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STATEMENT BY THE HONOURABLE PRIME MINISTER

Statement On The Decision Regarding The Proposed Vuda Energy-from-Waste Development

Today, the Department of Environment issued its decision to reject the Environmental Impact Assessment Report for the proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant and Private Port Facility at Vuda Point.

I respect the decision of the Department and the technical process that has informed it. This matter has attracted strong public interest, and rightly so. It concerns our environment, public health, communities, livelihoods, culture, and the future development of an important part of Fiji.

Our environmental laws exist for a purpose. They ensure that major developments are tested carefully, transparently and on the evidence. They protect communities, they protect responsible investors, and they protect the public interest.

This decision should not be seen as a rejection of investment, innovation or new solutions to Fiji's waste-management challenges. Those challenges remain real, and Government remains committed to addressing them in a practical and sustainable way. But every proposal, regardless of its size or investment value, must meet the standards required by law. It must demonstrate that its environmental, social, cultural, health and economic impacts are properly understood and can be properly managed.

I acknowledge the Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change, the Permanent Secretary, the Director of Environment, the Technical Review Committee, and the technical officers who carried out their responsibilities through this process.

I also thank the traditional landowners of Vuda, the residents of Vuda and Saweni, government agencies, civil society organisations, businesses, technical experts and members of the public who participated and made their views known.

The strength of good governance lies in allowing institutions to do their work, respecting the law, and making decisions in the public interest.

VUDA INCINERATOR PROJECT REJECTED

The Department of Environment has rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment report for the proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant and private port facility at Vuda Point.

The proposal was submitted by The Next Generation Holdings (Fiji) Pte Limited.

Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, said the decision was not against investment or new waste solutions, but was based on whether the EIA report met the legal and technical standards required for approval.

“This is not a decision against investment or against new waste solutions. It is a decision on whether the EIA Report met the legal and technical standards required for approval. It did not,” Dr Michael said.

The review found that several major issues remained unresolved, including the scale of the project, waste supply, imported waste, hazardous ash management, water supply, public health risks, environmental impacts, road and port infrastructure, social and cultural impacts, tourism impacts, and the overall economic case for the project.

Dr Michael said that for a project of this scale, the Department had to be satisfied that the risks to people, communities, the environment, culture, livelihoods and the economy were properly assessed and could be properly managed.

He said several critical matters were left for future assessment instead of being addressed in the EIA itself.

“As a result, the Department was not satisfied that the potential impacts and risks of the project could be adequately assessed or managed,” he said.

The Ministry acknowledged the significant public interest in the proposal and thanked the traditional landowners of Vuda, residents of Vuda and Saweni, government agencies, civil society organisations, technical experts, businesses and members of the public who participated in the review process.

The details of the decision will be discussed at a press conference at 3.00pm today (4 June 2026) at Level 4, Bali Towers, Toorak, Suva.

The Ministry said it remains committed to transparent, lawful and evidence-based environmental decision-making in the public interest.

Waste-to-energy project rejected The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change has rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for the proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant and Private Port Facility at Vuda […]

𝐃𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐄𝐍𝐕𝐈𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐉𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐒 𝐄𝐈𝐀 𝐑𝐄𝐏𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐕𝐔𝐃𝐀 𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐑𝐆𝐘-𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌-𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐋𝐎𝐏𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐎𝐒𝐀𝐋

The Department of Environment has rejected the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report for the proposed Energy-from-Waste Plant and Private Port Facility at Vuda Point, submitted by The Next Generation Holdings (Fiji) Pte Limited.

The decision has been issued to the proponent following the technical review process under the Environment Management Act 2005 (as amended by the Environment Management (Amendment) Act 2025) and the Environment Management (EIA Process) Regulations 2007.

The review found that key issues remained unresolved, including the scale of the project, waste supply, imported waste, hazardous ash management, water supply, public health risks, environmental impacts, road and port infrastructure, social and cultural impacts, tourism impacts, and the overall economic case for the project.

Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Sivendra Michael, said the decision was made based on the EIA
Report and the information formally submitted for assessment.

“This is not a decision against investment or against new waste solutions. It is a decision on whether the EIA Report met the legal and technical standards required for approval. It did not,” Dr. Michael said.

“For a project of this scale, the Department must be satisfied that the risks to people, communities, the environment, culture, livelihoods and the economy are properly assessed and can be properly managed. Several critical matters remained unresolved and were proposed for future assessment rather than being addressed within the EIA itself. As a result, the Department was not satisfied that the potential impacts and risks of the project could be adequately assessed or managed.”

The Ministry acknowledges the significant public interest in the proposal and thanks the traditional landowners of Vuda, residents of Vuda and Saweni, government agencies, civil society organizations, technical experts, businesses and members of the public who participated in the review process.

The details of the decline decision will be discussed during a press conference at 3.00 pm today (04/06/26) at Level 4, Bali Towers, Toorak, Suva.

The Ministry remains committed to transparent, lawful and evidence-based environmental decision-making in the public interest.

https://mecc.gov.fj/department-of-environment-rejects-eia-report-for-proposed-vuda-energy-from-waste-development-proposal/

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