| Abstract: | This Report highlights the results of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out for the
Development of Island Waste Management Centre (IWMC) and associated access road in
Ha.Maarandhoo, Sh.Kanditheem, Sh.Feydhoo and Sh.Lhaimagu proposed by the Ministry of
Environment and Energy (MEE).
Development of IWMC is a component of a nationwide two tier waste management concept
formulated by MEE to address the challenging waste management issue of the Maldives. The
proposed two tier waste management system involves Island Level Waste Management (ILWM)
and Regional Level Waste Management (RLWM). ILWM involves:
1. Sorting waste;
2. reducing volume of waste;
3. temporarily storing waste; and
4. composting 20-30% of organic waste at the IWMC.
RLWM Involves, routine transport of waste from the IWMC’s of specified zones and managing
the waste at the Regional Centre by
1. Sorting waste;
2. Incinerating waste;
3. landfilling rejects; and
4. composting up to 70-80% of the organic waste incoming from allocated zones.
The nationwide waste management plan will be implemented according to the Saafu Raajje Waste
Management Policy, which forms the basis of waste management framework and lays out the
implementation strategy of the waste management plan. The goals of the nationwide waste
management plan and policy are to:
•Protect the environment and ensure health and wellbeing;
•prevent pollution of natural environment and safeguard natural resources; and
•promote best practices of waste management and utilise waste as a value addition.
The project has been developed in line with these goals. The major components of the project
include:
1. Land clearance (IWMC plot area and access road);
2. construction of IWMC;
3. equipping IWMC with relevant waste management machines;
4. operation of IWMC according to approved waste management plan and waste management
framework; and
5. monitoring and adaptation of waste management plan/policy.
Components one and four of the project will be undertaken by the respective island council. The
councils shall prepare island level waste management plans in line with the waste management
EIA for the construction of IWMC at Ha.Maarandhoo, Sh.Kanditheem, Sh.Feydhoo and Sh.Lhaimagu
MEECO | xx
policy and waste management regulation implemented by EPA. Components two, three and five
will be undertaken by MEE.
Since the proposed project in the above mentioned islands involve significant land clearance
preparation of an EIA was commissioned by the EPA after screening the proposed project. The
EIA Regulation 2012/R-27 of the Maldives states that projects carried out in the Maldives which
require significant land clearance and removal of coconut palm trees (under Annex 4 bullets 8 of
EIA 2012/R-27) will have to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment prior to its
construction and operation. Hence the EIA report is primarily aimed at capturing and presenting
information needed to meet the legal requirements of both Environmental Protection and
Preservation Act (4/93) and the Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations of the Maldives.
Major findings of this report are based on as much information as possible that could be gathered within
the study time constraints, including field inspection of both the existing environment assessments and
the features and possible effects of the planned activities. The assessment also included reviewing of
virtually the same types of works and methods that will be used at project islands and review of actual
effects arising from their construction and operation in very similar island environments. Stakeholder
consultations undertaken with the island councils and public was used when assessing the existing waste
management situation of the island and alternatives of the project.
The following observations and findings were made for the project islands based on field surveys and
data analysis:
Ha.Maarandhoo – The island did not have a proper waste management system. Existing waste
management practices have led to the pollution of island. The proposed IWMC plot is located on the
eastern side of the island and consists of a coconut grove. There is no access road to the proposed area
hence a significant part of the coconut grove will have to be cleared. Total number of trees cleared to
prepare the site was determined to be 127. Nearest public areas to the site are residential houses. There
were no environmentally sensitive or protected sites close to the proposed area are located at the distance
recommended by EPA. Alternative site analysis showed that the alternative location at the northern side
of the island was more preferred compared to the proposed area based on evaluation of impacts arising
from site location (See Section 8.2.1 for details).
