Amaraweera firm on banning arrack ‘quarters’

by Ifham Nizam

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera vowed to go ahead with his plan to ban 180 ml arrack bottle (commonly referred to as the ‘quarter-bottle’) despite its political cost and would not allow political influence to alter a decision already made..

Speaking to journalists after a ceremony organized by the Central Environment Authority at BMICH Colombo last week, the minister said that there could be political repercussions from the ban. But given the damage inflicted by them on environment, it was the right thing to do.

“I would not allow political influence to prevent the ban. Our government makes decisions keeping the well-being of people in mind. In 2018, over 105 million 180 ml arrack bottles were sold in the country. In other words, 52% of the total number of arrack bottles sold were these quarter bottles. This has become a huge environmental problem because those who buy them dump the empties any and everywhere causing environmental damage,,” the minister said.

It was up to the Excise Department to make the final decision and implement the ban. “There are several other stakeholders and I have commenced talks with them. The manufacturing companies do not have a program in place to collect the empties often dumped in paddy fields. They often end up in our rivers and other public spaces. I will take the necessary steps to implement the ban soon,” the minister said.

He added: “Farmers complain of empty bottles floating on water ways. Whenever there is a rain these bottles float through canals into rivers. Now, we have to spend public funds to remove them.”

He said that Chairman of National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Dr. Samadhi Rajapaksa had last week said that in a public survey had indicated recently had shown that 72.4% of the sample polled supported the ban of ‘quarters.’

“Experts of the World Health Organisation too have pointed out that quarter bottles could contribute to the increased consumption of liquor. The latest WHO Global status report on alcohol and health indicates that Sri Lanka has recorded an alarming 29.4 percent growth in hard liquor consumption. Excise Department statistics said that in 2019, Lankans purchased between nine to 10 million arrack quarters a month, up 300% from 2009,” the minister said.