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MALDIVES WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND FUTURE CIRCULAR ECONOMY PLANS

Republic of Maldives in last several years made lots of studies and analyses for developing good and qualitative waste management systems. The solid waste presents the most visible environmental threat to the tourism industry and has highly negative impact on the unique flora and fauna of the atolls and marine ecosystem. Predicting the threats to the economic development and social dependence on a healthy marine environment Ministry decide to start investigations in order to establish sustainable, cost effective and applicable waste management system on the island and atoll level. The management of solid waste is especially challenging in the area (Zone IV and V) considering highly dispersed population spread across numerous islands, restricted land usage, heavy dependence on the ground water resources and limitation to implement collection and treatment fees due to average household budget. The process of establishing affordable and modern waste management system should be design primarily in “circular” way with aim to change human view on the waste issue – the waste is actually valuable resource, and our activities and energy should be focused on its efficient utilization. Those are principles of circular economy but considering waste composition of the island in the Zone IV and V it can be concluded that main focus for eventual establishment of the source separation system should be on paper, plastic, ferrous and non-ferrous and electronic waste fractions. Due to complexity of the glass fraction transport, it is recommended to establish processing on the island level (crushing and re usage). For bio waste is the same. Biogas production on island level has to be very simple, on some islands almost single house approach since amounts are not enough for big scales. Therefore, it is important to take into account that future waste management system has to secure its long-term financial sustainability, acceptability from the side of major stakeholders and overall technical efficiency.

Maldives, waste management, source separation, circular economy

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