The polythene ban that goes live in three weeks from now, on September 1, despite all its good intentions, likely to affect Sri Lankaโs retail economy, exports and even garbage disposal. The ban will result in the overnight loss of 345000 jobs across the country too, according to Sri Lankaโs HDPE polythene and recycling industry that is now up in arms over the ban.
โThe new polythene ban is an industry and a humanitarian catastrophe that kills 345000 livelihoods overnightโ said Chairman of All Ceylon Polythene Manufacturers and Recyclers Association (ACPMRA) Anura Wijethunga on 8 August in Colombo. ACPMRA Chairman Wijethunga, accompanied by more than 300 manufacturers of HDPE polythene, was addressing Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and his top official on the eve of 8 August at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Colombo 3. The 300 distraught and frustrated looking industry operators of all scales (representing around 800 HDPEโs countrywide) led by ACPMRA Chairman Wijethunga were confronting Minister Bathiudeen and calling him to intervene immediately to resolve the looming ban that will be effective from 01 September -in three weeks from now.
80% of Sri Lanka annual polythene production is in HDPE (high-density polyethylene) considered to be stronger and low cost and the rest 20% in LDPE (low-density polyethylene). Due to its high strength HDPE is considered to be more harmful to environment than LDPE. Annually Lankan HDPE manufacturers produce around 40 million kilos of HDPE polythene-which is banned from September 1. The value of annual Lankan HDPE polythene output is Rs 12.87 Billion (US $ 84 Mn) and this sector employs 345,000 workers, 45000 of them directly.
ACPMRA Chairman Wijethunga, addressing Minister Bathiudeen said that the ban will affect the entire economy. โPolythene is an essential material in everyday lives anyway. We too support environment preservation. 800 HDPE industry operators are forced to shut down. After the announcement of the ban, we have been facing a serious liquidity crisis and are unable to operate no one lends us now. The entire HDPE industry is at a standstillโ said ACPMRA Chairman Wijethunga and added: โNo advance notice nor info about this ban was given to us in advance. We tried to join policy level decision making committee and asked them to include HDPE makers too but the 16 member committee did not include even one industry representative! We were not called and instead, were laughed at. As per latest government recommendations, after the ban starts on 1 September, if anyone still want to use polythene bags (โshopping bagsโ) in future, the one rupee bag at present will cost Rs 12 each and one lunch sheet will cost Rs 10 each. The ban will result in overnight job loss for 45000 direct and another 300,000 indirect employees in this sector. The new polythene ban is an industry and a humanitarian catastrophe that kills 345000 livelihoods overnight โwhich is livelihoods of 300000 families! The influence of HDPE polythene is so vast and cross cutting, not only the retail economy but even the exports sector is affected- HDPE polythene used in 25% of apparel exports, and most fruits and vegetable exports.ย In retail sector, HDPE used from the micro level street-side sellers, to supermarkets. Since same polythene is used for garbage collections, there can be a national sanitary issue. Thatโs the level of crisis that Sri Lanka will face due to this ban.ย No other country in the world banned HDPE polythene in this way. They only introduced control measures and not a full scale ban. What we demand is for a five year phasing out HDPE industry transition period during which time we can pay back our loans and switch to new technology. There are no real substitutes for HDPE polythene at this moment. We also call for low cost Oxo-biodegradable plastic technology to be used in Sri Lanka instead of proposed starch based bio degradable plastic technology, which is four times costlier. We brought down British experts at our own cost to explain to local environmental authorities but they refused to meet the experts. On the bright side, when we met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on this issue recently he showed his understanding of our plight and sympathised with us.โ
Minister Bathiudeen who bore the brunt of polythene protest that was not of his making, said that being the Industry and Commerce Minister, he is concerned about job loss and impact on exports. โI was not involved in the ban but still I am willingness to support the sector for a win-win solution. Use of plastics that harm the environment should be discouraged, but step by step. It appears to me that the ban was somewhat sudden, and has been decided without the consultations of the industryโ he said. Thereafter Minister Bathiudeen instructed his top officials to inquire into this and also phoned several Cabinet Ministers promptly, calling for their inputs on the issue. He also immediately arranged a meeting on 10 August between the industry reps who met him on 8 August and national environmental officials. More importantly, Minister Bathiudeen then scheduled another urgent consultation between industry reps and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) on the morning of Friday 11 August. The CCEM is headed by Prime Minister Ranil Wcikremesinghe.
Last month the Central Environment Authority (CEA) of Sri Lanka banned the use, production, import and sale of polythene lunch sheets, shopping bags, and Rigifoam items under a new rule that comes into effect on 01 September. Cabinet approval was also granted on 11 July for โa series of measures to gradually end the use of polythene and thus minimize its environmental impact.โ
Leader of All Ceylon Makkal Congress