Sunday Times 2
SLTDA, USAID launch sustainable waste management initiative
View(s):The Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) recently launched a new sustainable waste management initiative for the tourism industry in partnership with key stakeholders in the public and private sector.
The programme includes the collection of garbage at the destination, separation, storage for collection, transport to a recycling centre and recycle for reuse. The solid waste is to be given to the local authority for disposal. Tourist Police will coordinate with area tourism associations and ensure safety and security with a plan for each of the areas.
Piyumi Kalyanawansa speaking at the event
Initially, the programme will be launched in five key tourist areas (Sigiriya, Ella, Bentota, Passikudah and Negombo) and will be supported by the Environmental and Tourism Police, Local Government authorities, regional tourism associations and two leading private sector organisations (Ceylon Cold Stores and Viridis Pvt Limited), waste management specialists. Tourism is critical to Sri Lanka’s economy as it exits the pandemic and deals with its economic crisis. Pre-pandemic tourism represented 12 percent of the country’s GDP, generating USD4.3 billion in revenue in 2018. Tourism is rebounding once again, and arrivals reached 800,000 in early August surpassing the numbers of the entire previous year, and the industry is keen to ensure that the country has good sustainable practices in place to support the anticipated growth.
“Sustainability is seen as an important marketing tool and differentiating factor for tourist destination promotion and development in the future, and we are greatly encouraged by the support and dedication of both the public sector as well as the private sector organisations who are working together on a common action plan for waste management,” said Upali Rathnayake, Deputy Director General of SLTDA and Head of the Sustainability Unit.
The launch of the sustainable waste management initiative is a step forward in USAID’s Indo-Pacific Opportunity Project (IPOP) which has a special focus on sustainability.
“Today’s event is a direct result of our previous efforts on validating outcomes for a sustainability framework. Today, we have made a great start to ensuring that Sri Lanka will become a destination known for sustainability and climate resilience through environmentally conscious actions,” said Piyumi Kalyanawansa, Sustainability Lead, USAID-IPOP project.
