COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Cold Stores (CCS), a producer of the Elephant House brang beverages and ice cream, said it had recycled more than 300 metric tonnes of plastics in the past year and was looking for alternative packaging.
CCS said it had invested 23 million rupees in recycling last year. Plastic bottle collection had increased 10 times to 311 metric tonnes from 39.9 million tonnes.
“Given the evolving regulations surrounding single use plastics and interest towards environmentally friendly packaging, continual emphasis will also be placed on exploring alternate forms of packaging,” the company said.
The group expanded its plastic recycling initiative, in line with its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPF), a voluntary initiative implemented by the Central Environmental Authority and the Environment Ministry, which requires producers to collect 16% of their sales of PET and High-Intensity Polystyrene.
Sri Lanka is planning to make EPF mandatory under planned changes to the country’s environmental law, Anil Jasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Environment has said.
CCS has set up four material recovery facilities with a capacity to process 50 million metric tonnes a month. The company had 165 collection bins in the Colombo district.
Elephant House supermarkets were also cutting plastic use.
The firm has also taken initiatives to use compostable bags for top crust bread and its fresh meat and fish counters.
It has also discontinued the use and sale of plastic cups, plastic straws, and introduced paper straws at juice counters.
The firm said it extends the concept of ‘Bring your own bag’ for bakery products to decrease the use of plastic packaging.
Outlets were giving rebates for customers who brought their own bags. The rebate was increased to 6 rupees from 4 rupees, the firm said.
The CCS expects to increase the recycling of plastics to 20% of its sales by 2025 and open eight new Material Recovery facilities along with 200 garbage collection bins.
-econonomynext.com
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