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Supermarkets provide 100 billion shopping bags to customers annually: Amaraweera

22 April 2021 09:04 pm - 15     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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A total of 100 billion shopping bags are being issued to consumers every year by the supermarket chains and 10 million lunch sheets are used, which are causing an environmental hazard, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

A joint programme was held at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo by the Environment Ministry and the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to mark ‘World Earth Day'.

“Many people are of the opinion that protecting the environment is just about planting trees. However, plastics and polythene pose a serious threat to the entire world. Our country is the only country in the world that uses lunch sheets. The population of our country is 21 million. Every day 10 million lunch sheets are added to the environment by the people of our country,” the Minister said.

The supermarket chains also confirm that billions of shopping bags were being released into our environment each year, he said.

“Discarding used-up carbon pens is leading to environmental damage. With our current school system, 80 to 100 kilograms of carbon pens are released to the environment every day,” Minister Amaraweera said.

Therefore the Ministry had taken steps to ban several types of plastic and polythene products while making a historic decision. No previous environment Minister had touched on this issue before, he said.

Meanwhile, Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake said that around one million people visited Colombo every day and the environmental pollution caused by the entry of a similar number of vehicles into the city was very high.

Therefore, the CMC and the Environment Ministry commenced the planting of 100,000 saplings within the Colombo Municipal Council area yesterday.

Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake, Environment Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Foreign Ambassadors and many other dignitaries were also present on the occasion. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)


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  Comments - 15

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  • Dee Thursday, 22 April 2021 10:19 PM

    Bio degradable bags are being used long before you even knew about such things!

    Santos Thursday, 22 April 2021 10:20 PM

    Sathosa - None?

    FF Thursday, 22 April 2021 10:31 PM

    MR MINISTER. PLS STOP GIVING STATISTICS GIVE US AN ALTERNATIVE INSTEAD

    Jude Thursday, 22 April 2021 10:35 PM

    Hey Amare, what's the alternative!??, what's the solution!?? It's easy to ban but you need a plan !! Huh!!

    European Friday, 23 April 2021 12:02 AM

    We take our own shopping bags to the supermarket

    Hari M Thursday, 22 April 2021 11:24 PM

    Get back to our roots, carry our own shopping bags made out of Jute or Palmyra leaf. Use paper bags too, if needed coated with wax to withstand water. The country has become a garbage dump with plastic water bottles, bags and cheap import toys, decorative items etc. that people discard with ease as they are cheap and poor quality. Stop these cheap imports and copying the lifestyle of other cultures.

    RoaringCreek Thursday, 22 April 2021 11:50 PM

    So what? lack of proper secondary education.

    Lol Friday, 23 April 2021 01:10 AM

    Now we have carry the good our pockets and sarongs. Ladies can carry in hand bags and osari

    Jose Mo Friday, 23 April 2021 02:22 AM

    Bring you own bags to the supermarkets or charge the consumer for the bags provided. This is what is happening in the west.

    There are many ways if you are interested. Friday, 23 April 2021 03:12 AM

    We may use paper bags or bags made from jute or even reusable bags made by coconut tree or Palmyra tree leave (ola). It will give many employment opportunities at village level

    Lanka Friday, 23 April 2021 05:26 AM

    The big bosses of these supermarket chains are good buddies of all of you.... So why not tell them directly and provide an alternative!!!! Without crying out loud and making a mokery of yourself......

    BE FAIR Friday, 23 April 2021 06:36 AM

    Cant be in Sri Lanka. If it the case if 20m people go shopping every day they will be using an average of 13 bags. So I feel the Minister has got the figure wrong, but admire and applaud him for the intention of a plan to reduce this menace

    ram Friday, 23 April 2021 07:08 AM

    supermarkets should charge rs.25 per each shopping bag and reduce goods price added for free given bags. consumers bring their own bags if charged.

    Terrence Friday, 23 April 2021 09:55 AM

    Permit only customers having their own bags to enter the supermarkets and give some incentive by way of discount to motivate customers

    Imtiaz Muhsin Friday, 23 April 2021 10:47 AM

    100 Billion used by 22 Million, which means each person in Sri Lanka uses 4,500 bags per year or 12 bags every day!!


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