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Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and Naladhu Private Island Maldives together turn nearly one tonne of food waste a day into cooking gas, cutting landfill waste by 70 per cent and avoiding 1,263 tonnes of CO₂e each year
Oriana Migliaccio
Sustainability Manager & Marine Biologist (PhD) @ Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and Naladhu Private Island Maldives
For an island resort, throwing something “away” is rarely simple. Every plate of uneaten food must be stored, burned, discarded or transported elsewhere. In the Maldives, much of that waste is shipped to Thilafushi, the municipal landfill, adding costs and emissions to a problem that continues long after the bins have been emptied.
If organic waste is left to decompose, it releases methane. If nutrients escape into surrounding waters, they can place further pressure on fragile coral reefs. At the same time, resorts depend heavily on imported LPG, diesel, and fossil-fuelled electricity to keep their kitchens running.
The three resorts realised that these were not two separate problems. The food being sent away could help replace the fuel being brought in, and Circular Solutions was born.
In 2024, an anaerobic digestion system was installed on the Marina (staff) Island. The system turns food scraps into renewable biogas for its kitchens. At full capacity, it can process almost one tonne of food waste and replace around 60 kilograms of imported LPG every day. What remains after digestion becomes a nutrient-rich fertiliser for the resort’s landscaping.
Designed for remote island conditions, the modular system can handle high-moisture food waste and daily variations in volume. Controlled feeding and gas management keep production stable and help limit odours. Instead of being burdened by the organic waste produced, the resorts found a way to make it work for them, while mitigating its effects on the environment.
The implementation of the digestion system also makes financial sense. The system cost around US$160,000 to install and requires approximately US$9,000 a year to operate. Savings from fuel, waste transport and fertiliser are expected to total between US$53,000 and US$80,000 annually. The resorts estimate that the investment will pay for itself in about two and a half years.
At full capacity, the system can process almost one tonne of food waste and replace around 60 kilograms of imported LPG every day.
Since the system began operating, the resorts report that it has diverted 164,810 kilograms of food waste from off-island transport, dumping, or incineration. Organic waste sent to landfill has fallen by 70 per cent, going above and beyond industry standards.
The climate gains are equally significant. The resorts estimate annual savings of 1,263 tonnes of CO₂e, including 1,154 tonnes from preventing methane emissions and 109 tonnes from replacing LPG. Reusing digestate on the island also reduces chemical fertiliser use and the risk of nutrient runoff reaching nearby marine ecosystems.
Yet the project is not only about what happens inside the digester. Less waste handling has created cleaner and safer conditions for an estimated 1,500 guests, employees and contractors each day.
Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort, Anantara Veli Maldives Resort and Naladhu Private Island Maldives are also working to stop waste before it reaches the system. Weekly “No Bin Days” encourage more thoughtful preparation, portioning and consumption, while new employees receive food-waste training that is reinforced through annual refreshers. The machinery closes one loop; changing habits helps prevent another from forming.
With a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, the system was built for more than a short sustainability campaign. The resorts intend to use it as proof that circular infrastructure can work in remote island settings and pay for itself.
Within three years, it aims to replicate the model on three to five additional islands, creating capacity to process at least five tonnes of food waste each day. Over five years, it is targeting more than US$500,000 in operational savings.
The larger ambition is simple: to help and influence islands across the Maldives to see food waste not as something to ship away, but as a resource already waiting to be used.
A luxury hospitality brand for modern travellers, Anantara Hotels & Resorts connects guests to genuine places, people and stories in some of the world’s most extraordinary destinations. Each Anantara embraces the surroundings and culture of its destination, creating unforgettable memories for every guest since 2001. From city to sea and desert to jungle, Anantara delivers heartfelt, Thai-inspired hospitality at its over 50 hotels and resorts across Asia, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Ocean. Anantara Hotels & Resorts is a Minor Hotels brand and recognises its guests through one unified loyalty programme, Minor DISCOVERY, part of GHA DISCOVERY. Visit anantara.com for more information, and connect with Anantara on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X and YouTube.
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