Dumping Trash for 30 Years
At the beginning of 1992, the Maldives government converted what was then a small lagoon called Thilafalhu into a landfill meant to help with waste from the capital city Malé, just a short boat ride away. For years, trash disposal in the lagoon was surprisingly crude: Garbage from Malé and surrounding islands was simply poured into holes and covered with sand, going through no treatment, sorting or other maintenance. Plastics and other recyclables were unceremoniously dumped on the island, along with hazardous materials including asbestos, electronics and batteries—which can do serious damage to the marine environment.
