STELCO has become the first company in the Maldives to take responsibility for waste management and all utility services of an island.
STELCO was contracted to take over guesthouse island, K. Maafushi's waste management, at a ceremony held at STELCO's auditorium on Wednesday. The agreement was signed by STELCO's Water, Sewerage, and Waste Department Manager Ahmed Shafiu and the President of the Maafushi Council, Hassan Solah.
Speaking at the ceremony, STELCO's Managing Director Ahmed Shareef Adam said the company chose Maafushi to conduct a pilot project on waste management. If the project is successful, STELCO will consider taking over the waste management of other islands, he said.
"Hopefully, we will take STELCO's service to a level that you are satisfied with," Shareef said.
Maafushi Council President Hassan Solah said waste management had become a major challenge since the introduction of local tourism on the island. Currently, the island produces about 10 tonnes of garbage daily, and the council cannot manage that amount every day, he said.
Solah said that with local tourism in Maafushi, new types of waste have been created, and some types of waste disposal have become a huge challenge. While the council does not have the facilities required for waste management, the council hopes the waste management could be entrusted to a company like STELCO, he said.
STELCO said it is expected to take another six months to arrange the administrative work and separate the land before the waste management starts in Maafushi. STELCO said that state-of-the-art machinery and equipment required for the waste management center would be procured.
STELCO will separate waste into different sections, dispose of waste, recycle reusable waste and produce some products from waste.
