Waste from Thilafushi drifts out to sea as disposal backlog grows

Waste from Thilafushi in Kaafu Atoll has begun spilling into the sea after months of accumulation at the island’s disposal site.

Footage recorded today by a traveller in the Malé area showed rubbish floating on the surface, with plastic and other waste being carried away by currents.

When Dhauru journalists visited Thilafushi in June, they found mounds of rubbish across the site. Waste brought from development projects around the country had accumulated to the point where there was no room for further deliveries.

A fire at the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) site on Thilafushi has since reduced the amount of waste that can be processed.

Workers who spoke to Dhauru during the June visit said disposal operations had become overwhelmed after the site began receiving all types of waste from resorts across the country.

They said the number of resorts and development projects had increased, while waste continued to be directed to the same disposal site. According to the workers, the site lacked the capacity to process the volume arriving, leaving waste to accumulate.