Geocycle launches “Geo Responsibility Awards”

Geocycle Day will be celebrated on 22 March with a series of activities to popularise sustainable waste management amongst the industrial community. Geocycle wishes to create awareness and encourage professional waste management among all industrialists in Sri Lanka.   

The key event will be “Geo Responsibility Award 2011” which will be held from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m on 22 March 2011, at Mihilaka Medura, BMICH.

Minister for Environment, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa will grace this event as the chief guest. With “Geo Responsibility Awards”, Geocycle expects to give recognition to industries that practice best environmental management system amongst industries currently registered with them. Assessment and evaluation will be carried out by an independent Technical Committee comprising of experts representing the Ministry of Environment, Central Environmental Authority, Ministry of Industries and Commerce, Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, Industrial Technology Institution, National Cleaner Production Centre and University of Moratuwa. These awards and certificates will be issued in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, which will also lead the Technical Committee. Winners will be recognised with gold, silver and bronze awards whilst others will be recognised with merit certificates for their commitment towards professional sustainable waste management.  

What makes Geocycle’s commitment and service exceptional in professional waste management solutions is its capacity and global expertise in disposing of hazardous wastes. Geocycle commenced providing this invaluable service far back as March 2005 and has extended its services to more industries over the years.

Geocycle has disposed of 179, 959 MT, of wastes for the last 5 years. If not, this volume of waste would probably have ended up in land fills, water bodies or being burnt, causing severe damage to the environment. Today around 125 organisations from various industries that obtain waste management services of Geocycle, some of them being Ship and boat building, FMCG products, pharmaceutical, agro-chemical and rubber.      

Geocycle continuous to be the only institution to be officially certified for disposing of hazardous waste in Sri Lanka, in addition to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OSHAS 18001.  The state-of-the-art analytical laboratory of Geocycle provides analytical reports for conventional and waste derived fuels. This too is the only laboratory in Sri Lanka of this nature and is probably one of the best laboratories within the region. Geocycle Analytical Laboratory is certified for 17025 and is listed as a competent laboratory by the Central Environmental Authority.  

The newly established pre-processing facility at Katunayake Export Processing Zone has helped to extend its services to more industries bringing further convenience. This facility again is one of the best in the region and the only facility in Sri Lanka to pre-process hazardous wastes, whilst ensuring zero environmental contamination.

Geocycle has the capacity to dispose a diverse range of waste in the most environmental friendly way. Non-hazardous waste such as rice husk and saw dust,  as well as hazardous waste such as industrial sludge, ink, dyes, mineral oil and oil contaminated wastes, solvents, paints, lacquers, varnish, agro-chemicals, expired pharmaceuticals and PCB, PBB, PCT wastes could be disposed of through this environmentally sound waste disposal. Hence Geocycle has offered their customers, peace of mind ensuring that no future environmental liabilities result from waste generated from their respective industries.

Co-processing, the method used by Geocycle for waste disposal, is the globally established best practice to dispose of hazardous wastes. Co-processing is technically advanced and superior to land filling and incineration, as no residue will be left. Since co-processing is the most environment friendly method to dispose of hazardous waste, it is being recognised and encouraged by international institutions such as the World Health Organisation, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Hazardous chemical and waste conventions, the Basel Convention, the European Cement Association, and GTZ (German Technical Corporation).