Sh.Kanditheem – The island did not have a proper waste management system. Existing waste
management practices have led to the pollution of island. The proposed IWMC plot is located on the
northeastern side of the island and consists of mixed vegetation dominated by privately owned palm
trees. There is no access road to the proposed area hence a significant area of vegetation will have to be
cleared. Total number of trees cleared to prepare the site was determined to be 161 Nearest public areas
to the site are residential lands located at the distance recommended by EPA. There were no
environmentally sensitive or protected sites that will be directly affected by the project. However, a
significant Bruguiera cylindrica forest was located west of the IWMC site (See Section 5.6.5 B)for
details). Alternative site analysis showed that the proposed location scored the highest (See Section
8.2.2 for details).
Sh.Feydhoo – The island did not have a proper waste management system. Existing waste management
practices have led to the pollution of island. The proposed IWMC plot (750m2) is located on the
southwestern side of the island and consists of mixed vegetation dominated by privately owned palm There is no access road to the proposed area hence a significant area of vegetation will have to be
cleared. Total number of trees cleared to prepare the site was determined to be 137. Nearest public areas
to the site are residential lands which are located at the distance recommended by EPA. The proposed
area has an altered small patch of wetland that is being disintegrated which will have a direct impact
during construction phase (See Section 5.6.5 A for details). Alternative site analysis showed that the
proposed location scored the highest (See Section 8.2.1 for details).
Sh.Lhaimagu – The island did not have a proper waste management system. Existing waste
management practices have led to the pollution of island. The proposed IWMC plot (700m2) is located
on the southern side of the island and consists of privately owned palm trees. There is no access road to
the proposed area hence a significant area of vegetation will have to be cleared. Total number of trees
cleared to prepare the site was determined to be 219. Nearest public areas to the site is the public school
which is located at the distance recommended by EPA. The proposed area does not have environmental
sensitive or protected area. Alternative site analysis showed that the proposed location scored the highest
(See Section 8.2.4 for details).
The study has identified a number of potential adverse effects arising out of the project. The study also
notes that it is during the developmental phase of the project that will have the most significant
impacts as opposed to the operational phase of the project. There are factors which could cumulate
into major negative impacts during the operational phase unless proper mitigation and
management is not implemented. The assessment has not identified any negative effects of national
or regional importance and will not result in the loss of nationally endangered or globally
endangered species as a result of the project. The assessment identified the following activities of the
project to have impacts on the environmental receptors (See section 8 for details).
Construction phase:
1. Settlement of workers: evaluated to be a minor impact activity;
2. Site demarcation and fencing: evaluated to be a minor impact activity;
3. Material storage: evaluated to be a minor impact activity;
4. Land clearance: evaluated to be a major impact activity;
5. IWMC construction: evaluated to be a moderate impact activity;
6. Transportation of trees, waste etc: evaluated to be a moderate impact activity;
7. Waste generation: evaluated to be a moderate impact activity; and
8. Resource consumption (Waster, Electricity and Sewerage): evaluated to be a minor impact
activity.
Operational phase:
1. Waste collection and transportation: A major activity of IWM. Apart from Ha.Maarandhoo
the other islands do not have a local waste management plan;
2. Waste sorting, separating and compost making: The biggest component of IWM. If carried
out as per the waste management concept plan, this activity would result in the most
positive impacts. However, based on fair assessment of the existing condition, this activity
was observed to have the highest potential for failure which would result in major negative
impacts;
3. Waste generation: considered a minor impact activity;
4. Resource consumption (water/electricity): considered a minor impact activity;
The direct footprint area in all the islands is localized only on land and much of the roads are
concentrated in the area where introduced coconut grove is found. Within this area, the biodiversity
richness was observed low since much of the area has been utilized for monoculture of coconut
palms. Flora and fauna enclosed within the direct impact boundary will be effected by construction
activities. Nesting areas for birds and other fauna will be effected. Habitat fragmentation and
permanent change to the existing island ecosystem will occur as a result. Removal of vegetation
will also affect the net carbon balance as vegetation act as a carbon sink. Noise generated from
these activities are also envisaged to have a direct impact on the biodiversity. Significant volumes
of yard waste will be produced during the site clearance works. The island has no waste
management system and therefore additional waste created if left on the island will have multiple
direct and indirect impacts on the island. During the, operational phase of the project management
of waste at the IWMC is considered to have numerous impacts which include emission of GHG,
smell/odor impacts and health impacts. These arise from compost pile, sorting activities and
volume reduction activities. There is a high risk of accidents and injuries during the operational
phase of the IWMC. Due to the volume of incoming organic waste the risk of running out of
storage capacity is imminent during the operational phase of the IWMC if not managed properly.
