The Pacific Regional Environment Programme, or SPREP says it hopes the shipping company Swire will agree to increase the number of shipments it's providing to remove electronic waste from the Pacific.
Photo: RNZ / Charlie Dreaver
SPREP's director general, Leota Kosimiti Latu, said since a deal was struck with Swire a year ago, the company has taken three shipments of e-waste from the region.
"I just came back from Singapore where I met with Swire shipping's director in Singapore and we discussed the need to increase the number of shipments out of the region so that's what we're looking at," Leota said.
Leota Kosimiti Latu said the deal with Swire includes the United Nations Environment Programme.
He said SPREP is also hoping the UN body will help to remove other types of waste from Pacific countries, for whom the cost of shipping is prohibitive.
Establish recycling operations in the Pacific with the help of funding agencies like the World Bank was another of SPREP's ambitions, Leota said.