100 million tons of disposable plastic ware dumped into environment every month

By Ifham Nizam

Nearly 100 tons of used plastic yoghurt cups are discarded countrywide annually, a study done by the Environment Ministry reveals.

Among the findings is that only seven percent of yoghurt cups discarded after use are collected for recycling.

It was also revealed that about 45 million yoghurt cups and similar disposable plasticware are added to the environment every month.

The study reveals that careless burning of yoghurt cups as well as all polythene and plastics is also harmful to the environment and human health. Dioxin and furan, which have been identified as carcinogens, are widely released into the atmosphere due to the burning of plastic.

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera held discussions with several companies that currently recycle yoghurt cups.

Amaraweera said that the use of plastic cups in the yoghurt business could not be banned as no alternative had been identified so far.

“Yoghurt is a highly nutritious food that can be obtained at a low price and if the plastic cups are banned, the manufacturers will be severely inconvenienced and the industry may collapse as there is no cheap alternative,” the Minister pointed out.

Minister Amaraweera however added that therefore, the use of plastic cups by the yoghurt trade would not be prohibited, but the use of plastic spoons for eating them would be banned.

A Cabinet paper had already been submitted listing additional eight plastic products to be banned. It seeks to ban plastic spoons, forks, food stirrers, etc.

A number of companies buy disposable yoghurt cups for recycling. Representatives of those recycling companies also pointed out that the public could therefore earn extra money without burning empty yoghurt cups or dumping them.