The National Environment Service (NES), alongside government agencies, non-government organizations, and local and regional partners, has been working to address the issue of plastic pollution in the Cook Islands — from participating in global plastics treaty negotiations to implementing practical waste reduction initiatives at the national level.
As the executing agency for the Pacific Ocean Litter Project (POLP) in the Cook Islands, NES has engaged Young & Co to support the delivery of the NES Zero Waste Office Toolkit and Model, which aims to encourage sustainable workplace practices and reduce waste across office operations. POLP, implemented by SPREP and funded by the Government of Australia, aims to reduce marine plastic litter across the Pacific through sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, improved waste reduction practices, strengthened legislation and policy, and better data collection and monitoring.
While the Cook Islands continues to advocate for stronger action on plastic pollution at international and regional forums, it is equally important that we practice what we preach at the national level. The NES Zero Waste Office Project was developed as a practical pilot initiative to test realistic low-waste systems and behaviors within the public sector and create a model that can be adapted across other government agencies.
Initially focused on reducing single-use plastics, the scope of the project was expanded to include all waste streams ending up at the landfill. Young & Co recently undertook a Rapid Baseline and Behaviour Diagnosis for the NES office and facilitated the “Let’s Talk Trash: Rethinking Waste at NES” workshop with NES staff on 21 May 2026 to co-design practical low-waste solutions for the office environment.
The assessment found that while there is already strong environmental awareness and willingness among staff, current office systems still make mixed disposal easier than waste prevention, separation, and reuse. Over a three-week audit period, the office generated 41.43kg of waste, with general waste making up 72% of the total waste stream. Organics accounted for 19% of waste, highlighting opportunities to introduce composting systems and improve waste separation practices.
The workshop also identified opportunities to reduce reliance on mixed waste bins, strengthen reusable item systems, improve low-waste procurement practices, and reduce waste generated through office meetings, workshops, and catering. A key insight from the assessment was that “the fix is not another reminder poster — the fix is a system that makes the right behavior the easiest behavior.”
The next phase of the project will focus on co-designing and rapidly prototyping practical low-waste solutions that can support everyday behavior change within office operations. The overall goal is to develop a practical Zero Waste Office Toolkit and Model that can be adapted across the wider public sector to support greener procurement, sustainable workplace practices, and long-term waste reduction
CLICK HERE FOR THE NES ZERO WASTE REPORT
