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Wednesday, 23 August 2017 00:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
By Himal Kotelawala
Polythene manufacturers and state authorities are trading accusations over the soon-to-be-enforced ban on selected high density polyethylene (HDPE) products, with the former alleging that the ban will result in a total breakdown of the industry and a loss of some 40,000 jobs.
The authorities, however, disputing the numbers, maintain that the ban only deals with three specific HDPE products and will therefore not hurt the larger plastic manufacturing industry in any conceivable way.
Speaking to Daily FT, Polythene Manufacturers’ and Recyclers’ Association (PMRA) President Anura Wijethunga said, while his association is not opposed to the philosophy behind the ban and the Rs. 10,000 fine and two-year term of imprisonment to be enforced on any violators, it takes issue with the ban’s 45-day implementation. However, he claimed if the Government was ready to provide adequate compensation for any losses resulting from the ban the PMRA was even ready to consider “winding up the industry” which he said is over 35 years old and run by over 1,000 industrialists.
“We told [the Central Environmental Authority] the process is wrong. They didn’t consult a single manufacturer before taking the decision,” said Wijethunga, adding that his association was consulted after the decision had already been made.
“We have stock for over three, four months. It has to be reasonable. This decision is unethical,” he said.
According to Wijethunga, the bioplastic that has been suggested as an alternative is not economically viable as their machinery is unable to process it, requiring expensive modifications.
“What we propose is an environmentally friendly oxo biodegradable technology, which can be processed using our current machines, with no impact on the industry at an extra cost of just 10%,” he told Daily FT.
While acknowledging that plastic is indeed a problem that needs to be dealt with, Wijethunga charged that the problem is not the manufacturers but the authorities’ inability to formulate a functional waste management system.
“It’s not a question of too much polythene. In Sri Lanka, the per capita plastic usage is 7 kg. In Europe or America it’s above 50. But they’re managing their waste properly and they use it to produce energy. Here’s it’s just dumped somewhere and the manufacturers are blamed,” said Wijethunga.
He also questioned why a ban has not been enforced on non-recyclable plastic products such as yoghurt cups and biscuit wrappers.
The PMRA, according to Wijethunga, has recommended oxo biodegradable polythene as an alternative, which he claims is “degradable completely within two to three years.”
He reiterated that the industry is prepared to call it a day if the Government provides adequate compensation for any financial and employment losses incurred due to the ban.
The Central Environmental Authority (CEA), meanwhile, is steadfast in its claim that its decision was reached as democratically as possible.
Expressing some scepticism, CEA Chairman Prof. Lal Dharmasiri told Daily FT that claims that the polythene industry employs hundreds of thousands or even tens of thousands were doubtful given that there are only 500 manufacturers registered in the polymer industry.
According to Prof. Dharmasiri, only some 329 manufacturers of shopping bags and the like exist.
“They say there are about 1,000. Those must be illegal manufacturers. None of these manufacturers have obtained an Environment Protection License (EPL),” he said.
Prof. Dharmasiri was also dismissive of the allegation that the industry has been put in jeopardy due to the ban.
“We haven’t’ stopped the polythene industry. We have merely stopped three specific HDPE products: lunch sheets, shopping bags and grocery bags. That’s not the entire industry,” he told Daily FT.
“Those who manufacture lunch sheets can still make them using LDPE (lower density polyethylene). Some manufacturers are ready for that. There is no ban on LDPE,” he added.
Asked why non-recyclable plastic items such as yoghurt cups have not been banned, Prof. Dharmasiri said that, as a second step, an initiative will be taken to hold manufacturers responsible for recycling and disposing their plastics under an ‘extended producer responsibility program’.
“This cannot be done overnight, but discussions are already underway,” he said.
However, some milk packets for example are non-recyclable. Asked to comment on this, Prof. Dharmasiri said the CEA is “looking into it.”
Commenting on the possibility of providing compensation for any losses to the industry, Prof. Dharmasiri said the manufacture of lunch sheets and grocery bags is a very profitable business. He also levelled a serious allegation against some (not all) manufacturers, charging that they add calcium carbonate to lunch sheets to increase their thickness, which he said could potentially lead to life threatening diseases.
“We have banned only three products. There are thousands of polythene varieties. The industry has not stopped,” he reiterated, adding that the CEA is encouraging the industry to adopt LDPE.
Asked why the proposal for oxo biodegradable polythene was rejected, Prof. Dharmasiri said the polythene in question breaks down into small fragments and that it also contains harmful heavy metals such as nickel and cobalt.
The committee assigned to study the proposal, he said, had concluded that it was not environmentally friendly.
The ban will come into effect from 1 September 2017.
By Chathuri Dissanayake
Cabinet yesterday decided to differ the ban on polythene till January, next year, to give producers and workers in the industry lead time to switch to an alternative industry.
The discussion in Cabinet meeting focusing on the fate of the 40,000 workers of the industry resulted in the grace period, Daily FT learns.
“Prime Minister suggested a two year grace period, but the President was not in favour of the proposal. However he said that the ban can be differed till January next year,” one member of the Cabinet told Daily FT.
In July this year the Government announced a ban on the use of polythene lunch sheets, rigifoam boxes and shopping bags, with effect from 1st of September.
