ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAND WASTE MANAGEMENT CENTER IN TH. VANDHOO Prepared by: Ahmed Hassaan Zuhair Prepared for: Ministry of Environment and Energy September 2017 Contents DECLARATION OF THE AUTHOR .................................................................................................................... 2 NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................... 3 ާސާލުޚ ާދާސ ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 5 1.1. Project Background and Justification ............................................................................................ 5 1.2. Environmental Management Plan and Environmental Permits ................................................... 6 1.3. Desk Study Review ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.4. Report Preparation ....................................................................................................................... 7 CHAPTER 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION ............................................................................................................... 8 2.1. Location and Study Area ............................................................................................................... 8 2.2. Project Components ..................................................................................................................... 8 2.3. Construction Schedule ................................................................................................................ 11 2.4. Project Inputs and Outputs ......................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER 3 EXISTING ENVIRONMENT ......................................................................................................... 14 3.1. Current Waste Management Practices ....................................................................................... 14 3.2. Unassigned Waste Dumping ....................................................................................................... 16 3.3. Project Site and Access Road ...................................................................................................... 17 3.4. Coastal Erosion ............................................................................................................................ 18 3.5. Vegetation ................................................................................................................................... 18 3.6. Environmental Sensitive Areas ................................................................................................... 19 CHAPTER 4 IMPACT IDENTIFICATION ......................................................................................................... 21 4.1. Impact Assessment Methodology ............................................................................................... 21 4.2. Potential Impacts of the Project ................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER 5 MITIGATION MEASURES .......................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER 6 ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING ............................................................................................. 35 6.1. Monitoring Program ................................................................................................................... 35 6.2. Responsibility .............................................................................................................................. 36 6.3. Reporting ..................................................................................................................................... 36 CHAPTER 7 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION ................................................................................ 38 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................ 39 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................................ 