Certain tweaks to the entire management process in Thilafushi have boosted the waste management capacity, Waste Management Corporation Limited (WAMCO) Managing Director, Mujthaba Jaleel has said.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s visit Thilafushi on Thursday to review the progress of the Greater Malé Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project, Mujthaba pointed out that in addition to the greater Male’ area, the islands in the northern area also brings waste to Thilafushi for management.
However, Mujthaba noted the several issues faced due to the small area allocated as the landfill on the island.
He also pointed out that the estimated 1,000 tonnes of waste being brought to Thilafushi everyday would be a lot higher with the development of the greater Male and northern areas.
Noting that the resources utilised in the management of landfills should be increased, Mujthaba said WAMCO now offers waste management services round the clock as opposed to the eight hours of service previously.
The company is now able to offer same day service to every vessel, he added.
Mujthaba said that the necessary changes have been made to the landfills in Thilafushi which will enable the company to efficiently offer waste management services for the next three years without any difficulties.
The Greater Malé Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project, a two-phase initiative that aims to establish a sustainable solid waste management system in the Maldives.
The first phase, funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), and the Maldivian Government, focuses on modernising waste collection, transfer, and disposal across the Greater Malé region and outer islands. It includes rehabilitating the Thilafushi waste reception facility, constructing new waste transfer stations, and developing a demolition waste processing plant and an end-of-life vehicle dismantling plant. A new inter-island waste transfer vessel is also in development.
The second phase introduces waste-to-energy (WTE) technology, addressing the 774 tonnes of waste generated daily in the region. It aims to reduce pollution at Thilafushi's ageing dumpsite by improving treatment, recycling, and disposal infrastructure while increasing public awareness of sustainable waste management.