Ministry gives businesses a month to obtain chemical permits

The Ministry of Defence has given businesses one month to obtain the required permits after identifying cases of hazardous chemicals being imported, stored and sold without authorisation.

In a statement, the ministry said it had found that a number of businesses were operating chemical storage facilities and selling hazardous chemicals without the necessary permits.

The ministry warned that storing and selling hazardous chemicals in locations where safety measures have not been verified increases the risk of fires and other incidents.

Businesses have been instructed to obtain the required commercial permits within one month from Monday. They must also register all locations where chemicals are stored for sale through the government's Makudi portal.

The ministry said legal action will be taken under existing regulations against businesses found selling chemicals without registration after the deadline.

Following previous fire incidents linked to chemical storage, warehouses handling hazardous chemicals were ordered to relocate from Malé to Thilafushi. Current regulations prohibit the storage of such chemicals in Malé.

Despite the restrictions, complaints continue to be received regarding chemical storage in the capital, and fires have been reported at unauthorised storage sites.

The current regulatory framework requiring permits from the Ministry of Defence and restricting chemical storage in Malé was introduced following a warehouse fire in Henveiru in 2019.

The fire, which broke out at a chemical warehouse on Abadhahfehi Magu, claimed one life, damaged 26 houses and displaced more than 700 residents. Since then, additional fire incidents linked to chemical storage have been reported in Malé.