Production, distribution, sale of sachets less than 20 grams will be discontinued

The companies have taken steps to halt production and distribution of sachets (non-food and pharmaceutical) as well as selling of them, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) informed the Environment Minister.

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the ban on sachets that are lesser than 20 grams was implemented by the Ministry with effect from March 31, 2021.

After the inquiry, the CEA informed the Minister that the companies took steps to stop the production, distribution and selling the sachets.

The CEA will conduct raids and inspections through its investigation wing to ensure the banned plastic and polythene related products are being manufactured, distributed and sold.

As such, officers attached to the CEA's raid and investigation wing told the Minister that four such raids were carried out successfully during last week alone and that a large stock of non perishable lunch sheets were seized.

The Minister also directed us to look into the matters related to cotton buds, inflatable toys and non perishable lunch wrapping sheets among the plastic and polythene products which have been proscribed since March 31.

The Environment Ministry took directives to ban the sachets because of the enormous damage they cause to our ecosystem, as these discarded sachets contaminate water sources and drainage systems and they take a decades to decay. It has been reported that approximately five million used up sachets are thrown into the environment daily.

These are not recyclable and get buried into the soil and water and last for years and become micro-plastic particles and nano-particles, which also have a health impact on humans, the minister said. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)