SL targets 20% reduction in total waste by 2035

• Eyes EU packaging standards by 2040
• National Plastic Waste Management Action Plan (2021-2030) aims to achieve a 30% reduction in plastic used for packaging by 2030
• Global packaging industry contributes about US $ 1bn at present. Expected to expand to US $ 1.5bn within next 5 to 7 years 

By Shannine Daniel

Sri Lanka is stepping up efforts to align its packaging industry with the global sustainability standards, targeting a 20 percent reduction in total waste by 2035 and meeting the European Union (EU) packaging benchmarks by 2040, a senior expert said.

SYLCAN Trust Sri Lanka Senior Technical Expert Dr. Thusitha Sugathapala said waste management has become a key driver of growth and innovation in the country’s packaging sector, which already contributes about 3 percent to national GDP.

At present, Sri Lanka is implementing the National Plastic Waste Management Action Plan (2021-2030), prepared by the Environment Ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme. The plan aims to achieve a 30 percent reduction in plastic used for packaging by the end of the decade.

Dr. Sugathapala said the next phase would focus on developing an action plan for sustainable packaging and waste management that meets the global standards. The initiative will draw on the knowledge and expertise of local industry professionals to help position Sri Lanka’s exports in line with the tightening international regulations.

The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, which will replace the current directive, is set to reshape the global packaging landscape. It will introduce mandatory recyclability for all packaging by 2030, minimum recycled content requirements for plastics and bans on certain single-use materials such as condiment sachets.

“The global packaging industry contributes about US $ 1 billion and within the next five to seven years, it could grow to around US $ 1.5 billion. This is also an opportunity for the local industry to grow and develop,” Dr. Sugathapala said at the Global Packaging Forum held in Colombo this week.

He encouraged the industry players to engage actively in shaping Sri Lanka’s sustainability agenda, noting that doing so would strengthen the country’s access to international support and markets.

The Global Packaging Forum, held in Sri Lanka after 13 years, brought together the stakeholders from across the packaging industry and several international participants.