Uproar in packaging industry over polythene ban
On the heels of the Government’s proposal to ban asbestos in Sri Lanka, the latest proposal to ban polythene from the country have sent shock waves among some industrialists who are protesting over the issue.J.D.C. Perera, President, Sri Lanka Institute of Packaging, speaking at the launch of Lankapak 2016 – the Premier International Packaging Exhibition in Sri Lanka held in Colombo last week, expressed the concern of the packaging industry people, on the decision of the government to ban polythene.
He said that polythene is an integral part of packaging and they could find no substitute for this material yet and noted that this issue should have to be discussed at length with the industry and relevant institutes representing the plastic manufacturing in this country. He said that all kinds of waste plastics (polythene) could be recyclable and in fact the recycling of plastics has now become a cottage industry and a large number of families live with that income. What is necessary is to streamline the collection of the waste polythene and ensure a ready supply to this cottage industry.
On the sidelines of the launch, Mr. Perera told the Business Times (BT) that around 10 years ago he had suggested to the government to make arrangements for school children to collect these waste plastics and the CWE (Cooperative Wholesale Establishment) to purchase them through its island wide network, so that the students could understand the value of money and the need to protect the environment. He said that they are supporting this polythene recycling cottage industry.Kithsiri Wijesundara, Packaging Consultant, speaking on ‘Packaging in General and Its Relevance to the Sri Lankan Economy’ branded the decision of the government as stupid. He said “I call it stupid, as it is stupid”.
He said that the Sri Lankan Government is now talking of environmental protection and pointed out that there are some stupid rules like banning polythene and things like that. He said “I say it is stupid, because it is stupid. I was returning from Singapore and found the polythene shopping bag is still the same bag. If it is such a dangerous or a bad thing they would have done away with them long time ago”.They looked at various alternatives, he said and they have found this is the most environmentally sustainable bag and if the drainage system gets blocked that is not the fault of the polythene bag. That is the fault of the people, he pointed out.
In Singapore people do not throw the bag and he indicated that the polythene industry in this country should be able to lobby or influence the government to formulate right policies which are actually sustainable and helping the environment – conservation of the environment.
He said that the turning point in the packaging industry happened in 1977 with the liberalisation of the economy and said that the packaging industry in Sri Lanka was reborn. The Government recognised packaging as the lifeline of the development of exports because exports were selected by that government as the engine of growth of the country’s economy.
With the per capita income growing consumption patterns have also changed in the country, he asserted and stated that consumption of consumer items grew very rapidly which contributed to the growth in the packaging industry.Packaging for retailing promotes and enhanced the competition in the market place, he indicated, pointing out that it is a powerful tool to build up competition.Lankapak 2016 Exhibition will be held for three days from 6 to 8 May 2016 at the BMICH. It would showcase the state-of-the-art packaging and it is being held for the 16th consecutive year and it would showcase the latest and most sophisticated products and services used all over the world.