Malé City Council Urges Public to Report Improper Waste Disposal
Trash dumped on a road in Male’ — Photo: Male’ City Council
Malé City Council has urged residents to report people dumping rubbish on the streets and into the harbour, following recent incidents of waste being discarded on parts of Malé.
In a post shared on X, the council said rubbish had been dumped on Shaheedh Kuda Nevi Hingun and asked members of the public to send photographs or videos of individuals seen improperly disposing of waste.
ޝަހީދުކުޑަނެވި ތުއްތު ހިނގުމުގައި ބަހައްޓާފައި ހުރި ކުނިތަކެއް
— Malé City Council (@MaleCitymv) September 14, 2026
މާލެ ސިޓީގެ މަގުތަކަށް އަދި ފަޅުތެރެއަަށް ކުނި އަޅާ ފަރާތްތަށް ފާހަގަ ކުރެވޭނަމަ އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ހޮޓްލައިން 9341144 އަށް ފޮޓޯ އަދި ވީޑިއޯ ފޮނުއްވައި ދެއްވުން އެދެން،މާލެ ސިޓީ ސާފުކޮށް ބޭއްވުމަށް ހުރިހާ ރައްޔިތުންގެ… pic.twitter.com/gPsoKcQoCX
The council asked residents to report such incidents to its hotline on 9341144, while calling for public cooperation in keeping Malé clean.
The issue of waste being dumped in public spaces extends beyond Malé, with discarded household items also frequently seen on roadsides and pavements in Hulhumalé.
Some residents have said arranging waste collection through the Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO) has become increasingly difficult. They said that although WAMCO provides relatively affordable waste collection services in the Greater Malé area, securing a small pickup has become a challenge.
The issue has also been raised at Malé City Council. During a general meeting in July, Mayor Adam Azim criticised WAMCO’s management, accusing the company of negligence and deliberately failing to increase its waste management capacity.
At the general meeting, a proposal was submitted for the council to provide bulk waste collection services to residents at affordable rates.
Azim has attributed the accumulation of rubbish on Malé’s streets to what he described as WAMCO’s failure to fulfil its responsibilities.
He also alleged that WAMCO charges the council significantly higher rates for disposing of waste collected by the council than those charged to members of the public.
Azim claimed that WAMCO charges the council about MVR 10,000 per load when the equivalent service costs an individual around MVR 1,000.
The mayor further alleged that WAMCO was deliberately restricting its operational capacity, saying the company’s practices were contributing to the accumulation of waste in Malé.
Large quantities of waste have continued to accumulate in several parts of the capital. In one recent incident, a fire broke out in a waste pile, causing significant damage to a warehouse and a nearby home.
