(Seychelles News Agency) - Seychelles opened its second sanitary landfill earlier this week with the island nation's first state-of-the-art facility to reduce underground pollution and protect groundwater supply.

The sanitary landfill, funded by the European Union, is located at Providence, on the eastern coast of the main island of Mahe. It covers an area of 26,000 square metres and has containment areas 3 metres high going up to 4 metres on the side facing the sea.

The principle secretary of environment, Alain Decommarmond, said the new sanitary landfill is one of the best in the region.

“Seychelles continues to strive for more effective solid waste management but at the same time explore strategies at how to reduce solid waste generations, which will eventually end up in this landfill,” said Decommarmond.

The landfill has three drainage channels for the collection of liquids coming from it called ‘leachate’ -- which is a black liquid containing organic and non-organic elements. It is formed when landfill waste decomposes and rinses off by the rain.

The new sanitary landfill covers an area of 26,000 square metres and has three drainage channels for the collection of liquids coming from it called ‘leachate'. (Louis Toussaint, Seychelles News Agency) Photo License: CC-BY

Above its expected function, Decommarmond said that it is already serving as an educational venue for students and locals wanting to learn about solid waste management.

The first sanitary landfill in Seychelles also located at Providence was opened in March 2015 under the ninth European Development Fund. 

At the opening ceremony of the new landfill, the EU ambassador to Seychelles, Marjaana Sall, said that this project reconfirms the EU’s commitment as a development partner to assist the island nation’s government in implementing its national development strategy.

Through this project, Sall said that the EU is also intervening in mitigating climate change. “Solid waste is still mentioned as a key concern. Wastes contribute to the emission of methane, which is considered as a greenhouse gas.”

In thanking the European Union (EU), which gave $2.6 million for the project, Decommarmond said, “The EU has always supported Seychelles over the last 40 years of our bilateral relationship and partnership in reference to our challenges related to solid waste management.”

“We have no doubt that this excellent relationship will continue in the future,” said added.  

As part of the EU’s contribution to fight against climate change, Seychelles, a group of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, has also received $3.5 million for the prevention of flooding and community resilience to the effect of climate change on La Digue, the third-most populated island.

The facility of the landfill is expected to last for a maximum period of four years.