Samoan rugby star Fesola'i Vaaiga Tuigamala has emphasised the importance of Pacific nations to confront and combat the waste crisis currently affecting the Pacific region. 

In a statement issued by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P) on 16 November, the former All Black and Manu Samoa player nicknamed "Inga the winger" talked about his improving health and compared it to the environment.

“I was very, very obese, my health statistics were very poor and I was looking at an early grave if I hadn’t I changed my attitude and changed my behaviour,” Fesola'i said during the Third Clean Pacific Roundtable.

"I didn’t take care of myself physically, I didn’t look after my health and I suffered the consequences. It wasn’t just me who suffered, those who were close to me suffered, my wife, children, friends and my family suffered.”

Fesola'i made reference to his own experience to raise the alarm about the consequences of negligence in the face of crisis. 

He said he then transformed his personal nutritional and exercise habits, a comparison he says that could be drawn with the current waste crisis facing the Pacific. 

"I liken what happened to my body to the earth. When we don’t look after our environment, when we don’t take care of our own backyard then we will suffer the consequences. I had to learn to get my health back physically, mentally and spiritually. We need to do the same for our environment," he said.

Studies have shown that 40 per cent of all the marine plastics that end up in the Pacific comes from Asia, the statement said. 

A different study by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicted that on current trends, there would be more microplastics in the ocean by 2050 than fish.

"The reality is that waste in our community is a major problem and we need to take action today. We need to pay attention to the impact waste and pollution have on our health is huge," he said.

Fesola'i said that the reality is that Pacific Islands cannot make any more land, but he had encouraged people to change their mindsets.

"It's the small things such as encouraging people to take pride in themselves and their homes,” he said. 

“As a sportsman, I was brought up with these two words, team and pride.”

"Team stood for Together Everyone Achieves More. Pride stands for Personal Responsibility In Delivering Excellence and that’s the message, I want to get people to take pride in their homes, that’s where we can start, that’s where we can make a big difference."

Fesola'i said it was essential that people must confront and deal with the issues that they can control to do their part to make the world more environmentally friendly.

"I was fortunate to play rugby and got to travel the world. As Pacific Islanders, we are privileged to live in this part of the world, the Pacific Ocean,” he said.

“We have a duty to protect it.”

The inaugural Clean Pacific Roundtable was held in Suva, Fiji in July 2016.

Its successful continuation has led to this year’s virtual conference, which is being held until 25 November. The festival is funded by the European Union and its event partners include Australia’s University of Newcastle.