Maldives at risk from garbage island growing by one square meter a day

The Maldives are the marine paradise most loved by Italians, with 1.190 coral islands concentrated in 26 atolls, of which 93 are occupied by resorts and luxury resorts. And it's no coincidence that Italians are the first visitors to the Maldives and They represent almost 20 percent of total arrivals, compared to 17,9 percent for the English and 11,8 percent for the Germans.

Garbage Island in the Maldives

Few travellers, however, know that next to heaven there is hell, that is Thilafushi Island, located just seven kilometers from the capital of the Maldives, Malé, and it has become a sort of open-air dump for the entire archipelago.

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RUBBISH ISLAND MALDIVE

The situation is collapsing. 500 tons of waste arrive on the island every day, equal to an amount of garbage transported by five trucks every hour trashAccording to the calculations of the local environmental association Blue Peace, the island of shame, also called Rubbish Island (i.e. the garbage island) is growing at an impressive rate of one square meter per day.

(Image source: Getty Images)

Garbage Island, Maldives

On the other hand it could not be otherwise because here, in an area of ​​over 50 hectares, all the waste from the resorts on other islands ends up, all the filth produced by tourist traffic. A veritable garbage dump, where the waste is then hidden and macerated under the sand and even directly into the sea, or incinerated by hand with poisonous fumes that rise into the sky every day. The threat, at this point, is to ruin the most beautiful sea in the world. and for this reason the Malé government is trying to take action. How? By forcing all the other islands to do the same. differentiated and adopt a self-disposal system. Will it succeed? For now, heaven is being defiled by hell.

THE STORIES OF THOSE FIGHTING TO SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT:

• Retired Ulisse on the beach in Sardinia: he blocks uncivilized people and collects waste (photos and video)
• Planting and adopting trees is the latest trend among green-loving citizens. They're also urban gardeners (photos).
• Cigarettes on the beach, this is how Paola collects thousands of butts every day. Let's do the same!
• Italy's greenest newsagent: the story of Mauro Silenzi, who with his committee is planting hundreds of trees at Porta Portese (photo)
• Maria Immacolata is 75 years old and works as a beauty bringer. Bari's flowerbeds are being reborn thanks to her flowers.