Environment And Health

The Sigatoka Town Council’s Health Department focuses on examining and inspecting public establishments, ensuring each is in compliance with public health regulations and laws. The Department works in collaborative with other relevant stakeholders to uphold by-laws for the health and safety of the general public. We oversee the sanitary services of the Town and all operation works surrounding the Waste Management Services for urban and selected peri-urban areas. We look after all health and sanitary issues within the Sigatoka Town Boundary.

 

The Departments also focuses on actions and initiatives to deal with preventative measures of the spread of communicable diseases, food safety and hygiene of both workers and consumers, control infestations of insects, rodents or vector borne illness.

 

The Sigatoka Town Council’s Health Department continuously carries out an un-systemic inspections of eating outlets, retail shops, canteens, school canteens and other food operation facilities to ensure that hygienic practices are followed and also for the general health of the public and tourist visiting our Town.

 

House to house inspections were also carried out to collect data from each household that are present within the town boundary. This inspection included creating awareness on the importance of reduction at source for the community to minimize the spread of vector borne disease.

For Food Safety Inspection – are conducted in accordance to the Food Safety by-laws and regulations. The Officers are also responsible for the Condemnation of food that is deemed to be unfit for human consumption and also carryout investigation for verified food poisoning complain. 

 

The Following are some of the places for regular inspection:

 

  • – Restaurants.
  • – Refreshment Bars.
  • – Coffee Shops.
  • – Butcher Shops.
  • – Bakeries.
  • – Kava Pounding Premises.
  • – Food Processing Factories.
  • – Market Food Stalls.
  • – Sweets & Bean Carts.
  • – Hawkers & Street Traders Operations.

 

Sanitation Works – Key activities performed by these Environmental Health Officers Duties include both primary and follow-up inspections of public establishments to ensure compliance with sanitary codes for the following classified premises.

 

  • – Residential Houses
  • – Commercial Houses
  • – Industrial
  • – Educational and Undeveloped properties ( Vacant lots)
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Restaurant Grading – is also carried out in all eating outlets in regards to the standard of hygiene practice at each premises. There are four different grading certificates where removal of these certificates from the premises will result to legal action taken against their premises. The grading certificates are in accordance to Food Safety Regulation and Food Safety Act 2003.

 

Litter Prevention – The Environmental Health Officers are also responsible for the litter prevention and awareness in the Town Boundary and Schools.

 

  • – General public awareness for proper rubbish disposal methods within the Sigatoka Town Boundary
  • – Litter inspections and bookings of offenders in accordance to the Litter By-Laws.
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Mosquito Spraing – Council does the mosquito spraying throughout the year on quarterly basis and this is during the clean-up campaign. Mosquito spraying was also done during the outbreak of dengue in Sigatoka. Households were informed and notified prior to the spraying of mosquitoes in their area.

 

Dog Licensing Exercise – Council carries out House to house survey with Ministry of Agriculture where by Dog trapping was done to trap all the stray dogs in the Town boundary. The Agriculture Department also accompanied the Council’s Health Department in carrying out the House to House Inspection whereby people were informed and awareness was created, that they are to register and have license for all canines that belong to them.

 

Clean up Campaign – is carried out in quarterly basis. After the collection of cleanup campaign waste, mosquitoes spraying is scheduled and communities are informed through circular provided by the council. The clean-up campaign is for the duration of 2 weeks; where by the collection of rubbish is done within three days.

 

During the clean-up campaign, waste such as white goods or old electrical appliance is also acceptable for collection.

 

Stakeholder’s clean-up campaign is conducted every year whereby all relevant stakeholders are involved and partnership event. The Clean-Up area covers from Malevu Village to the National Trust along queens highway and Town Boundary.

 

Waste Management Services

The Sigatoka Town Council defines waste management as a set of activities that include:

 

  • – The collection, transport and disposal of waste.
  • – Control, monitoring and regulation of the production, collection, transport and disposal of waste.
  • – Prevention of waste production through in-process by modification, reuse and recycling.

 

The key activities that this section performs are the:

 

  • – Solid Waste Management
  • – General Cleaning and maintenance of
    •    – Town Streets.
    •    – Parks and Gardens.
    •    – Reserves.
    •    – Public Drains and Creeks.
  • – Cleaning and maintenance of all Council Public Conveniences
  • – Provision of cleaning of Public litter bins.
  • – Health, Litter & 3R Promotions and Awareness.
  • – Community Participation

 

Waste generation is 7 to 8 tons of waste per day, including green waste. More than 70% is organic waste from vegetables, food, market waste, and fibers. Garbage collection services are contracted to the private contractor whereas the Council looks after the up keeping of Town in terms of grass cutting and drain cleaning services.

 

Waste Management Initiatives – The Council is also selling Home Compost Bins and carrying out PET bottles collection form the landfill to minimizes and recycles the empty soft drinks bottle. The Council is working collaboratively with the Pacific Mission in recycling these bottles.