The administration is working to acquire resources to resolve the problem of waste management, Minister of Environment Dr Hussain Rasheed Hassan has said speaking at the parliament sitting on Monday.
The environment ministry said the government is unsure when exactly the waste management issue will be resolved in Maldives, highlighting the various challenges the country is facing in managing the waste it produces. Although waste collection centres are established in the islands, the proper collection, management and disposal of waste will only be efficient once plastic, glass, wood and non-recyclable waste can be processed and discarded, the minister said. He also highlighted the islands that require such facilities.
During the sitting, Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Nasheed gave the minister 14 days to prepare a sufficient response when he asked for more time to gather information to answer some of the questions. The speaker and the parliamentarians also raised concerns when the minister said waste management issues would be solved when the necessary resources and investments are provided by the parliament.
Ministry of Environment remains committed to resolving the issue of waste management and is taking all possible measures to attend to the issue, according to the minister. He also promised to work with the councils and the parliament to solve the issue.