Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association and CEA to launch joint awareness campaign to reduce polythene, plastic usage
Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA) delegation comprising of Kaushalya Perera (Director-dsi / SLRA Exco), Nisreen Rehmanjee (John Keels Group / Plasticycle project), Prasad Jayaweera (Keells Super) Chaminda Wijeshinghe (Laugfs Super), Haroon Mowjood (Arpico Super), Nirmal Nonis (Softogic Supermarkets), Roshan Hassen (Laksathosa), and Leonard Perera (SLRA); recently met with Deputy Minister of Mahaweli Development & Environment Ajithmannaperuma; Rohana Perera, Chairman of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA); Sarojini Jayasekera, Director of Central Environmental Authority (CEA); Mahinda Werahera, Deputy Director of the Ministry of Environment; and officials from CEA and Ministry.
The meeting was convened to discuss on the SLRA green retail initiatives being implemented by member supermarkets and retail outlets, in effort to reduce usage of polythene & plastic with the introduction of re-usable, recyclable bags, alternate packing, and to review the progress of enabling charge for polythene packing/ wrapping at supermarkets as a pilot project and extend to other retail stores once the model is tested. The SLRA delegation outlined the shopping incentives/discounts provided to consumers for bringing in re-usable and recyclable bags and adopting green initiatives whenever they shop.
In order to ensure that initiatives are properly meted out, the CEA-SLRA agreed to launch a joint awareness campaign with appointment of a National Task Force led by stakeholders CEA, SLRA, CAA, National Craft Council, NGOS under the guidance and auspice of the Ministry of Environment; to educate consumers to reduce polythene and plastics in supermarkets and retail outlets.