Environment Ministry: Not supporting waste import, laws don’t allow either

Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology on Monday said that there was no support from them towards importing waste and that the laws do not allow this either.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih recently ratified the Waste Management Act (Law No: 24/2022). Amendments made in the Parliament prior to passing it give some room for waste to be brought into Maldives.

Due to this, many have expressed their concern over the clause, some even criticizing the ministry in the process.

Under the law, it is stated bringing in any waste without the permission of the Environment Ministry was prohibited. It also noted that the permission should be given once requested, under the guidelines specified by the ministry.

On Monday, the ministry held a press conference, where they addressed this issue.

While speaking at the conference, the Director General of the ministry Ahmed Muruthaza said that many were confused over the Waste Management Act.

“The law currently does not allow the import of waste materials either. That law says that waste can only be brought into Maldives with the permission of the ministry. So, there is no other way to do it.”

He went on to say that there was no need to import waste and that the most important thing, for now, was managing the waste produced in Maldives.

Additionally, he stressed the belief that there was no situation which calls for the import of waste into Maldives.

Also speaking about this, Environment Ministry’s Deputy Minister Mohamed Ansar said that the ministry does not support importing waste at all.

Amid all the backlash towards this law, the ministry has revised plans to bring amendments to it.

Reiterating this, Ansar said at the press conference that the work towards this was currently ongoing.

However, no specifications were given on how the amendments will be brought.