Photo by: Hermes Rivera
The practice of discarding waste into the ocean, popularly known as marine feeding, has plagued the Maldives for decades. With the government in Maldives now imposing strict actions on improper disposal of waste, resorts are scrambling to find proven, long term solutions.
In February 2021, Power Knot hosted a series of webinars with our partner in the Maldives, Hospitality Depot, to discuss what food waste solutions currently exist and which one is best suited for resorts in the Maldives. Watch a recording of the webinar here.
Quick Statistics on our Webinar:
- 94% attendance rate
- 30+ live questions
- 200% webinar rewatch rate
- two additional webinars requested post viewing
Notable attendees were the Executive Director of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) and the Environmental Consultant for MATI. Here are three findings we found consistent across the multiple webinar sessions.
Strong desire for sustainability amongst native residents
Maldivians were the largest number of attendees amongst all registrants. These residents had not only witnessed the creation of Thilfushi, the island of trash, but experienced it throughout their entire lives. The impact of food waste on the ocean is disastrous and spells negative long term effects on the environment. We found that while nearly all residents were highly aware of improper disposal of organic waste into the ocean, they were mostly unaware of any long term solutions.
Fish waste is highly undesirable
While many webinar attendees asked questions about the limitations of what the LFC biodigester could or could not digest, the most recurring questions were centered around fish waste. Naturally, the main source of protein on these islands is fish. Proper disposal of fish guts and bones has been a long standing issue for these resorts. Most food digesters are typically unable to process fish waste without odor issues. The LFC biodigester has no issues digesting fish waste and has been used at five star resort Dusit Thani Maldives for over two years with no odors or noises.
Impact of COVID-19 on Resorts and Sustainable Motives
The impact of COVID-19 on the Maldives affects more than just basic livelihood. With the disruption to the tourism industry, many resorts are seeing their cash flow turn negative and are attempting to reduce any sort of financial expenditures. Many resorts are being extra careful and choosing to take the time to invest only in investments that will save them money in the long run. Many of the webinar attendees were interested in the LFC biodigester because it presented a proven onsite solution for waste management. Food digesters enable cost reduction through removal of waste handling and transportation, minimization of employee injuries, and saves time.
As the world starts to reopen and the tourism industry regains traction, these resorts will be long ahead of the green game and will be making up for their initial investment in no time at all. Though issues of improper disposal of food waste is greatly exacerbated on small destination islands due to size and proximity, the effects can be felt across the globe. Watch the Maldives webinar here or contact us for more information on how you can reduce food waste in your facility.