Hazardous material from UK - Re-export containers: CEA tells Customs

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) said yesterday it had directed Sri Lanka Customs to re-export the illegally imported containers filled with industrial waste to the country of origin.

The shipments were reportedly imported from Britain.

The Director of the Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management Unit of the Waste Management Division, Ajith Weerasundara said the containers contained hospital beds, mattresses, carpets, plastic and items like polythene, larvae, dead plants, fungus, bird feathers.

“We heard that more than 100 such containers have been illegally imported. But Sri Lanka is not a country which has the capacity to destroy garbage belonging to other countries,” he said and added that the waste material in the containers were hazardous to the environment and to health.

According to a senior official of the Customs, an internal investigation is underway on how the shipment came into the country.

He said that inquiries had revealed that an institution in Katunayake had allgedly imported these hazardous material. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)