Maldives breaks ground on first PET flaking and washing facility
The Maldives on Wednesday marked a major milestone in its environmental sustainability journey with the foundation laying ceremony of the MOPACYCLE PET Flaking and Washing Line Facility — the first facility of its kind in the country dedicated to processing PET plastic waste into valuable recyclable raw materials.
The project, led by the Maldives Ocean Plastics Alliance (MOPA), represents a transformative step in strengthening the Maldives’ recycling infrastructure and advancing a circular economy approach to plastic waste management.
The ceremony was inaugurated by Environment Minister Ali Shareef, with participation from key stakeholders including representatives from Waste Management Corporation (WAMCO), Housing Development Corporation (HDC), Maldives Aerated Water Company (MAWC), and The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), alongside government officials, industry partners, and environmental advocates.
The planned 5,000 square-foot facility at Thilafushi will house a fully functional PET processing line, including collection receiving, label and cap removal, flaking, hot and cold washing, and drying. The facility also include ETP for water treatment to ensure potential microplastic in the used water are addressed. Once operational, the facility will significantly enhance the value chain of plastic waste in the Maldives by transforming PET waste into high-value recycled resources that can be used for the production textile fibres, and other recycled outputs.
Speaking at the ceremony, MOPA President Ahmed Maumoon highlighted that since its inception, MOPA has remained committed to responsibly addressing plastic waste in a sustainable and practical manner.
He noted that the establishment of the PET flaking and washing line facility will take the country’s recycling process to the next level by increasing the value and usability of collected PET plastics.
“PET should no longer be viewed simply as waste. Through proper systems, partnerships, and infrastructure, it can become a valuable resource contributing to a circular economy and a cleaner Maldives. The initiative also will enable to triple the current capacity of PET collection and export for recycling,” he said.
He further emphasised that the success and progress of MOPA’s initiatives have been made possible through continuous guidance, collaboration, and support from multiple agencies and organisations.
MOPA acknowledged the support received from the Government of Maldives and the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy from the very beginning of its journey, as well as the close collaboration with WAMCO in advancing waste management initiatives. The organisation also highlighted the important roles played by HDC in supporting projects in Hulhumalé and now in Thilafushi, alongside the continued partnership and support from The Coca-Cola Foundation since MOPA’s early stages.
The facility is expected to be completed within the next nine months with support from multiple local and international partners.
In his remarks, Minister Ali Shareef highlighted the growing environmental challenges associated with waste management in the Maldives and stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in developing sustainable long-term solutions.
He described the MOPACYCLE facility as a significant addition to the country’s waste management infrastructure and expressed hope that future developments would expand further into value-added manufacturing processes such as recycled threads and other downstream outputs. He also highlighted the importance of replicating similar initiatives across different regions of the Maldives.
Saloni Saran Goel, Senior Director of Sustainability and Value Creation for Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, emphasised the Coca-Cola system’s commitment to support sustainability efforts in the Maldives through three key focus areas:
- Supporting the development of packaging waste management infrastructure and recycling
- Supporting partnerships for collection and conversion of waste to resource through value chain development and showcasing the Maldivian model at global platforms
- Strengthening effective collaboration among stakeholders to create lasting impact
The MOPACYCLE initiative is expected to significantly increase PET recovery and recycling capacity in the Maldives and support MOPA’s long-term vision of establishing similar recycling infrastructure across multiple zones in the country.
The project represents another important milestone in the Maldives’ transition toward sustainable waste management, resource recovery, and circular economy solutions.
