The Maldives government has officially decided to prohibit the storage of chemicals in residential areas across the atolls, mandating that such facilities be situated exclusively in locations far from populated zones. This decision was finalized during a Cabinet meeting held yesterday.

Reflecting on previous hazardous incidents involving chemical storage, the administration has resolved to apply the same safety standards currently enforced in the capital, Malé, to all administrative islands. Moving forward, permits for the development of chemical warehouses will only be granted for sites identified as safe and sufficiently distant from local residences.

Chemical storage facilities pose significant safety risks, as evidenced by the catastrophic fire in 2019 at a warehouse on Abadhahfehi Magu in Henveiru, Malé, which resulted in substantial damage. To enhance public safety, the government previously initiated the relocation of several chemical warehouses from Malé to specialized facilities on the industrial island of Thilafushi, a process that remains ongoing.