The Cabinet has today decided to implement a waste management system to dispose off the waste collected in Thilafushi catchment.
Thilafushi catchment waste management project will be undertaken as collaboration between the government and private sector, as a public-private partnership.
Under the project, Thilafushi catchment will collect and dispose off the waste from Malé, Hulhumalé, Hulhule, Vilingili, as well as islands and resorts in Kaafu Atoll, Alif Alif Atoll, Alif Dhaalu Atoll and Vaavu Atoll.
Objectives of the waste management system include improvement of existing waste management infrastructure in Thilafushi and establish an international standard waste disposal system.
This system will foster opportunities to harvest waste as an energy source, as part of the country’s plan to go carbon neutral by 2020, attract US$40 million to US$50 million worth of private investments, and create 50 to 100 additional jobs.
International Finance Corporation, IFC, will act as a transaction advertiser of the project.
Successful bidder of the project should collect, treat and dispose off solid municipal waste from housholds, businesses, and waste collection depots in islands in Thilafushi area.
It also decided to prioritize recycling of recyclable waste.
Private company that wins to bid to establish a waste management system will also provide waste collection services from resorts that request for the service.
A sanitary landfill will also be created in Thilafushi to dispose off waste that the waste that were not disposed off through the system.
After discussing the project, the Cabinet agreed on the proposed schedule of operations, deciding January 2012 to commence temporary services and March 2013 as the deadline to implement permanent services.