(Seychelles News Agency) - The Seychelles Solid Waste Management Project (SWMP) is in the preparation phase as the government awaits final approval of a $5 million loan from the World Bank within the second half of the year.

The project, which aims to promote sustainable solid waste management and circularity in Seychelles, will be implemented by the Landscape and Waste Management Agency (LWMA) under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment.

The director of the Division for Waste, Enforcement and Permit Division, Nanette Laure, described the project "as a crucial initiative for the country as it is expected to improve and address urgent challenges in solid waste management in an integrated manner. The management of solid waste is a priority for the government."

The project will have three components - improving the solid waste management system, strengthening operations and increasing disposal capacity at Providence Landfill. This component aims to improve the design and management of the landfill infrastructure through a design-build-operate contract.

The project will also support the entrepreneurial circular economy ecosystem through gender-smart training modules.

The project also has a management component to support the incremental operating costs for the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and project management consultants. These include measures to strengthen the capacity of the PIU to manage the environmental, and social risks of the project activities.

Laure added that there is an entrepreneurship component, because to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the landfill, people, especially women, will be encouraged to take up innovative businesses that deal with this waste.

The deputy chief executive of the LWMA, Rahul Mangroo said,"The Providence Landfill is gradually filling up, soon we will have to find ways to improve this situation, and part of the project is dedicated to fixing the infrastructure of the landfill and increase capacity while also providing a management component to ensure that waste is dealt with more efficiently."

Mangroo clarified that as part of the requirement for the loan with the World Bank, LWMA must conduct consultations, especially with the residents in the vicinity of the landfill. This will also be done with other stakeholders to provide them with sufficient information on project risks and impacts, as well as potential opportunities.

Mangroo confirmed that the consultations are expected to be held next week while the whole project is expected to be completed over five years.