Waste in Sri Lanka

Waste management in Sri Lanka

1. Waste in Sri Lanka

The average composition of the household waste we measured (by weight), seems to be roughly as follows: 15%–30% plastics, 30%–40% paper, 0–30% organic fraction and 10%–30% rest-fraction (wood, glass, metal). The plastic and paper fractions make up most of the volume of household waste, but can be significantly compressed. The organic fraction makes a relatively large contribution to the total weight, due to its high density and water-content.Packaging materials make up more than half of the plastic and paper fractions, both by weight and by volume. A significant part of the paper-fraction is already made of recycled materials. Only a small part (less than half) of the plastic fraction would be easy to recycle mechanically. Most packaging materials produced in Sri Lanka do not state the material type. Restaurants and eating-houses produce a lot of food and kitchen remains, which are usually collected by local pig farmers, who use it as animal feed. Retail shops produce mostly packaging waste.Plant material makes up a very large part of the collected municipal waste. Estimates give around 60%–90% for the organic fraction (by weight).

Waste collectionAnalysis of data has revealed that per capita per day waste generation on the average is 0.85 kg in Colombo Municipal Council, 0.75 kg in other Municipal Councils, 0.60 kg in Urban Councils and 0.40 kg in Pradeshiya Sabhas. The total Municipal Solid Waste generated in the country is assumed to be around 6,400 tons per day and the daily waste collection by Local Authorities is estimated at 2700 tons.

Cleaning of (main) roads and markets has been recently in some areas especially in Colombo, Galle, and Kandy seems to function by private companies better than the former public cleaning systems. Waste collection and cleaning is mostly paid out of assessment tax and trade licenses. Frequent cleaning and collection of roadside waste is mostly restricted to main roads and town areas. Cleaning of the roadside drains is included in the duties of the local authority cleaners, but is currently insufficient.

The main product- and solid-waste streams

Waste disposalHouseholds generally dump or burn their waste materials. Dumping is usually done in a shallow pit in the ground, along the roadside, on a nearby dumpsite, in low-lying marshland or in waterways or waterbodies. Dumped material is often periodically burned. Local authorities usually dump their collected waste on privately owned land. Finding suitablesites is difficult, and current sites are therefore often over-used. Officially, waste is not burned by the authorities after dumping, but it does happen.

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Source: Garbage in Sri lanka, 2000

Solid waste management in Colombo

Figure 1Bloemendhal Dump Yard-CMC

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) which administers the largest and the most developed Local Authority in Sri Lanka has a duty to ensure favorable conditions for a high quality life for the residents living within its area of authority as well as those who work and conduct businesses within the city, with a sound and sustainable environmental protection system. The quantity of waste produced by the households, businesses and industries located within the city is about 700 metric tons per day.

Disposal of Hazardous Waste (Source: http://www.rrcap.unep.org/pub/soe/srilanka_waste.pdf)In the absence of a secure disposal facility, hazardous industrial waste is generally stored on site without adequate management. Alternatively, some industries dispose of their hazardous waste together with other municipal waste, or just dump the waste on vacant land. Some industries sell the waste for reuse. For example, waste oil is sold for treating timber and as a fuel for burners. In some instances, industrial waste is bought merely to recover the container, resulting in the waste being disposed of in an indiscriminate manner by the purchaser.

2. Institutional and Legal Framework (Source: http://www.rrcap.unep.org/pub/soe/srilanka_waste.pdfThe legal and regulatory framework relating to municipal solid waste and hazardous waste disposal is set out both at national and local government level. The main legislative enactment and regulations that deal with the issue of waste disposal are:

• The National Environmental Act• Provincial Councils Act• Local Government Ordinances• Hazardous Waste Regulations

At the national level, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (1987) which decentralizes power to the provinces, and the Provincial Councils Act, No. 42 of 1987 contain provisions for waste management.

The environmental regulations are laid out in the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980 (NEA), as amended by Act No. 56 of 1988. Under Section 12 of the NEA, “the Central Environmental Authority (CEA), may with the concurrence of the Minister, from time to time, give to any Local Authority in writing such directions, whether special or general, to do or cause to be done any act or thing which the Authority deems necessary for safeguarding and protecting the environment within the local limits of such Local Authority”.

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The Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (Gazette Extraordinary No. 772/22 of 24th June 1993, and Gazette Extraordinary No. 859/14 of 23rd February 1995) states that the development of any waste disposal facility with a capacity exceeding 100 tonnes per day is considered to be a prescribed project. In such instance, the developer should obtain an environmental clearance and should conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), or Initial Environmental Examination (IEE).

The legal framework for waste management at the local government level comes within the LocalGovernment Ordinances - the Municipal Councils Ordinance of 1980, the Urban Councils Ordinance and the Pradeshiya Sabha Act No. 15 of 1987. These Ordinances and Acts state that all refuse collected by the Municipal Council, Urban Council and Pradeshiya Sabha shall be the property of the Council.

The Ministry has drafted a National Strategy for Waste Management, which will be followed by the drafting of national regulations on waste management and disposal. Whilst the CEA will be responsible for overall management of the strategy.

(Most of the above acts have modified by amendments and new acts have introduced by resent steps taken by the government – No online documents are available)

3. National Policies on Solid Waste ManagementVarious policies were introduced in 2007 by ministry of environment.

Waste management Policy Objectives (Source: National Policy on Solid Waste Management, 2007)1. To ensure environmental accountability and social responsibility of all waste generators, waste

managers and service providers. 2. To actively involve individuals and all institutions in integrated and environmentally sound solid

waste management practices.3. To maximize resource recovery with a view to minimize the amount of waste for disposal.4. To minimize adverse environmental impacts due to waste disposal to ensure health and wellbeing of

the people and ecosystems.

