Maldives : Greater Male Waste-to-Energy Project

Energy / Renewable energy generation - biomass and waste

Water and other urban infrastructure and services / Urban policy, institutional and capacity development - Urban solid waste management

The project will establish a sustainable regional solid waste management (SWM) system for the Greater Male region and its neighboring outer islands by (i) developing treatment (proven waste-to-energy [WTE] technology), recycling, and disposal infrastructure; (ii) strengthening institutional capacities for sustainable solid waste services delivery and environmental monitoring; and (iii) improving public awareness on WTE and reduce-reuse-recycle (3R). The project will be designed to reduce disaster risk and improve climate change resilience while creating a cleaner environment and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

The Greater Male region and its neighboring outer islands suffer from severe environmental pollution and deteriorating livability because of inadequate collection and haphazard disposal of solid waste. The project area covers the Greater Male region, and 32 inhabited outer islands and 86 tourist resorts within the Alifu Alifu Atoll, Alifu Dhaalu Atoll, Kaafu Atoll, and Vaavu Atoll, with a population of 295,000 (53% of Maldives' total population). The lack of a sustainable system to manage the 836 tons per day (tpd) of solid waste generated in the project area (in 2019) results in waste spillage into the ocean, and open dumping and burning of garbage at the 10-hectare (ha) dump site on Thilafushi island established in 1992, which has no pollution control measures, creating a severe public health and environmental hazard. Plumes of smoke visible from Male, the international airport, and nearby resorts compromise air quality and pose a nuisance to residents and tourists, while leachate and plastics contaminate the surrounding marine environment. This poses a critical threat to tourism and fisheries, both of which rely heavily on the country's pristine environment and are cornerstones to Maldives' economy.

There is no infrastructure to systematically treat and dispose the waste generated in the project area. This is a critical priority to improve public health and the environment. Scarcity of land is a serious constraint that requires high treatment and volume reduction. There are only 15 ha of land available for solid waste treatment and disposal, which the government had to reclaim in 2018 from the adjacent lagoon close to the Thilafushi island dump site because of insufficient space. Energy recovery from waste with electricity generation is an important opportunity given that the country is mostly powered by imported diesel, which has a high production cost and high greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity.

The project will focus on solid waste treatment and disposal infrastructure as part of a phased approach to provide a full-fledged solid waste management (SWM) service to the project area through two ADB projects. It will complement the ongoing Greater Male Environmental Improvement and Waste Management Project, approved by ADB in 2018, which is assisting the government to (i) improve the upstream segment of the SWM chain, including systemic collection and containerized transfer; (ii) implement temporary measures, such as baling of municipal solid waste, as an adequate interim solution to stop open dumping and burning on Thilafushi island until a modern solid waste treatment and disposal facility is operational; (iii) treat and recover construction and demolition waste; and (iv) strengthen institutional capacity and public awareness for sustainable SWM service delivery. ADB and the government agreed on this phased strategy to match the implementation and financing capacity of the government, and to improve project readiness of the complex waste-to-energy (WTE) infrastructure (i.e., reclaim 15 ha of land, take advance procurement actions, and conduct an environmental impact assessment [EIA]) while implementing urgent measures.

The project is aligned with operational priorities 2 (accelerating progress in gender equality); 3 (tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability); 4 (making cities more livable); and 6 (strengthening governance and institutional capacity) of ADB's Strategy 2030, as it will (i) enhance livability and environmental sustainability, including air quality and ocean health in the project area; (ii) mitigate climate change; (iii) improve infrastructure resilience to disaster and climate risks; (iv) strengthen institutional capacity and public awareness targeting women; and (v) improve standards for service delivery. The project is also in line with ADB's Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies, as it will reduce land-based sources of marine pollution, including plastics, through adopting proven high-level technology and strengthening institutions for improved SWM.

Waste as a valuable resource for income generation promoted

Solid waste treatment and disposal services in the Greater Male region and its outer islands improved

Disaster- and climate-resilient regional waste management facility developed

Institutional capacity in sustainable WTE service delivery and environmental monitoring, and public awareness on WTE and 3R improved