Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna has stated the Thilafushi dump yard will soon be turned into an eco-friendly, modern waste disposal site that manages waste with the help of modern technology.
Speaking to PSM News following a site visit to inspect the progress of remediation works at Thilafushi dump yard, Minister Shauna said the project will help to eliminate the toxic chemicals being released from the site that is polluting the air in the whole region. The minister noted the project focuses on safely extinguishing the fires, remediate the site and establish a new system that can address the unresolved issues that have existed in the site for decades. She expressed confidence the project can be completed by October.
Speaking further, Minister Shauna said the long-term target is to convert Thilafushi to a green space, equipped with eco-friendly, modern technology to manage the waste disposed in the island. She said the project undertaken with the technical assistance of Asian Development Bank (ADB) will convert the Thilafushi dump yard to an eco-friendly, modern site in the coming years.
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.