Waste management Policy Principles (Source: National Policy on Solid Waste Management, 2007)1. Solid waste management will be managed adhering to the waste management hierarchy where the

emphasis is on reduction of waste generation, reuse, recycling and resources recovery to the maximum extent possible, followed by appropriate treatment and finally the disposal of residual waste.

2. Adherence to National Environment Standards developed under the provisions of National Environmental Act will be ensured.

3. Application of Market based instruments including polluter pays” approach will be recognized for effective waste management”

4. Resource maximization will be ensured by promoting sustainable production and consumption and enforcing producer responsibility approach throughout the product life Cycle.

5. Efficient law enforcement will be recognized as an essential means of effective Solid Waste Management

6. Partnership will be encouraged to ensure efficient and cost effective collection, transportation, storage and treatment of solid waste and disposal of residues.

7. Appropriate resources mobilization strategies will be explored and sustainable financing mechanisms for solid waste management will be promoted.

8. Sustainability of participation of all stakeholder groups in the entire waste management process will be ensured.

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Waste management Practice (Source: National Policy on Solid Waste Management, 2007)1. Solid waste will be managed in accordance with the 3R Principles with special emphasis on waste

prevention approaches2. Land filling will be limited to non-recyclable, non-compostable and inert material generated through

waste treatment processes.3. Development and implementation of sub sectorial policies in line with the National Policy shall be

made mandatory.4. Importation of all types of post-consumer wastes will be prohibited.5. Institutional strengthening and capacity building needs of stakeholders with special emphasis on

Local authorities will be addressed to promote effective waste management.6. Hazardous Biomedical/Health Care wastes will be managed so as to prevent environmental

contamination and to minimize the risks to public and eco-systems.7. Institutional mechanisms will be established to prevent hazardous biomedical/healthcare wastes

entering into the municipal waste streams.8. Public safety will be ensured through appropriate liability and compensation mechanisms.9. Regular monitoring and evaluation system will be established to ensure system improvements.10. Annual performance reporting and effective monitoring mechanisms will be set in place at LA level.

The "Pilisaru" national solid waste management program has been articulated to translate this National Policy into actions. Accordingly, a three year Action Plan aimed at achieving short term strategic goals of the Policy has been formulated and commenced implementation (in 2009). In order to ensure integrated implementation mechanism of the Policy, a national Apex Body entitled "the National Platform for Solid Waste Management' has been established with the view to provide overall guidance, national coordination and financial and technical program facilitation through resources mobilization.

4. Central Environmental Authority (CEA)The Central Environmental Authority is an institution established by an Act of Parliament to administer the laws relating to the protection of the environment in Sri Lanka. The CEA has, up to date, taken the following steps with a view to protecting the environment.

• Implementation of National Policy on waste management.• Introducing bags and containers for categorizing waste.• Instituting legal action against the offenders who break the law relating to the protection of

environment.• Obtaining financial and technical assistance from external sources for effecting improvements to

Waste Management.• Issue of environment protection licenses to Local Authorities.• Conducting awareness programs for the benefit of institutions which are concerned with

environmental protection.• Issue of instructions/guidelines on Waste Management to Local Authorities and other institutions.

5. Waste Management Authority (WMA) WMA is mainly established to manage waste in western province of Sri Lanka. 45 Local Authorities were clustered to form 7 Waste Management Zones centering 6 Municipal Councils namely, Colombo, Kotte, Dehiwala, Moratuwa, Negambo, Gampaha and Kalutara Urban Council, to have a participatory approach to solve the waste problem in the Province. Aims and Objectives

1. To implement the provisions of the Statute.2. To keep the environment of the urban and rural areas in the Province clean for the well being of

the people as well as for the flora and fauna of the province.3. To introduce waste management regulations for Solid Waste, hazardous waste, clinical or

infectious waste in the province.

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4. To implement the said guidelines with the help of local authorities and waste management contractors who are presently involved in waste management.

5. To assist Local Authorities in the management and control of all categories of waste (municipal, hazardous and clinical or infectious) its collection, transportation, treatment, transfer and disposal.

6. To disseminate the technical know-how on best waste management techniques. 7. To maintain a Waste Management data base and reporting system for all Local Authorities

within the Western Province;8. To prepare strategy for the waste management in the Province.9. To investigate the possibilities of using solid waste as a resource. 10. To promote waste separation, reuse, recycling and resource recovery. 11. To promote the use of waste in products and by products and to promote appropriate research

and development. 12. To coordinate with the Ministry of Provincial Councils and Local Government on all the foreign

assisted and/or locally funded projects implemented by the Authority in the field of Waste management.

13. To engage in such other related activities as are necessary to be undertaken by the authority in the opinion of the Provincial Council.

6. Some of the implementations to control waste (Source: http://www.env.go.jp/recycle/3r/en/asia/02_03-3/08.pdf)

a. National Color Codes for Waste Separation Containers• Green- Organic Waste• Blue- Paper wastes• Red – Glass, Bottles• Brown – Metals, Coconut Shells• Orange – Plastics/Polythene

b. Compost production promotion

Figure 2 house hold compost bins

Household compost bins were distributed among people and also available to buy from local hardware stores and shops.

Now private and government industries have started compost production plants using organic waste in several locations, especially in urban areas.

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Figure 3 A private compost production plant

Biogas and bio fertilizer projects are also now running at some areas successfully

Figure 4 Biogas + Bio-fertilizer plant at Muthurajawela, Sri Lanka

Plastic, Metal and rubber recycling plants are also in operation at commercial level in some areas of the country.

Prepared by: Senavirathna, MD Hiranya Jayasanka

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Waste in Sri Lanka