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by Gamini Warushamana

The Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) last week were up in arms against a government move to ban plastic and polythene products based on incorrect information. The media was told top officials of the chamber and industrialists vehemently condemned this move and accused the relevant ministries. This followed certain news reports quoting the Minister of Health and the Minister of Environment in this connection.

A journalist pointed out that the Cabinet had only decided to ban polythene less than 20 micron gauge and not ban plastic and polythene totally. Chamber officials said that they read the news reports based on the statements of two ministers and as there were no corrections they believed that the reports were correct and hence decided to react.

The CNCI had not consulted the relevant authorities before publicly condemning the government's move.

Director, Environment Pollution Control of the Central Environmental Authority Lal Fernando told the Sunday Observer that the CNCI allegation was baseless and the chamber had not consulted the ministry or the CEA on the issue.

Fernando said that the Ministry of Health recently drafted a proposal to totally ban plastic and polythene products as a measure to combat dengue. However, the CEA pointed out the impracticability of the proposal and the economic cost of such a decision.

Finally the Cabinet decided to ban certain polythene products such as shopping bags and lunch wrappers that cause severe environmental and health problems. Fernando said that the ban will affect only polythene with a gauge of 20 micron or less.

CNCI said that the industry has faced many problems following the statements of the ministers concerned. Commercial Banks have stopped lending to industries claiming that plastic and polythene were to be banned in the future. Industrialists pointed out the economic costs of a total ban of plastic and polythene. Bangladesh is the only country that has totally banned plastic and polythene, they said.

In Sri Lanka the plastic and polythene industry accounts for Rs. 3.7 billion of direct exports. The industry also indirectly adds value to all other export industries providing packing materials and accessories. A large number of persons are employed in the industry.

Polypack SECCO Group Director Anwar Dole said that a proper collection mechanism of waste material and recycling industries is needed to address environmental issues arising from the use of plastic. Dole said that in India, they recycle plastic 30 times and thereafter use waste materials for road surfacing.

Dole said that the per capita plastic consumption is used as an economic or wealth indicator. Accordingly our per capita plastic consumption is 4 Kg, far below the average world figure of 18Kg. Germany tops plastic consumption with 110 kg, he said.

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