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Niue is a coral island atop an extinct volcano, with a beautiful array of caves, and chasms, and a breathtaking coastline fringed with vibrant coral reefs. Most of its goods are imported from New Zealand, but the resulting waste has to be managed on the island. There are several positive waste management activities such as a can recycling program, and a regular household waste collection system. Unfortunately, due to lack of appropriate infrastructure, and shortage of human and financial resources, most of the waste is poorly managed. This is of concern to the people of Niue, since poor waste management above ground can pollute the fresh water lens, which is the source of drinking water for the entire island.

The Republic of Palau (Palau) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean with a tropical climate and average annual rainfall of approximately 4,000 mm. Palau’s population is approximately 20,000 (Census 2000). The majority of the population lives in Koror State, the capital of Palau; about 14,000 people, or 70% of the total. Like many countries in the Pacific Region, Palau has been facing various kinds of solid waste problems caused by the characteristics of the country, such as lifestyle, high dependence on imports, concentration of population in the capital, limited capacity for solid waste management (SWM), and lack of proper waste management facilities and recycling industries.