Tonga has taken a major step towards environmental sustainability with the launch of its first-ever used oil storage facilities.
The initiative, led by the Department of Environment under the Ministry of MEIDECC in collaboration with the Used Oil Management Pilot Project, aims to improve waste management in the country.
At a soft handover ceremony last week, Department of Environment Director Lupe Matoto officially handed over the facilities to the Ports Authority Tonga and Tonga Power Limited (TPL).
The new infrastructure includes two double-skinned 30,000-litre tanks at TPL’s power generation site in ‘Anana and three 27,000-litre plastic tanks at the Ports Authority site in Ma’ufanga. These sites were chosen based on a 2023 feasibility study that identified TPL and local shipping and fishing companies as major oil waste producers.
Funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) under the “Committing to Sustainable Waste Actions in the Pacific” (SWAP) initiative, the project has a total budget of USD$165,000.
“With increasing waste generation, it is crucial that we implement proper collection and storage systems,” said a project representative.
The event was attended by stakeholders from government agencies, private sectors, and NGOs, highlighting a collective effort to protect Tonga’s environment.
