plastic recycling 
cost effective.  Tires are a particular problem.  The limited 
volume makes tire shredders uneconomical, so many end up 
floating in the lagoon or in mangrove swamps. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) Towards the end of the discussion with EconOff, Adams 
expressed some hope that Yap State may be finding an innovative 
approach to removing aluminum cans from Yap.  Adams stated that 
within the FSM, Yap is the largest per capita consumer of 
Budweiser products.  The Matson shipping company imports the 
products and then leaves Yap with empty containers.  Yap, she 
states, is working with Budweiser to have Matson take the cans 
back out with the containers for Budweiser to recycle. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Although litter and waste issues are not yet 
ubiquitous, it is a clearly visible issue and a growing health 
hazard.  The one common theme between each of Post's 
interlocutors, including the State's EPA, is that elected 
officials are just not paying attention to the growing problem. 
Post's experience seems to reinforce that perception.  When 
trying to arrange a meeting with State legislators on waste 
management or recycling, each of the offices contacted replied 
"we don't handle that issue" and did not know who did.  End 
Comment. 
DOUGLASS