Rogue polythene makers get around CEA blocks
The Central Environment Authority (CEA) says its effort to clamp down on polythene lunch sheet and shopping bags by restricting the major manufacturers has been a failure as small- time industries have stepped into the void, selling the prohibited product freely.
A survey carried out by the CEA has revealed that although the registered companies have stopped producing illegal polythene, small industries operating in the backyards of homes are having a field day, boosting production and selling their products at higher prices.
Because of this, the authority has had to create a special unit to raid cottage industries involved in the manufacture of polythene, CEA Waste Management Director-General, J. M. U. Indraratne said last week. The unit carried out 10 raids last week in the Western Province, nabbing around six wholesale/ retail and small-time manufacturers. A three-wheeler transporting the polythene was impounded.
Raids carried out throughout the provinces by some 600 trained CEA officers and environmental police have resulted in the detection of more than 50 small factories producing illegal polythene sheets.
Investigations in January found a further number of polythene producers who had not been registered with the CEA. “This adds up to around 70 manufacturers, wholesale, retail and small enterprises,” Mr. Indraratne said.
Detecting the illegal operations is difficult as information comes only from the public and random checks at wholesale and retail shops. The CEA now has a new on-the-spot testing procedure and perpetrators can be charged instantly.
Mr. Indratne said, in most cases, buyers are duped into believing that the product is biodegradable. “What’s more, they buy it at a high price,” he said. He said bulk buyers should be aware of illegal products circulating in the market and, if necessary, check with the CEA on whether the product they plan to buy is genuine. “We have a list of registered companies that manufacture the genuine products. They should check with us,”’ he said.
For a while the CEA had been soft on errant producers since the ban on polythene for lunch sheets and shopping bags came into effect on 1 December 2017, but from January this year it has come down hard on manufacturers.
Errant producers will be charged under the National Environmental Act and can be shut down. Further penalties include a Rs.10,000 fine or two years’ imprisonment, or both.
Although registered companies have stopped producing illegal polythene, small industries operating in the backyards of homes are having a field day