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Measures in the bag to cut vast polythene waste at supermarkets
There are encouraging sings that supermarkets are coming on board to give incentives to shoppers to bring reusable bags the environmental regulator says.
Some leading supermarkets generate millions of kilograms of waste every year and contribute heavily to the plastic and polythene menace in Sri Lanka.
The Central Environment Authority said officials had discussions with supermarket chains on the ban on high density polythene and the use of reusable bags.
CEA deputy general manager, J M U Indraratne, said supermarkets would also introduce reusable bags. Such bags will be sold at outlets.
Meanwhile, the CEA set up an office, the ‘Punarudhaya National Programme for Environment Conservation’ at the Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, in Colombo to monitor and encourage people to stop using polythene bags. The program began with a print ad campaign on the polythene ban.
The advertisement said that as per cabinet paper No 17/1405/704/022 of July 11, 2017 all thigh density polythene used for filling, containing, and packing of prepared and cooked meals will be banned from September 1, this year.
The ban includes the popular lunch sheets, grocery bags and bags used for filling and containing cooked and prepared food. Also all high density polythene used for decoration at events including national, social, religious, cultural and political has been banned.
More importantly, the ads say that the burning of polythene in open places and on the waysides are prohibited.
The CEA said burning of polythene by households and on the roads result in cancer-causing substances being released into the environment. But the regulator has no plans to raid industrial premises to check compliance.
The CEA has plans underway to encourage people to stop using polythene bags. Pic by Sameera Weerasekera