Pollution and the growing volumes of solid and hazardous wastes are major threats to the environments and sustainable development of the Pacific islands. Globalisation is accelerating the transition of Pacific communities towards consumer economies, with increasing urbanisation, migration, and participation in international trade. This is resulting in an escalation in the generation of solid and liquid wastes, and these increase the risk of coastal and marine pollution. The lack of controls on imported chemicals and the lack of capacity for managing pollutants threaten to undermine the quality and health of vulnerable ecosystems on which Pacific islanders depend.