The Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy has announced plans to deploy specialised vessels to transport waste generated across islands to regional waste management facilities as part of efforts to strengthen the country's waste management system.
The update was provided as the Ministry outlined progress on projects aimed at delivering a long-term solution to waste management challenges in the Maldives.
According to the Ministry, work is ongoing under a comprehensive national framework that includes establishing waste management systems in atolls and cities, developing waste-to-energy projects, and acquiring the resources needed to safely transport accumulated waste from islands to regional hubs.
Speaking at a press conference, Director General of Waste Management and Pollution Control Ahmed Muruthala said specialised marine vessels are required in addition to island-level waste management equipment to transport waste between islands and regional facilities.
He said three specialised waste transport vessels are currently under construction.
Muruthala said one vessel has been completed in India and is in the final stages of being brought to the Maldives. He added that a technical team will travel to India this week to carry out the final inspection before the vessel is delivered.
He also said two specialised landing craft are being built in the Maldives and are expected to be completed by July next year before entering service.
"Resources are required to transport waste after it has been managed on the islands. Since this involves marine transport, we need sea-going vessels designed specifically for this purpose. Work is under way to build three vessels. One has been completed in India and is now in the process of being brought to Malé. A team will travel this week for the final inspection. Two additional vessels are being built in the Maldives and are expected to enter service by July next year," Muruthala said.
The Ministry said the Government's national waste management policy is focused on establishing a comprehensive waste management system based on the principles of a green economy and a circular economy to support sustainable development.
According to the Ministry, the policy aims to reduce the environmental and public health impacts of waste while strengthening and modernising the national waste management framework.
The Ministry also noted that waste management has now been legally designated as a public utility service under the Waste Management Act.
It said the Act provides for several key regulations to strengthen the sector, including the General Waste Management Regulation, the Waste Management Service Provision Regulation and the Single-Use Plastics Reduction Regulation. The Ministry is currently completing the final procedures required to publish the regulations in the Government Gazette.