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From Waste to Wealth
Travel
From Waste to Wealth
WRITER: Elwin Chan PHOTOS BY: Alvin Toh
From Waste to Wealth 23. January 2020, by Elwin Chan, Photos by Alvin Toh
You know that the Eco Centre at Gili Lankanfushi means business when the first thing that greets you at the entrance is a signboard that proudly proclaims “Waste to Wealth” (made with recycled wood no less); and when you step in, the first thing you see is a futuristic machine called The Rocket.

The truth is, the resort takes its commitment to reducing waste very seriously. Guests are encouraged to remove plastic bottles, spray cans and batteries that they bring to the resort, and all staff (known on the island as hosts) are educated on sustainability topics such as recycling and reducing wastewater, food and energy. At the host restaurant, there are even “No Bin Days” where everyone is encouraged to just take what they can eat so as to reduce food wastage.

Food waste is collected and processed by The Rocket into compost.
Food waste is collected and processed by The Rocket into compost.

Located just behind the organic garden, the Eco Centre is where waste of all sorts are recycled. Glass is ground up and used as aggregate. Aluminium is crushed to provide scrap metal. Plastic is sorted and donated to Parley. Food waste is processed into compost by The Rocket, Maldives’ first mechanical-biological composter. With this state-of-the-art machine, one hundred percent of the organic waste produced in the kitchen is processed and returned to the garden soil as valuable fertiliser.