Pres inspects waste management at Thilafushi

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday, has visited the industrial island of Thilafushi to inspect the Greater Male’ Environment Improvement and Waste Management project.

The aim of this two-phased project is to establish a comprehensive waste management system in the Maldives. The project, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Fund for Power Reduction (JFPR) and the Maldivian government, includes upgrading the collection and disposal of waste in Greater Male’ and other areas.

The project includes upgrade the waste reception facility in Thilafushi along with establishment of new waste transfer station. Other aspects include the development of a demolition waste processing plant and a special plant to destroy rundown vehicles.

Additionally, a new vessel would be commissioned for the purpose of carrying waste across the islands.

Second phase of the project includes the establishment of a waste-to-energy system, which aims at providing a long-term solution for the 774 tons of waste produced on a daily basis in the Greater Male’ area.

A key objective of the project is raising public awareness about sustainable waste management practices, improving the treatment, recycling and disposal of waste and reduce the congestion of the old waste dump site at Thilafushi.

President Muizzu, who was accompanied by a few of ministers of his cabinet, had inspected the island including the now significantly improved Thilafushi Regional Waste Management Facility as well.

Among the positive changes at the site include a resuscitation of waste baling, which currently produces a total of 76 bales of waste on a daily basis while 991 bales of waste were relocated to make space adjustments.

Additionally, period for waste offloading from, and disembark of ships from tourist resorts have been reduced from one day to one hour. Besides this, clearance time at the landing-craft offload site has been reduced from three days to just five hours.

The site’s security measures have been strengthened with the installation of advanced surveillance systems, while 6,500 tons of waste were used as landfill cover. A new 5,000-square-meter waste cell has been developed for the disposal of waste in the next five years.