Rapid pollution of the environment impacts the lives of humans and animals

Though there is a struggle to save mankind and the earth from pollution, humans are polluting the environment so rapidly that if this continues, there won't be air to breathe not only for people but animals!

These thoughts emerged during a presentation by Dr. Rohan Kar u n a r at h n e, President, Ceylon Institute of Builders ( CIOB), speaking at the opening ceremony of Construction Expo 2016 - Building, Interior and Lifestyle Show conducted at the BMICH, held this week.

He said that to stop this negative approach to the environment, CIOB - from a Sri Lankan perspective - is introducing a sustainable green building construction approach in Sri Lanka in which all its members are expected to follow as guidelines. Those who comply with their method would be awarded a certificate for all green products.

The exhibition is being held for the fifth year and aimed at specially promoting the ' green construction' concept. There are 220 stalls with participants from 14 countries, he said, while explaining that China is running a separate pavilion.

On the sidelines of the event, the Business Times ( BT) Dr. Karunarathne, asked for his comments on the ban on asbestos manufacture, said that they are in favour of the ban as on the one hand there are substances that is cancerous in asbestos and on the other hand the ban could be possible as there are enough viable alternatives to asbestos.

At the exhibition some of the exhibitors are promoting several roofing materials that could be alternatives to asbestos. For example the Samson Rajarata Tiles by the DSI Group at a tile factory in Anuradhapura has indicated that it can provide environmentally friendly clay tiles to meet the demand. (QP)