TURNING WASTE INTO WORTH

As plastic waste chokes coastlines and clogs supply chains, Sri Lanka is looking inward, not to ban plastic altogether, but to reinvent how it's used, reused, and valued.

- BY Rukaiya Riza

At the heart of this rethink is a shift from cleanup campaigns to market-driven recycling models that can stand on their own feet.

At a recent panel discussion at an event themed 'Re-circle by Cleantech', thought leaders from government, industry, and manufacturing converged to chart a new path: one where policy reform meets commercial sense, and where discarded plastic finds its way back into production lines as a resource, not just refuse.

EPR policy to take centre stage

Ministry of Defense and Urban Development Assistant Project Director Gamini Subasinghe, outlined Sri Lanka's regulatory landscape, highlighting the government's ongoing efforts to curb plastic pollution through policy reform.

"The government has prohibited the use of certain single-use plastics like straws, cutlery, and carry bags," Subasinghe said, adding that these measures fall under a broader natural environment framework currently overseen by the Ministry of Environment.

A significant policy tool in progress is the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which places the onus of waste management across the life cycle of plastic products on the producers themselves.

"Under EPR, producers are mandated not just for manufacturing, but also for the collection, recycling, and disposal of their products after consumer use," he explained.

"The Ministry is currently in the process of amending the National Environment Act to incorporate these elements."

Subasinghe also noted Sri Lanka's commitment to global sustainability frameworks such as the Basel Convention and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

Despite these efforts, implementation remains a challenge. "While action plans have been drafted, particularly around waste minimisation and sustainable alternatives, execution is where we need more cohesion," he noted.