Introduction

The program was held in Japan Kobe and it was offered to those who are in charge of Solid Waste Management purposely for building their capacity and knowledge in Waste related matter

Japan has extremely experienced waste issues from their past due to the increase of population and a lot of development s in their own countries which also results in the increase amount of waste and they are soundly closed in achieving different solutions on how to overcome those issues through joint efforts and helping hands of partnerships who have worked hard and offered a relevant roles to optimize waste from point of generation until the final destination or disposal.  And for this reason Japan has extend their warm hands to offer oppojunity to the Pacific islands to introduce their waste management system through lectures, exercises and observations and learn in order to provide knowledge on SWM policy instruments, technologies and stakeholder participants based on their experience.

Objectives:

By the end of the Course each participants will gain more knowledge and understand what they learn throughout the training in terms of planning and policy, most importantly, the course will enable each participants to formulate an action plan individually based on the current situation of their countries to moderate waste problems in consideration of environmental policy and economic structure of their countries. it is also very important for the organization where the participants belongs to support the action plan for implementation.

Overview:

The training focused on areas which strengthen and build up capacity of the entire participant in terms of planning and policy. All of these were possibly made through individual presentations from participants, lectures and observations from experts and trainees which helped engaged us in accessible method of Waste Management in Japan so that we participants can adapt and adjust it to our own country situation in order to solve waste problems and make a change.

From My understanding throughout the training, Japan was also facing the similar situation as the Pacific Islands, and because of their passion and hard working they were able to find solutions in terms of policy and practical on waste management. The training gives us oppojunity to access and understand their methods and how they actively came up with the success they have now.

The course enables us to understand the following contents:

1. Inception reports & presentation
   1. Each Participants was ask to make a brief report and a presentation based on the current situation of Solid Waste Management and  issues faced with solutions in their own countries and  Each presentation clearly stated different challenges faced for instance open dumping disposal, illegal dumping, poor waste collections and landfill maintenance.
   2. Some countries waste management are handling by municipals and some are by governments units

2. Types of waste Collection, Waste Segregation and its effectiveness
   1. Waste Segregation is well addressed at the point of generation before collection
   2. Segregated waste are scheduled to collect differently
   3. One community have one collection points and the truck picked it up from there, and all the segregated waste goes to the collection points on the exact day o of collection
   4. People paid for bulky collection through buying and sticker, and then collectors will collect it.
   5. Door to door collection is also available for elderly and disable.

3. Environmental Education
   1. Waste management is included in the Primary School level curriculum and waste management is introduced within Primary school so that children will grow up with the skill and mind set of how important waste is.
   2. They also practice 3R during lunch and they are awarded if they do well which I believe it encourages and motivates them to practices and leads to success. From my observation, the children are well educated and are also interested in waste management in their early livelihood and it is one great effective method for proper waste Management.

4. Waste Treatment and reduction in some cities.
   1. 90% of waste in each factory is treated through
      1. Reduced
      2. Recycled
      3. Reused
      4. Incinerated and turn into ashes then ashes into cement.
   2. Waste water are treated and used again or use for gardening within their own compound

5. Composting
   1. All green waste and kitchen waste must be return to the soil through composting
      1. Home composting
      2. Fukuoka Composting

6. Community involvement
   1. Everyone in each community has same goals and concern which is prober waste management hence they set up goals and work towards those goals by doing clean ups, waste promotions, and setting good examples.
7. Practice and Observation
   1. Fukuoka Method Practice
   2. Landfill Site seeing
   3. Waste water treatment facilities tour
   4. Composting practices
   5. Eco Farm production
   6. Recycling Facilities

8. Methodology and advancement of technology
   1. Recycle facilities and technology is one of the highest and effective methodologies in Japan. All the plastics, PET bottles and other recyclable materials can be recycle or reused to get a new product.
   2. There are enough and very convenient recycle facilities in Japan which helps them recycle instead of going straight to the landfill and same time saves more space at the landfill

9. Action Plan formulation and Presentation
   1. The courses enable us to formulate action plans according to our current situation and what we believe is applicable to our own countries and then presents it at last.

    10 .Practice and Landfill maintenance

1. Practice of Fukuoka landfill Set up
2. Prober maintenance
3. Waste classification
4. Important of scavengers
5. Methods used to calculate amount of waste with and without weighbridge.

    11.Learning from other participants.

1. It was also great opportunity to learn from other participant s on how they are handling waste in their own countries.
2. Build up network with them and keep contacting for future matters.
   

Way forward

Enforce prober waste segregation and move to the next level.
More recycle facility and incinerator.
Waste management to be introduced and emerge in the School curriculum
Composting to be well introduced
Enough awareness and education to be materialized
Effective Monitoring
Training of collectors and waste pickers
Prober landfill Maintenance
Action Plan to be implemented

Conclusion:

Waste is everywhere. When its mixed it’s a waste, when it’s separated it’s a resources. More technology speeds up the improvement of waste management but not forgetting the efforts made up by human race.

The course has helped me a lot to understand more about waste management in Japan and can also be applied to our situation. I believe Japan has more advanced and lot of technology but Samoa is still improving. One important main thing I learned is how to slowly change the mind set of people regarding waste and be convinced how important it is. More awareness, education and practice can improve the situation of Samoa.