Don’t Litter and You Won’t Pay the $200 Fine

Fijians are being urged to dispose of their rubbish responsibly as the Government prepares to introduce a $200 fixed penalty for littering from September 1, 2026.

Minister for Information, Environment and Climate Change Hon. Lynda Tabuya told Parliament that, subject to completion of the gazettal process, the fixed penalty for littering will increase from the current $40 to $200 — a five-fold increase.

Tabuya said the tougher penalty under the Litter (Amendment) Act 2026 was not intended as a revenue-generating measure, but to encourage behavioural change through greater accountability and deterrence.

“If you litter, you pay. Not because Government wants your $200. We would rather collect zero dollars in litter fines. Because zero dollars in fines would mean people are doing the right thing,” she said.

The Government is also preparing to strengthen enforcement, with Litter Prevention Officers to include personnel from municipal councils, the Fiji Police Force and the Land Transport Authority.

The officers will receive training in identifying littering offences, gathering evidence and properly issuing fixed penalty notices.

Tabuya said enforcement would also be monitored, including the number of notices issued, where offences were occurring and whether the tougher penalties were actually changing behaviour.

“We do not want to simply assume the law is working. We want to prove that it is working,” she said.

The changes form part of Government's wider efforts under the National Integrated Waste Management and Pollution Control Strategy to address littering and improve waste management across Fiji.

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