Threat of disease from Malé litter, says council

Increased litter on the capital’s streets could lead to the spread of diseases, as Malé city council called on people to do their part to keep streets clean.

The council said Monday that not enough had been done to keep Male clean in the three years since the housing ministry had sized control of waste disposal responsibilties.

It added that the issue of trash disposal and collection was of great concern and called for better waste management systems.

A council resolution said more people were complaining about the waste piling up in the streets and that the increase of street litter attracted pests, which could lead to the spread of diseases.

The per capita waste generation in the capital is estimated to be 1.7kg per day with an annual increase of four percent. Waste collected from Malé is transported to the nearby landfill island of Thilafushi, where it is stockpiled and usually incinerated.

According to the environment ministry, some 255,826 metric tonnes of solid waste was generated in Malé in 2014, a 155 percent increase over the preceding decade.