First consignment of e-waste to be shipped to Japan for recycling

by Ifham Nizam

The first consignment of e-waste from Sri Lanka will be exported to Japan today for recycling.

The Environment Ministry, the Department of Posts and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) yesterday said the first batch of waste collected at post offices countrywide during the e-waste collection week, last month, would be exported to Japan from the Katunayake Investment Promotion Zone.

Addressing the media Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the step had been taken by the INSEE cement company based in Puttalam.

Amaraweera said the first three tonne container of e-waste would be exported to Japan.

He said that industrial waste contained high levels of radioactive metals in the industrial material, which could lead to many health issues.

Therefore, the collection and export of e-waste would continue.

In September, CEA and the Postal Department through the post offices countrywide decided to collect all E-waste.

The collection of e-waste was carried out by nearly 7,000 postmen as the public were allowed to hand over e-waste to post offices.