The Total Waste Management Group Ltd (TWM) has broken ground on Papua New Guinea’s first Resource Recovery Centre (RRC), a milestone in the country’s shift towards sustainable waste management. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on 16 June at TWM’s Integrated Waste Management Facility in Roku, Central Province, and marks a first-of-its-kind initiative in the Pacific.
The event was attended by Australian High Commissioner Ewen McDonald, Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso, Deputy Secretary and Officer-in-Charge of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring Michael Kumung, TWM Group Managing Director Kori Chan, and TWM Group Chief Executive Officer Michael Chan Jr.
The centre is being delivered under a landmark 50-50 cost-sharing arrangement between TWM Group and the Australian government through the Incentive Fund, under the PNG–Australia Partnership. The project is valued at PGK23.6 million (AUD10 million) and is the first time in the Incentive Fund’s 25-year history that the two governments have partnered directly with the private sector.
Part of Phase V of the Incentive Fund (2023–2031), the project supports the fund’s core goal of delivering competitive grants for small-scale infrastructure, valued between PGK3 million and PGK15 million. The fund is governed by a board of five prominent Papua New Guinean directors, with input from senior representatives of the Department of National Planning and Monitoring and the Australian High Commission. With a total investment of PGK406 million (AUD150 million), the current phase builds on two decades of partnership, having supported more than 80 projects across every province in PNG.
As a locally led solution grounded in global best practice, the new facility is designed to reuse, repurpose and recycle waste—diverting thousands of tonnes from landfill and generating new economic value from discarded materials.
Once operational in December 2026, the RRC will process up to 10,000 tonnes of construction, demolition, organic, plastic and other recyclable waste annually, with capacity to scale to 40,000 tonnes. It is expected to divert 70 to 80 percent of waste from landfills, significantly reducing unmanaged waste and environmental pollution.
By producing over 7,000 tonnes of recycled materials each year for use in infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing, the centre will contribute to climate change mitigation. Emissions reductions are estimated at 28 million kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) per year—the equivalent of 53 long-haul jumbo jet round-trips from Port Moresby to London or 35,533 economy class flights between Port Moresby and Sydney.
Green Jobs, Local Innovation and Inclusive Development
The RRC will create more than 20 green jobs, with a strong emphasis on inclusion—prioritising opportunities for women, youth and persons with disabilities. It will also support green entrepreneurship, improve working conditions for informal waste workers and create new roles for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) within emerging waste value chains.
This builds on TWM’s 2024 milestone: the launch of PNG’s first hazardous waste landfill. The RRC completes Stage Two of the company’s integrated waste management strategy, transforming the site into a fully circular facility that prioritises reuse and recycling, with disposal as a last resort.
Education and Knowledge Hub
Beyond its technical capabilities, the centre will serve as a national Knowledge Hub for sustainable practice. It will offer training, mentoring and access to tools and data for schools, communities, businesses and government agencies. Through awareness campaigns and outreach, it aims to shift public attitudes on waste reduction and environmental protection and build sector-wide capacity for scaling sustainable solutions.
It will also promote community engagement through initiatives such as cash-for-scrap and support for local waste collection services.
Owned and operated by Papua New Guineans, TWM Group is spearheading homegrown solutions to one of the country’s most pressing environmental challenges. The project showcases the strength of national industry leadership when paired with international development cooperation.
The RRC reflects a shared PNG–Australia vision for sustainable development, inclusive growth and climate-resilient infrastructure. Operations are expected to commence in late 2026.
Through innovation, local leadership and partnership, TWM Group Ltd is helping reshape environmental stewardship across the Pacific—towards a cleaner, greener future.
