Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology has revealed a new system will be established by October to manage the dump yard in Thilafushi.
The environment ministry states special efforts are being undertaken with Waste Management Corporation Limited (WAMCO) to introduce a new system to manage the Thilafushi dump yard and control the smoke from the site. Noting the Thilafushi dump yard has been in use for a long time, the ministry said excavation would be carried out as part of efforts to upgrade the site, which could lead to a temporary increase in the smoke rising from the site. However, the ministry noted this would be a temporary inconvenience from works carried out to bring a permanent solution to the smoke issues.
The environment ministry stated the new system to manage the dump yard is being established under the technical assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB). In addition, the ministry said efforts are also underway to introduce a waste management system in Thilafushi, under the assistance of ADB, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Japan Fund for Joint Credit Mechanism (JFJCM). The ministry added rehabilitation of the existing dump yard in Thilafushi will also commence very soon, under the assistance of Islamic Development Bank (IDB).
The Thilafushi dump yard is the main waste disposal site in the Greater Male’ Region. Approximately 830 tonnes of waste are disposed in Thilafushi on a daily basis. Due to the lack of a proper system to manage the site, the dump yard is causing air pollution and other environmental issues in the region.