Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Monday, 12th December ratified the Waste Management Act (Law No: 24/2022).
The bill was passed earlier by Maldives parliament at the 43rd sitting of the third session on Monday, November 28, 2022.
The act governs implementation and enforcement of sustainable waste management practices and policies, drawn up to mitigate the adverse effects of waste. The law aims to protect public health, outline the standards and procedures for sustainable waste management.
Moreover, the bill specifies administrative and punitive measures. The law specifies penalties for any form of damage to waste management systems, including mismanagement and negligence.
The new act further aims to reduce pollution and environmental damage caused by waste, encouraging the reduction of public health risks. Additionally, the law aims to reduce waste production and encourage recycle and reuse practices.
The bill empowers the relevant cabinet minister to draw up waste reduction strategy. Moreover, the bill grants a 12-month period from the date of ratification to draw up a sustainable waste management strategy.
Furthermore, the minister will have 12 months to draw up a national masterplan on waste management and one month to draw up an action plan encouraging and rewarding waste management initiatives.
The law also defines procedures for reducing single-use plastics (SUPs). In addition to this, the act is aimed at charging for plastic bags, accruing fees and penalizing for offenses prohibited in the law.