The annual World Environment Day commemoration should be used as a platform to create policies to address pollution in the environment.
Sinivit LLG President and East New Britain Deputy Governor, Boniface Gerep, said by now, preventive measures should be in place by relevant government organisations to ensure the country can address or find solutions to pollution.
He said statistics show that only 9 percent of the 300 million tonnes of plastic manufactured in the world goes back for recycling, another 12 percent is destroyed or incinerated, while the rest, which is about 80 percent, is dumped and pollutes the environment.
Gerep said plastics are full of chemicals and should be disposed of responsibly, through practices at home and by companies.
He suggested that companies can buy back empty plastics for recycling, while other solutions go back to individuals, such as cooking and eating at homes, so to avoid use of plastics at food outlets, doing more clean up programs and public awareness on proper disposal of rubbish.
Parents are encouraged to teach their children at home while the public should stop buying plastic products from shops.
To the relevant government agencies in the country, Gerep said policies should be put in place, such as increasing taxes on producers of chemicals and to implement policies that have been endorsed, such as the ban on use of plastics.
Acting Sinivit LLG manager, Pennie Maroro Junior, commended those that attended the World Environment Day program for the LLG, saying participating schools will receive teak trees from OISCA International, as part of tree planting activities under the WED.
He said the teak tree program is aimed at assisting schools with timber for their infrastructural projects in the future, whilst it can provide a source of income for them if they plan to sell the timbers.
Sinivit LLG was also applauded by the invited officials from the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA) for localising this national program.
They were further acknowledged by Ward Members of the nearby wards of Laup, Sunam, Sikut Floodway and Ivon Gore and Rieit Dadul for initiating the commemorative program this year, which will include a two-day cleanup program for all the 16 wards.