Amaraweera denies allegation SL fifth largest marine polluter

Lalith praised for turning plastic waste into art

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka vehemently rejected the allegation levelled by some international organisations that it was the fifth largest marine polluter, said Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, yesterday, when he visited Uswetakiyawa on the invitation of artist Lalith Senanayake, who has created an elephant out of the plastic waste found on the beach.

Amaraweera said: “We must stop dumping polythene and plastic into the ocean. This magnificent piece of art has been created with plastic and polythene washed ashore. Studies have shown that even the annual fish harvest in our country is gradually declining due to plastic pollution.”

He said some 24,000 plastic bottles were collected daily from the ocean at the Dikowita fishing harbour. “Fishermen have been banned from carrying water in small plastic bottles when leaving in multi-day fishing vessels.”

“This creation by Lalith Senanayake must be highly appreciated. He got the idea from his daughter.”

Minister also said that in 1980 our annual fish harvest had been 300,000 MT. But by 2018, it had dropped to 53,000 MT. One of the main reasons for the decline in fish population was the increase in the amount of micro plastics in the ocean.

He also said that 60 water samples had taken from the ocean off the Southern Province 70 percent of them contained micro plastic. “The amount of micro plastics in the soils of our country is also high in some areas.”

The Secretary to the Ministry Dr. Anil Jasinghe was also present on the occasion.

The Minister presented a Lion Award to Lalith Senanayake.

Senanayake and his family hope they can encourage people to recycle or reduce their plastic consumption through the medium of art.

Senanayake said that it had taken about three months to complete the sculpture.

They decided on creating an elephant because they thought it would appeal to children.