British American Tobacco becomes first corporate organisation to implement ‘I Recycle Hub’

Pacific Recycling Foundation (PRF) is delighted to announce that British American Tobacco (BAT) Fiji is the first corporate organisation in Fiji to implement its ‘I Recycle Hub’ at their factory in Nabua.

PRF’s Founder and Waste Recyclers Fiji Limited CEO, Amitesh Deo said the ‘I Recycle Hub’ concept will allow BAT Fiji to align its sustainability agenda with PRF’s waste management and recycling programs.

“It is with great excitement that PRF would like to announce BAT Fiji as our first corporate organisation to implement the ‘I Recycle Hub’ concept at its Nabua factory. This is a milestone for both our organisations to come into a partnership that will champion proper waste management and recycling. It is our hope that this is the beginning and other corporate organisations will take greater responsibility of their waste management,” Deo said.

“Through the ‘I Recycle Hub’ we will be able to capture recyclables at BAT Fiji’s Nabua site that would have ended up at the landfill. This will also give us an opportunity to inculcate best practices of proper waste management and recycling through a training program with BAT Fiji’s workforce. For us as an organisation this is a positive step towards our overall ambition.”

BAT Fiji General Manager, Sam Dormor said as a company that has more than 68 years of heritage in Fiji, taking bold steps like reducing waste that ends up at landfills will make a positive impact on a sustainable future.

“At the heart of our business focus is our Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) agenda and the importance of addressing climate change and environmental management. One of BAT Fiji’s environment focus is on our zero waste to landfill ambition. Through this partnership with PRF we will be able to achieve this target. All our waste will either be recycled or composted allowing BAT Fiji’s Nabua site to completely eliminate its waste from ending up at landfills. This is a significant achievement given the challenges we face in terms of recycling and waste management,” Dormor said.

“In addition to our Environment commitment through this zero-waste initiative to landfill, BAT Fiji is also working with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) to get certification for both our Nabua site and our Leaf Division in Nadi. The practices implemented in achieving AWS certification will ensure that we are looking beyond the use of water on our factory site but also on inflow and outflow catchments and the communities around these areas. BAT Fiji has further ambitions for a solar project that will deliver renewable energy and reduce carbon emissions. All these initiatives are under our Environment ambitions that will allow us to improve things in the future.”

BAT Fiji will be taking two ‘I Recycle Hub’ bins for their Nabua factory and intends to get a similar set up for its Leaf Division in Nadi.

PRF’s advocacy work focuses on change in attitude towards recycling and those involved in waste picking. The ‘I Recycle Hub’ concept is a fundamental tool in terms of visible and practical participation in recycling.

“The ‘I Recycle Hub’ bin program represents a unique concept that challenges the traditional views of recycling and aims to bring recycling to the very forefront of all operations. As more individuals and organisations join the movement, we will be able to increase volumes and this is where PRF will be able to fulfill its vision of moving Collection Pillars of Recycling (CPRs) into the formal sector through Green Jobs,” PRF Founder, Deo explained.

Deo is urging businesses to start thinking about the benefits of recycling as many recyclables like paper, cardboards, PET bottles, tin cans, aluminium cans and metal can be recycled.