This would lead to significant cumulative negative impacts, as a result of burning waste at the
IWMC. Continued burning of waste could potentially convert the IWMC into a dumpsite resulting
in loss of investment. It would also impede the progress of the waste management framework of
the country. However, if the waste management plan is implemented accordingly the overall
impact of IWMC during the operational phase will be positive. It would create job opportunities
and new markets which would develop the local economies.
As a practical and a reasonable mitigation measure to minimize the impacts arising from removal of
large number of trees, translocating and replanting trees have been proposed (see Section 8.5 for
details). Trees specially coconut palm trees which make up 85-90% of vegetation at project sites,
shall be encouraged to be translocated to another island. Due to numerous challenges faced by the
island councils to undertake land clearance and translocation of trees, the report proposes to
procure parties interested in buying and relocating surveyed trees (See Section 8.5.2 A for details).
Procurement announcement shall be advertised as widely as possible. Evaluation shall be
undertaken as described in the report. Except when all options to relocate trees have been
exhausted only the decision to cutting down of a tree for timber or any other use shall be
considered. Hence it is strongly recommended to give the highest priority to transplanting trees as
an impact mitigation measure.
The volume of waste that is expected from land clearance is closely linked to the number of trees
that can be salvaged from those that get uprooted. Without a robust tree translocation plan it is
believed over 163 tons of yard waste will be generated from all the islands. This would require
costly long distance transportation from project islands to Thilafushi. With the proposed mitigation
measures combined with burning of dried yard waste requiring transportation could be
significantly reduced.
During the operational phase best practices in compost management, together with strict health
safety guidelines, emergency planning and implementation of monitoring/management program
have been recommended to mitigate noise/odour impacts, avoid injuries and reduce carbon
footprint. In order to address the issue of organic waste accumulation at the site, the assessment
proposes to install 660 L waste bins at the IWMC. Based on size of the IWMC at the project
islands, a maximum of 1-2 week of organic waste can be stored at the project islands using such
bins (See Section 2.3.2 for details). Hence it is recommended to schedule waste collection trips
more frequently for islands that have a larger population.
Due to the project being located in inhabited islands, negative social impacts arising as a direct
consequence of the Project have been found to be moderate. Major activities of the project having a
direct impact on local stakeholders include land clearance which involve removal of privately owned
trees. Cumulative negative impacts have been envisaged during operational phase due to poor
management of the IWMC which can result in smell/odour impacts to nearby public areas.
Hence the monitoring plan of the project is designed to address the constructional and operational phase
impacts by identifying assessable indicators and assigning relevant stakeholders to prepare and assess
the outcome of these indicators. The management plan of the IWMC is designed based on adaptability
from feedback provided by different levels of management. This is to ensure that cumulative negative
impacts do not exceed to a level that could disrupt the proposed waste management system (See Section
10 for details of monitoring and management plan).
On the basis that mitigation measured proposed in this EIA report will be implemented by proponent
and the robust environmental monitoring plan suggested in the report will be fully taken into
consideration and the recommendations set forth in the report will be duly considered, it is concluded
that the benefits of the planned Island Level Waste Management when implemented will substantially
outweigh its imposition on the environment. |
