National Environment Service, Ms Siana Whatarau and Mrs Melina Tuiravakai as well as Cook Islands Tourism Mr Brad Kirner represented the Cook Islands along with 14 other countries across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, for the first Plastic Reboot Annual Conference, a global forum to advance circular solutions to curb plastic pollution.
The conference was hosted by the Government of Brazil, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), for the global Plastic Reboot programme, a USD 108 million programme that tackles plastic pollution through a life-cycle approach.
Ms Siana Whatarau said that “Plastics is ingrained in our economies, and plastic pollution continues to increase in our country. According to the recent 2025 waste facility audit, 11 per cent of single use plastics account for the overall waste received at the facility. This inaugural Plastic Reboot Annual Conferences was an important opportunity for countries to exchange ideas and lesson’s learned”.
The three-day conference provided an opportunity for sharing of ideas on policies, regulations, innovation, and best practice. While also connecting countries, private sector, technical experts and civil society to strengthen collaboration.
The Cook Islands RESPONSE Project is a part of the Plastic Reboot Global program and aims to reduce the amount of plastics entering the Cook Islands via the food and beverage sector and to support enabling environments for reuse options and other circular solutions. With the intention of reducing the burden on the Cook Islands, waste management system, as well as reducing pollution and harmful impacts of plastic.
Ending the plastics pollution in the Cook Islands requires more than waste management. It means rethinking how plastics are used in the food and beverage industry and our daily life.