40 1 | P a g e DECLARATION OF THE AUTHOR I hereby declare that the information provided in this EMP are true, complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge and is based on the information available at the time of writing. Ahmed Hassaan Zuhair Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer Maldives Clean Environment Project Ministry of Environment and Energy 2 | P a g e NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY The proposed development of Island Waste Management Center (IWMC) in Th Vandhoo is funded by the Public Sector Investment Program (PSIP) of the Government of Maldives. The aim of this project is to alleviate current waste management problems endured by the island community and thereby improve the overall environmental and public health condition of the island. The proposed IWMC will be developed in a 500 square meters’ area located in the South East side of the island. This site is at a considerable distance away from the residential population and vegetation line and meets the land allocation criteria of both Maldives Land and Survey Authority (MLSA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). At present, no major vegetation exists in the site except some scrubs. However, according to the information provided by the Island Council, 7 mature coconut palms and 3 mature trees (Alexandrian laurel) were previously present at the site. The Island Council has been undertaking land clearance works since 2015, as the site has been identified by the council to develop IWMC in 2015. An EPA declared environmentally sensitive mangrove area exists in the north western side of the island. However, this area is 400 meters away from the proposed IWMC and therefore, no negative impacts to this area are envisaged to occur as a result of the project. The project will provide basic infrastructure necessary to manage waste at island level and ensure composting is undertaken in the island. After completion of civil works, the IWMC will be operated by the Island Council in accordance to the Island Waste Management Plan. Training on composting for island level staffs and machinery such as, shredders, wood chippers and bottle crushers will be provided to facilitate adequate functioning of the IWMC. Waste that is not manageable at the island level will be stored and regularly transferred to a regional waste management facility (RWMF). All civil works of the project are expected to be completed within 6 months. Environmental impacts of the project were evaluated using the Rapid Impact Assessment Method (RIAM). Majority of the impacts envisaged for the project are highly positive. The project is expected to bring numerous economic benefits to the island community, in additional to the perceivable environmental and public health related benefits. The only permanent negative impact likely to occur as a result of the project is related to the removal of vegetation. However, the amount of vegetation clearance involved is minimal and therefore, if the mitigation measures proposed in this management plan are adhered, almost all the negative impacts can be brought to an acceptable level. The monitoring program proposed in the EMP will ensure the implementation of the mitigation measures and assist in the identification of unforeseen impacts throughout the project. Overall, the project is expected to provide significant socio-economic and environmental benefits for the local community. 3 | P a g e ާސާލުޚ ާދާސ ްނެގްށޮކުދަރަޚ ްނުށަދ ެގްމާރޮރްޕ ްޓްނަމްޓްސެވްނިއ ރަޓްކެސ ްކިލްބަޕ ެގުރާކުރަސ ިހެވިދ ީކަޢޫރްޝަމ ެގުމުރުކުމިއާޤ ިށޮކިނުކ ޫދްނަވ .ތ ިބިލްއެލްއަޙ ޭވެދެއ ްށައަލަސްއަމ ެގީނުކ ާވިއަފެވާމިދ ްށައޫދްނަވ .ތ ްނުބަބަސ ެގުޢޫރްޝަމިމ .ެވެކެޢޫރްޝަމ ާވިއަފިވޭރ ްށަމުޔިދްނެގްށައިރުކ .ެވެއެވެލެބ ްށަމަކެނާދްނެގެވުޅަގނަރ ުތަލާޙ ީހްއިސ ިއާޓްއެވާމިތ ެގުށަރ ްށަމުރުކުމިއާޤ ިށޮކިނުކ .ެވ ެއެނާދްނެގިވެރުކުމިއާޤ ްނުށަދ ެގުޢޫރްޝަމިމ ްއެޓްށޮކިނުކ ެގުރަޓީމަކައ 500 ިއަގުތާރަފ ުނުކެދ ުރިއ ެގޫދްނަވ .ތ ްނުމަކްނެހެއ .ެވެކެދްއަޙަރަސ ާވިއަގުރުދ ްށަކަރަވޭދުފ ިއާށަފިޅޭހ ެގުށަރ ިއާކަތުދްއަޙަރަސ ޭޅުއިރިދ ްނުހީމ ީކަދްއަޙަރަސ ާވިއަފިޅެއަޑނަކ ްށަކަތުޑނަގްނިމ ޭޅުގްނެގ ްނ ިއީޓިރޯތޮއ ޭވރަސ ްޑްނެއ ްޑްނޭލ ްސްވިޑްލޯމ ިއާއީސްނެޖޭއ ްނަޝްކެޓޮރްޕ ްލަޓްނަމްނަރަޔަވްނެއ ިއަގުމުރުކްސާފްނިބ ްސެވަމަނ .ެވެއެވެރުކަގ ަހާފ ްނަކްތެނ ްއެހަގ ަތަވުނ ްއެކުރ ާވިއަފިދޯފ ްސެވްއެއ ުތުގަވިމ ިއަގުދްއަޙަރަސ ިމ ިދައ .ެވެއެތެފ ުދްއަޙަރަސިމ މިސަރަޙައްދުގައި ކުރިން 7 ފޯދިފައިވާ ރުކާއި، 3 ފުނަ ގަސް ހުރިކަމަށް ރަށު ކައުންސިލުން މައުލޫމާތު ދެއްވައެވެ. މިސަރަޙައްދަކީ ކުނިކޮށި ެގްލިސްނުއަކ ްށަމަކްއެދްއަޙަރ ަސ ާވިށެފ ްތަކްއަސަމ ެގުމުރުކުފާސްނިބ ާމްނިނ ްނުކަމުވުލަދްއަބ ުމްނާއ ެގްލިސްނުއަކ ުރަހ ައ ަނަވ 2015 ްށަމުޅެއ .ެވެއަވްއެދ ުތާމޫލުއަމ ްނުތާރަފ ތިމާވެށީގެ ގޮތުން ނާޒުކު ސަރަޙައްދެއްގެ ގޮތުގައި ކަނޑައެޅިފައިވާ ކުޅިއެއް ރަށުގެ ހުޅަނގު ދެކުނު ފަރާތުގައި އޮ ވެއެވެ. ނަމަވެސް، މިކުޅިއާއި މަޝްރޫޢުގެ ދަށުން ޤާއިމުކުރެވޭ ކުނިކޮށްޓާއި ދެމެދު 400 މީޓަރުގެ ދުރުމިން ހުރެއެވެ. އެހެންކަމުން، މަޝްރޫޢުގެ ސަބަބުން މިސަރަޙައްދަށް .ެވެއެވެލެބުނ ްށަކަމަކެނ ާރޯފ ްއެރަސައ ޭވެދޭނ ްސެވްއެއ ްނީރްމަތ ެގުތޮގެނާރުކުރާޔްއަތުދާކ ިއާކަތްތާލާއ