Picking up the pieces
A clean up and recycling scheme is what Tharuka and her husband Viran Kannangara have taken upon themselves in abid to clean up Colombo by collecting biodegradable materials and disposing them at recycling facilities. The couple started operations a month ago and have made a considerable impact within their community and Colombo.
Tharuka whose initiative began with a yearning to look after her environment derives no monetary incentive in this mammoth task and is still to officially name her operation as it is in its initial stages.
Plastic items being sorted at a collection centre
Currentl, her project caters to households and cooperates and she hasn’t undertaken any sort of advertising with a lot of her marketing being carried out by word of mouth. “I don’t know how they find me,” she says with a laugh.
Once a household or a corporate is added to her extensive database they are immediately updated of her schedule via SMS or WhatsApp.
Tharuka tells us most of her operations remain close to Colombo with the farthest being in Piliyandala, Panagoda and Athurugiriya. This being said they intend to expand their operations to other areas as well in the future. She currently collects recyclable materials through a meticulous and tight schedule. Her plan allows her to collect the items by dividing Colombo into four target areas she says. Her collection process takes place every weekend targeting an area once a month.
She operate on a weekly schedule starting on the weekends and each zone she tackles once a month. For instance in the first weekend she collects material from the Dehiwela – Moratuwa zone, the second weekend she collects items from the Nugegoda – Kotte zone and the third weekend she collects from the Colombo 03 – 08 zone and ending her month and what little spare time she has with the fourth weekend tackling collectibles from the Rajagiriya – Athurugiriya zone.
Having established a strong relationship with local recycling plants Tharuka is now an avid supplier of glass, paper, polythene etc to the welcoming recyclers in and around the island. Currently her main helper is her spouse, whose ardent support of her initiative has been present from day one, she says. The couple have received support by praiseworthy recyclers, who lend them a hand in numerous ways she says.
Tharuka tells us she initiated the project after she found it a hassle to collect and sort waste in her own home. “After starting this initiative only the kitchen waste remains. It makes life sostress freeand completely self-satisfying,” she says. Seeing the fruitful progress of the results from her own home front, Tharuka extended the courtesy to her friends and family some willingly joining in and soon word spread like wildfire, now she has nearly 200 families involved in her project.
Tharuka and her husband
“This (project) is completely being done with love for the environment and our own country just to make it a better place for all of us,” Tharuka affirms. “People have laughed at me that I am wasting my money and time, but yet the satisfaction it gives us to help each other and the friendships made cannot be bought for money.”
As a side venture on June 8 Tharuka plans on doing a clean-up on Poson Poya and also plans to host an awareness programme at a few temples. She also said she hopes to start a permanent collection centre in Boralesgamuwa near the Bellanwila Raja Vihara (Bellanwilla Temple) which will kick off during the first week of June.
“People have lost trust in the waste management system followed in our country,” Tharuka laments. Thus she takes garbage disposal and waste management very seriously.
“Garbage disposal is each and everyone’s responsibility. If someone is providing a service we must take it up as citizens to follow protocol because if the garbage is not segregated properly it becomes a burden to all.”
She says there are enough recyclers in the country, however, she says unfortunately things have been taken for granted. “We love to wait till someone else does it for us. As individuals if we start segregating and recycling whatever possible, and composting other waste, there will never be a garbage problem.”
In terms of the future of the initiative she believes while the project will no doubt be interesting it will also be a challenge. “We want to expand. Collect from more houses. Make Sri Lanka a beautiful country whilst hopefully spreading a lot of love,” she says.
Tharuka believes the blame game has to stop and if action is taken from the home first, the concept could spread to bring about change in the whole island. “If each of us take responsibility of our own garbage, there will be nothing left.”
For more information on how to get involved with Tharuka’s initiative contact her via email at tharuka.rashmini@gmail.com