CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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SL imported US $ 611.53 worth plastics by 2020: Amaraweera
The United Nations COMTRADE Database has revealed that Sri Lanka had imported plastic goods worth US $ 611.53 million by 2020, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
He made these comments during a recent discussion with a group of environmentalists at the Environment Ministry.
The environmentalists were from the Centre for Environmental Justice, joined the discussion on the environmental damage caused by plastics and polythene.
“Polythene and plastics have a major impact on the current environmental damage in our country. About 300,000 tons of plastics are imported annually. Of this, only 7.1% is recycled,” he said.
The Minister explained that the remaining 92.9% is being dumped illegally into the environment, causing severe air pollution, as most of those are set on fire and destroyed by humans.
The ban on single-use sachets (non-food and pharmaceutical) is now 100% successful due to the Ministry's decision to ban several products to reduce the use of polythene and plastic, Minister Amaraweera said.
He further stated that steps will be taken to eradicate the use of non-perishable lunch sheets in the country within the next three months and the support of all environmental organizations and environmentalists is envisaged on this. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)
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