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| Sunday, 5 October 2003 |
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Out - 'sili-sili' bags and lunch sheets by Shanika Sriyananda Laws to ban the manufacture and sale of polythene bags popularly known as 'sili sili' bags and thin polythene lunch sheets will come into effect, shortly. Considering the environmental and health hazards caused by unabated usage of these 'sili sili' bags and lunch sheets, and the irresponsible disposal of plastic waste, the Cabinet approved a proposal made by the Environment and Natural Resources Minister Rukman Senanayake to take steps to control the polythene menace, last week. According to Minister Senanayake, several eco-groups requested the Ministry to implement laws to ban polythene which is fast becoming a threat to the environment in the country. " As a developing country a total ban on polythene would be difficult to impose at once, but it is necessary to ban polythene bags and lunch sheets which are less than micron 12 in thickness and are very hazardous", he said. However, according to the Minister, the removal of polythene bags should be done gradually since a large number of people depend on the industry. A team comprising two officers from the Central Environment Authority and one from the Ministry will fly to Bangladesh at the end of this month to study how they totally banned polythene and what was the outcome", Minister Senanayake said. "The Cabinet gave its approval for the ban on polythene bags and lunch sheets in all government buildings, offices, cultural and archaeological sites, schools and playgrounds. The Ministry urges the political parties not to use plastic decorations in public places. Plastic products have already been banned in the Adams Peak region, all national parks and the National Zoological Garden", he said. Raising public awareness tops the list of activities on the card to ban polythene. According to Minister Senanayake, a Cess tax of between 1.0% to 1.5% will be imposed on importation of plastic raw material and the revenue will be deposited in a special fund at the Central Environmental Authority (CEA). The Minister also said that of the total annual Cess revenue (Rs. 100 million), 80 percent will be remitted to this fund will be utilized for public awareness campaigns and plastic re-cycling projects. The Ministry has also obtained Cabinet approval to establish a 'Plastic Partnership Committee' comprising members of the Plastic and Rubber Manufacturing Institute, CEA and the Ministry of Finance. |
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