Sri Lanka new environment bill to mandate plastic recycling for producers
COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s proposed amendments to the Environmental Act will introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a legal framework shifting the burden of waste management, particularly plastic and polythene packaging, from the public to the manufacturers, Deputy Minister of Environment, Anton Jayakody said.
Under the new provisions in the bill, producers will be legally mandated to ensure that a portion of the materials they use is collected and recycled.
While the initial focus remains on plastic and polythene, the scope of the law is designed to expand to other materials.
The government will provide a three-year grace period for companies to establish collection infrastructure before legal action is initiated.
“According to the regulations we have currently prepared, the responsibility is assigned to the producer, and they are required to collect a specific portion of the plastic they produce within a given year, recycle it, and then formally notify the Central Environmental Authority,” Jayakody said, adding that the system is modelled on successful international frameworks.
The implementation will utilize a quota-based system. For example, a soft drink manufacturer might be required to produce a certificate proving they have collected and recycled 40% of the plastic they distributed during a fiscal year.
If existing infrastructure is insufficient, companies must invest in their own collection points and transport systems.
Officials emphasized that the system is structured to ensure that the financial burden of environmental cleanup remains with the producer rather than the consumer.
Failure to meet the designated collection targets within the specified timeframe will result in fines calculated based on the volume of uncollected waste, marking a shift from voluntary recycling to a strictly regulated environmental obligation.
-economynext.com
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