President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has visited Thilafushi, Kaafu Atoll, to inspect the Greater Male' Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project.
President Solih was accompanied by Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC) Adam Azim, and Managing Director of Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) Adam Mohamed. During the visit, the president toured the sites and inquired about the progress of the project.
The Government of the Maldives launched the Greater Male' Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project on December 15, 2021. The project is being conducted in two phases, and the work to build infrastructure in the first phase has been completed. As such, the harbour development project in Thilafushi has been completed and work is now underway to establish means to separate, shred, and incinerate the waste being brought to the island. Smoke emissions from Thilafushi, which caused severe air pollution, have also ceased.
The first phase of the project involves establishing a sustainable solid waste management system in the Greater Male' Region as well as Kaafu Atoll, Alifu Alifu Atoll, Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, and Vaavu Atoll. The second phase of the project involves establishing a waste-to-energy plant in Thilafushi, which will process 500 tonnes of waste to generate up to 8.5 megawatts of energy.
The government has stated the project is expected to be completed in 2023 and will solve 60% of the waste management problems in the country.