Environment Minister Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan has said that a sustainable waste management programme aimed at all the islands will be initiated soon.

He said this at a parliament sitting, while responding to a question from MP Mohamed Wisam on the waste management issues in L. Gan.

At the sitting, Minister Rasheed said that waste management is a problem across the Maldives and that the ministry has drafted a plan to bring a permanent solution.

Minister Rasheed said that the President’s Office has approved the plan and that the Finance Ministry is now working on the bidding process. Afterwards, sustainable waste management projects will begin with the assistance of the island councils, he said, adding that the islands will be cleaned up in a way that will prevent more waste from accumulating.

He said that he will give special priority to this programme, which can continue for the long-term if the parliament and government approves an appropriate budget.

The government is currently conducting numerous waste management projects in the islands with funding from the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) budget. The government has pledged to establish waste-to-profit and waste-to-energy projects. The first waste-to-energy project has been completed R. Vandhoo.