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Lanka produces 7,000 tonnes of trash a day
Only half of them being collected as municipal waste
Sri Lanka produces 7,000 tonnes of solid waste per day, with only half being collected as municipal waste, it was revealed at an Inception Workshop for Local Authorities for a Sustainable Sri Lanka by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka.
A UNDP release said: Municipal Waste Management (MSW) is causing key social, environmental, and economic concerns in Sri Lanka. The country produces 7,000 tonnes of solid waste per day, with only half being collected as municipal waste according to the Waste Management Division of the Central Environmental Authority. Overall, 85% of waste generated is estimated to be disposed of inappropriately, mainly through indiscriminate open dumping and burning giving rise to health and environmental impacts.
The Western Province alone generates more than 59% (approximately 4,200 tonnes) of solid waste with a high degree of biodegradability. With trends in urbanization and rapid population growth, municipal waste generation is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tonnes by 2025. As such, transitioning from a traditional unsustainable system to sustainable waste management is a key necessity. Controlling the generation, storage, collection, transportation, processing and disposal of solid waste materials in a manner that best addresses the range of public health, conservation, economic, aesthetic, engineering, and other environmental considerations is a requirement for Sri Lanka. Therefore, as the country makes headway in its green recovery, it is crucial to build measures to introduce sustainable waste management options for Local Authorities (LAs).
Speaking on the topic at the inception workshop on Scaling up Sustainable and Low-Carbon Municipal Solid Waste Management and Resource Recovery in Sri Lanka held recently, M. M. P. K. Mayadunne, Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government noted, “Finding a practical and a long-term solution to Municipal Solid Waste Management is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders. As Local Authorities are on the frontlines of Municipal Solid Waste Management, supporting Local Authorities to come up with a sustainable system with public-private partnerships to control waste generation and final disposal is crucial”.
In line with this, together with the Ministry of Environment in Sri Lanka, the Government of the Republic of Korea, and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka is scaling up efforts to utilize best available technologies to improve Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM), support other waste related value chains and strengthen the capacity of women-led micro and small enterprises to engage in resource recovery initiatives in Sri Lanka.
Speaking on Korea’s expertise, Bohae Na, Programme Coordinator and Associate Researcher, KEITI noted, “It is a pleasure to work with Sri Lanka and UNDP in scaling up Municipal Waste management systems in Sri Lanka and we believe Korea’s technological and knowledge transfer and expertise will be a great asset in developing the sustainability of Sri Lanka’s Waste Management Sector”.
Addressing the gathering, Malin Herwig, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka highlighted, “The Republic of Korea is renowned for its world-class solid waste management systems, waste reduction and waste diversion from landfills.Therefore, through this partnership with the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute, Sri Lanka will indeed benefit from knowledge exchange and technology transfer in appropriate commercialized municipal solid waste management systems in the local context”.
Through this initiative, UNDP and KEITI have reached out to Korean technology providers and experts to provide valuable input and guidance on the available commercialized municipal solid waste management technologies. The project will support Sri Lanka to meet its MSWM targets of the National Development Agenda and waste sector Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by implementing locally relevant comprehensive and sustainable MSWM solutions.
Mahinda Werahera, Director, of the Environment Pollution Control and Chemical Management Division, Ministry of Environment noted, “Although Municipal Solid Waste Management in Sri Lanka is recognized as a national development priority, finding sustainable solutions for this issue has been extremely challenging. Therefore, through this initiative, we hope to work closely with Korean experts in finding economically feasible and socially acceptable solutions for Municipal Solid Waste Management in Sri Lanka”.
The project aims to reduce health and safety concerns to the people and wildlife, damage to the natural environment, Greenhouse Gas emissions and other forms of pollution, and waste management burden to the LAs. It will also stimulate private sector investment for low carbon development, and engagement of small enterprises in green resource recovery value chains and promote green jobs.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
