Sustainable Waste Alternatives Program (S.W.A.P)
Zero Waste Maldives implemented the Sustainable Waste Alternatives Program under the Veshi Small Grants Program to reduce hazardous waste at source in Noonu Atoll. The project combines community engagement, targeted workshops, and stakeholder collaboration across multiple islands, while developing a Fibreglass Waste Management Guideline for the boatbuilding and repair sector.
Aligned with national chemical management and POPs priorities, the initiative links community action with policy goals to improve hazardous waste management and safety.
Why Fibreglass Waste Matters
Boatbuilding and repair are core industries across the Maldives, and fibreglass offcuts, resins, and solvents used in the process are classified as hazardous waste. Without a clear management guideline, these materials are easily mishandled, whether burned, dumped, or left to leach into the surrounding environment on small islands with limited land for safe disposal.
Noonu Atoll, where this project is based, has an active boatbuilding sector, making it a practical testing ground for a Fibreglass Waste Management Guideline that other atolls can adopt as the approach is refined.