This is how Sri Lanka manages its plastic waste
The practice of open waste dumping is a significant issue in Sri Lanka. Between 1999 and 2009, the amount of solid waste generated daily rose from an estimated 6,500 tons to 7,500 tonnes.1 Of this waste, as much as 85 percent is deposited at open dumpsites each day.2 While the environmental and socio-economic implications of open waste dumping are commonly discussed, recent casualties stemming from the collapse of the Meethotamulla dumpsite in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s commercial capital, highlight the additional risk of this practice to human life.3
One solution to overcoming open waste dumping is incorporating landfill taxes and community engagement strategies for composting and waste segregation. By combining taxation and community engagement, Sri Lanka can address both waste disposal practices and the underlying domestic waste generation behavior that requires disposal mechanisms. This can be achieved by encouraging pro-environmental norm creation and stimulating paradigmatic changes through community scenario planning in both waste disposal and waste generation practices. Furthermore, landfill taxes provide a disincentive to waste generation and can fund an alternative to open waste dumping, which is an immediate concern for Sri Lanka.
Causes
The practice of open waste dumping in Sri Lanka is rooted in two underlying causes: municipal failures to collect and dispose of waste responsibly and public attitudes towards waste disposal. Open waste dumping is recognized as a widespread disposal practice across low-income Asian countries and is especially prevalent in rural communities.4-6 In Sri Lanka, waste management is regulated at a municipality level by Local Authorities (LAs).7 Although bound by the Local Government Act, LAs are rarely held accountable to national waste management policies and open waste dumping is the most popular municipal waste disposal mechanism adopted.7,8 Moreover, most LAs fail to service all households within their municipalities, with as few as 24 percent of households reported to be serviced in the Southern Province of Sri Lanka.9 Households left to dispose their own waste often resort to roadside dumping.7 Municipal failure to provide adequate waste disposal services is a self-reinforcing feedback loop, amplified by increased urbanization and ensuing waste outputs.10
Another predominant cause of open waste dumping is public sentiment regarding waste. Public attitude towards the practice is a significant reinforcing factor of open waste dumping, as households both generate waste and participate in waste disposal practices.8 At present, the attitudes held by Sri Lankan households is not promising. In a study of waste management conducted by Vidanaarachchi et al.,9 it was found that 81 percent of the households surveyed were content with the waste management services provided. This lack of public motivation to revise waste disposal practices may stem from a lack of information regarding the impact of the practice. Alternately, it may stem from a ‘societal addiction’ to a knowingly harmful practice based on the immediate benefit of cheap and easy disposal.11 Thus, changing attitudes towards waste is integral to the revision of socio-ecological regimes that normalize open waste dumping, acting as the driving force of the current social trap underpinning these practices.
Given the recent calamity at Meethotamulla and the ill-advised decision to dump garbage in Muthurajawela, a wetland sanctuary under the Fauna and Flora Ordinance, it is useful to consider the background to waste management in Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka generates 7000MT of solid waste per day with the Western Province accounting for nearly 60% of waste generation. Each person generates an average of 1-0.4kg of waste per day. According to the Waste Management Authority and the Central Environmental Authority, only half of the waste generated is collected.
Responsibility of waste management
Waste collection and disposal responsibilities are vested with the local authorities of the particular Divisional Secretariat, either a municipal council (as per the Municipal Councils Ordinance -1947), urban council (Urban Councils Ordinance – 1939) or local council (Pradeshiya Sabha Act – 1987). Provisions related to waste management and disposal, are made under the National Environmental Act No.47 of 1981 and Public Nuisance Ordinance.
There are a myriad of institutions concerned with waste management at different stages, including the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils, Ministry of Mahaweli Development and Environment, Ministry of Megapolis and Western Province Development, Central Environmental Authority, Urban Development Authority, National Solid Waste Management Support Centre, Western Province Waste Management Authority, Local Authorities.
Current status
For the last 20 years or so, government institutions have attempted to figure out the best waste management strategy for the country. While some policies and actions supported sanitary landfills, some initiatives were driven towards waste to energy projects. In 2008, CEA initiated a 10 year Waste Management Programme named “Pilisaru Programme” with the goal of “Waste Free Sri Lanka by 2018”. Unfortunately the lack of a unified coherent strategy has led to inconsistent and ineffective practices.
The failure to address this escalating issue in a timely manner resulted in unsanitary eye sores in Karadiyana, Bluemendhal, Meethotamulla, Kolonnawa, and the degradation of wetlands, coastline, rivers and other streams which become dumping sites for plastic and polythene waste, and other mixed waste. With mountains of garbage accumulating at Bluemendhal and Meethotamulla, on the 14th of April, Sinhala-Hindu New Year dawned with the burst of Meethotamulla garbage mountain, killing 30 people and destroying more than 100 houses.
