Fine revised to Rs. 100,000 for production, distribution, sale of polythene lunch sheets

Among the number of decisions taken by the Environment Ministry, there was also a decision to increase the fine for the production, distribution and sale of polythene lunch sheets to Rs. 100,000 from August 1, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

Following a discussion held at the Ministry with the eight polythene lunch sheet manufacturing company representatives, he said the current fine was Rs. 10,000. However, the Ministry has decided to ban the production and distribution of polythene lunch sheets in the country from August 1.

Accordingly, only biodegradable lunch sheets can be used for food wrapping after August 1.

Meanwhile, a one-month grace period granted to the polythene lunch sheet manufacturing companies was to sell their stocks while allowing new companies to produce biodegradable lunch sheets, also decided to completely deactivate  Polythene Lunch Sheets production. Action taken to introduce a code to identify the relevant manufacturing company and print the code on every lunch sheet using health-friendly inks issued by each company to prevent other counterfeit manufacturers from doing so in the production of biodegradable lunch sheets. Continue to regulate these companies as well as the market through the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), the Consumer Protection Authority, and other agencies, and seek police assistance if raids are found necessary. Decision was also made to amend the existing Fines and Penalties proposed by the existing Environment Act and the Minister requested the representatives of the companies to support the government's plan to reduce the use of polythene and plastics in the country to mitigate environmental and health problems.

There are eight companies in the country that manufacture biodegradable lunch sheets.

During the discussions, the industrialists pointed out that they had to bear the high cost of importing the raw materials needed to produce biodegradable lunch sheets. They claim that it costs three times more to produce these perishable lunch sheets than they are made of polythene. They also demanded tax relief for this purpose.

However, the Minister instructed the Central Environmental Authority to submit a report to the Minister to inform the Cabinet about their problems immediately, also said that if it is reported that companies that obtained licenses for the production of biodegradable lunch sheets and that have produced polythene lunch sheets, the licenses issued to those companies will be revoked immediately in the first instance.  (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)