BPPL Group calls for responsible disposal of plastic-waste

BPPL Holdings PLC and subsidiary Eco Spindles, Sri Lanka’s largest plastic recycler, called for responsible disposal of plastic waste across the island this World Environment Day. This year’s theme, “Ecosystem Restoration” is focused on implementing a solution to a depleting ecosystem, an urgent issue faced in Sri Lanka, and across the globe.

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) noted that the Western Province alone generates around 7,500 metric tons of solid waste every day, of which only 3,500 metric tons are collected. Of this, close to 15% becomes compost, 10% is recycled and 75% is thrown into open dumps. “We recycle over 360,000 plastic bottles a day. While we are proud of our contribution to a greener Sri Lanka, the severity of the impact of irresponsible disposal of plastic needs to be addressed. People worldwide are asked to act with immediacy to revive the ecosystem that is being damaged at a startling rate,” commented Group MD, Dr. Anush Amarasinghe.

Aligning with this year’s theme and playing their part as a responsible organization, the BPPL Group has engaged in multiple waste management initiatives over the past five years, despite challenges posed by COVID-19. Three of their key highlights are the collection initiatives at Sri Pada, Kataragama and Thalawila, three sites of religious worship that attract crowds from across the island. However, this has also resulted in millions of plastic waste being disposed of irresponsibly during season time annually. The BPPL Group identified this as an issue and established the Sri Pada, Kataragama and Thalawila Waste Management Programs to collect and recycle plastic waste that is irresponsibly thrown into the environment.