Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has revealed that around 800 tonnes of waste are being transported to Thilafushi every day, which is significantly more than the estimated amount.
The authorities have designated different regions into distinct waste management zones to tackle the waste management issues in the country, with each zone consisting of a main waste management facility. As such, Thilafushi is the regional waste management facility for Zone 3, which includes the Greater Male’ Region. However, more waste is being transported to the island than was expected in the Greater Male' Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project.
Speaking to PSM News, Consultant for the Greater Male’ Waste-to-Energy Project Ahmed Azim said Thilafushi is being transformed into a modern and high-quality waste management facility. He said the biggest hindrance to this initiative is that more waste is being transported to Thilafushi than was expected, noting that waste from nearby resorts and 32 islands is being transported to the island. He added that the current waste management operation is being hindered by having to process 800 tonnes of waste every day.
Additionally, Azim highlighted that Thilafushi was previously used as a landfill without a policy established to process the waste. He said the island now separates before processing and shredding waste every day. He also said that programmes will be held to create public awareness of ways to reduce waste.
The government launched the Greater Male' Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project in 2021. The project is being conducted in two phases, and the work to build infrastructure in the first phase was completed and handed over to the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) in 2022.
The first phase of the project involved establishing a sustainable waste management system in the Greater Male' Region and nearby atolls. The second phase of the project involves establishing a waste-to-energy plant in Thilafushi, which will process 500 tonnes of waste to generate energy. The entire project is expected to be completed within five years.