FCCISL - SMED, with IUCN to eliminate pollution in industries

Industrial pollution is causing lot of damage to the environment in urban and rural areas and in an attempt to minimize this impact Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) - SMED Environment and Energy Division teams up with the World Conservation Union (IUCA) in launching several pollution control awareness programmes. These programmes are carried out through the Regional Chambers of FCCISL.

This launch includes five pilot projects. They are Agricultural Farm/Seed paddy sector, Desiccated coconut Industry, Lime Industry, Rice Milling Industry and Fuel pumping Service Station.

A rice mill is selected through Ampara District Chamber; Fuel Pumping Service Station is selected through Anuradhapura District Chamber; a lime kiln is selected through Matale District Chamber; Agricultural Farm/Seed paddy sector is selected through Polonnaruwa District Chamber and Desiccated coconut industry is selected through Wayamba District Chamber.

The pilot projects are selected from areas where there area large numbers of units of the particular industry and also among the Micro, Small and Medium enterprises. They are representatives of a significant environmental problem in the region.

IUCN funds an environmental audit of the SME selected and IUCN/FCCISL promote the participant's work both nationally and internationally and the Central Environmental Authority provides guidance. The selected industrialist where the pilot project is carried out has expressed willingness to use his workplace as a demonstration model.

The pilot plant is selected after detailed discussions and an MOU has been procured to commit to the cause and agreed to conduct environmental audits.

Rice milling has been a major sector in the Eastern and North Central Provinces and studies have shown that there is considerable amount of pollution and waste in this industry. In the case of Service Stations there is water pollution.

There are large numbers of lime kilns in the Matale District and the surveys have indicated that most of these kilns are badly designed and cause very high air pollution. The pilot project will come up with a procedure that will ensure environmentally friendly lime kilns.

Agricultural Farm/Seed paddy sector is a major industry in the Polonnaruwa District and they appear to be not operated in an environmentally friendly manner causing a threat to hygienic conditions as well as pollution. The pilot project in the Seed paddy sector is to ensure environmentally friendly practices that generate benefits to the community.

Wayamba Province is Desiccated coconut industry reputed for industry and the products are supplied to large multi-national companies. While large coir industrialists are conscious and adopt environmentally friendly measures many SMEs in the supply chain are far from being environmentally friendly.

The pilot project deals with eliminating the impending environmental hazards.