Colombo(AsiaNews) – Fines of up to 10,000 rupees (100 US dollars) and up to two years imprisonment. This is what citizens ofSri Lankacould face if they do not abide by a Central Environment Authority ban on manufacturing, selling and using polythene with a thickness of less than 20 microns. The norm, which entered into force this month, covers shopping bags and even lunch packets that come into direct contact with food.
According to local reports,Sri Lankaimports around 120,000 tons of plastic per year, of which 50% is high-density polythene that is used to produce the banned products.
“It is a good step but was enforced without a proper plan. The government should have introduced alternatives before implementing this step. Today, these banned materials are used by everyone,” Ajith Rohan, a 41-year-old Catholic manager of Wayamba Development Bank told AsiaNews. This is a leading rural Bank in Kurunegala district about 80 kilometers from the capital.
Ajith Rohan said there were materials in villages that could be used as alternatives for polythene products but proper awareness should be raised about the problem. “It is important to inform people scrupulously about the details of the ban and about what alternatives they have. If alternatives are not provided, the ban will turn out to be another failed environmental policy.”
“We can use banana leaves for carrying our lunch but not everybody can get them. The government should introduce easily available alternatives before banning. If people can get alternatives for polythene from markets easily, they will follow the government request” a graduate Science teacher at a famous girls’ school inColombotold AsiaNews.
Santhini Fernando, another Science teacher inColombosaid: “As teachers, we can give good guidance to school children about alternatives for polythene because we know this toxic material is often used to wrap cooked food.”
A vegetable seller in a shopping complex 15 kilometers north fromColombosaid: “We would also like to follow the government request but people should bring paper or cloth bags for their purchases. When they come empty-handed, we must automatically use plastic shopping bags. What to do? The government should introduce alternatives soon and ask people to use them”.
