Biodegradable polythene manufacturers say attempts to curb polythene use failing

Polythene manufacturers, last week, complained that the government’s drive to control the availability of banned lunch sheets and polythene bags has been a failure.

The Manufacturers and Recyclers Association claimed that, despite its members abiding by the government rule and transitioning into the manufacturing of biodegradable lunch sheets, the availability of the banned lunch sheets are dampening their sales.

Additionally, association members said that supermarkets generously handing out low density polyethylene ( LDPE) bags is compounding the problem, as the amount of polythene used by the public has increased.

The low strength of the LDPE bags compels consumers to use several layers of bags to carry the same load, they claimed.

The Association's President, Anura Wi j e t h u n g e said the Central Environmental Authority ( CEA) had lost control over the system, and moun- tains of polythene were being collected each day by the local authorities.

This, he attributed to the CEA handing out licences to new manufacturers unconditionally and allowing the import of machines used in the production of the banned polythene.

"With no monitoring, the newcomers are having a field day. It's easier to control existing manufacturers without allowing new industries coming into the fray. It is a total failure," he said.

Mr Wijethunge said that several industries involved in the manufacture of the banned polythene lunch sheets had spent up to Rs400,000 per machine to transform their machines to manufacture the biodegradable lunch sheets.

Although the government had prom-

Association members said supermarkets handing out low density poly ethylene (LDPE) bags generously is compounding the problem, as the amount of polythene used by the public has increased.

ised to reimburse 50% of the expenses incurred in modifying the machines, he said, it had so far reimbursed only Rs200,000 per industry. The agreement was to reimburse up to five machines per industry.

"It is a huge loss. Our members have decided to stay away from the production of biodegradable lunch sheets," he said.

The CEA, however, countered the Association’s claims, saying bags used in supermarkets are made of low density polyethylene which are easily destroyed and recycled.

CEA Director Investigations, N S Gamage said raids on industries are ongoing and that they have successfully raided illegal industries involved in the manufacture of the banned lunch sheets and bags made of high density polyethylene.

Last year alone the CEA had conducted 10,350 raids and fined 810 errant industries, restaurants and retail and wholesale traders using the banned polythene. This included 17 industries from which 20 tons of the banned lunch sheets were seized.

This year, too, he said, the CEA is planning on conducting around 10,000 raids. Already in 1,500 raids in the last two months, around 80 registered and illegal manufacturers had been identified. In one instance, five tons of the illegal lunch sheets was seized from a leading manufacturer in Panadura.

Mr Gamage said that the Cabinet paper to grant 50% of the cost of modification to machines will be paid soon.