In a significant step towards sustainable waste management, the Maldives Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society (MACCS), in collaboration with the Kulhudhuffushi City Council, has officially inaugurated the first Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in a city in the Maldives, on September 16, 2025.
The event was graced by the Director General of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), Mr. Norbu Wangchuk, along with senior officials from local authorities and representatives from the UNOPS PLEASE Project Implementation Unit in the Maldives.
This facility aims to improve both community wellbeing and reduce marine litter through enhanced plastic waste management. The purpose of the MRF is to prepare waste for recycling. Plastic and other recyclables are subject to secondary sorting at the facility and is then baled and stored at the facility to be taken for recycling
The facility is outfitted with two baling machines for compressing recyclables, four island pickup trucks, a hydraulic pallet stacker and essential safety gears for the MRF staffs.
To ensure the long-term sustainability of the facility, staff from the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) have been trained in the operations and maintenance of the MRF. The initiative reflects a collaborative effort to promote circular economy practices and reduce the negative environmental impact of waste on the island and surrounding marine ecosystems.
Under the Project, MACCS also provided a leaf plate making machine to a school in kulhudhuhffushi, in order to eliminate the use of plastic plates in their school compound. These biodegradable plates were used at the MRF inauguration as well.
The MRF is an important component of the project, “Improving the wellbeing of H.DH. Kulhudhuffushi people and ocean through plastic pollution prevention”. The project is implemented on the ground in Kulhudhuffushi in partnership with Kulhudhuffushi City Council and WAMCO. This project is a part of the PLEASE project, implemented by SACEP, supported by the World Bank, with implementation support from UNOPS.
This pioneering project marks a promising start in Kulhudhuffushi’s journey toward becoming a model for sustainable waste management in the Maldives.
