Plastics account for 10 percent of waste collected by local authorities

Colombo, Feb 26 (Daily Mirror) - Plastic wastes account for about 10 percent of the waste collected by local authorities, out of which about 70 percent is packaging plastic such as single-use plastic (SUP) shopping bags (40%) and lunch sheets (10%), according to a survey conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

 JICA conducted a survey through “Project for Strengthening Plastic Management Capacity” launched in September 2023 on the current situation of plastic waste management, which was not grasped in the past. The main findings of the survey so far are summarized as below, while the survey will continue with more samples to improve its accuracy.

The 49 recycling facilities surveyed nationwide have overall capacity to recycle 152 tons of plastic per day; however, the actual amount recycled is only around 100 tons per day. In addition to PET, PP (polypropylene, such as plastic chairs, sorted e-waste, household items, etc.) and PE (polyethylene, such as HDPE bottles, polysacks, LDPE household containers, plastic bags, etc.) are largely recycled.
 
The survey of public opinion on SUP in the Western Province revealed that, except for shopping bags and lunch sheets, more than half of the respondents believe that SUPs are replaceable and unnecessary.

Based on these results, actions to improve plastics management will be discussed furthermore. For this purpose, a JICA team visited the Faculty of Applied Sciences of Sri Jayewardenepura University, the only faculty in Sri Lanka with a Polymer Science Department, to discuss the collaboration. In lectures given by JICA officer and experts, both lecturers and students showed great interest in the findings on plastics management, which was unprecedented in the past. Collaboration among industry, government, and academia is crucial to solve the problem, and JICA will continue proactive dialogues with various stakeholders.