The problem with littering

By the Plastics Industry Association of Sri Lanka

“Western Provincial Council legal officer Palitha Abeywardena said the laws may be amended so that fines can be increased. At present, fines for offences against hygiene and cleanliness range from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1,500. Waste will be categorized and bio-degradable, re-usable and recyclable waste will be managed in environmentally friendly ways.

Waste bins will be installed on both sides of roads and highways and in all public areas. Mobile waste bins will be set up during festivals and special events.” This was published in the Sunday Times in September 2011 and proper enforcement of this law is yet to be seen. People continue to dispose of their solid waste improperly with no regret or conviction. The most commonly seen product that is strewn on the streets of Colombo and almost all other major cities is polythene. Though there may be other products that are improperly disposed of, the most noticeable is polythene, due to its colour, its tendency to be blown in the wind and the type of waste that is wrapped by it.

Polythene has become an essential commodity in society today. Polythene has made its way into every household in the world and is inseparable from the everyday activities of human beings. Yet, due to its toxic effect on the environment, the world has had to explore alternatives.

These alternatives, though effective in reducing the negative impacts of waste to the environment, cannot replicate the practical use of polythene. It is now established that there can never be an alternative that can replace polythene. Since the use of polythene cannot be stopped, it can be controlled.

There exists in Sri Lanka a ban on the production of all plastic bags below the thickness of 20 microns for distribution in Sri Lanka (under Section 23W of the Constitution). This is to ensure that all polythene that has been disposed of can be reused or recycled. Yet this can happen only if there is an effective and practical means of separating the polythene at the point of collection.

In a survey conducted by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources on the total waste collected at garbage dumps in Sri Lanka, polythene and plastics account for only 5.91 per cent of all garbage and is on par with paper (six per cent) and garment waste (six per cent).

However, when taking a glimpse of a garbage dump, the most attractive element is polythene and plastics; the majority of all garbage is biodegradable waste which accounts for 57 per cent of all garbage (Database of Municipal Solid Waste in Sri Lanka).

This 5.91 per cent of polythene and plastic is not collected separately but is found mixed with all the other types of garbage mentioned above.

By enforcing that all polythene produced is above the thickness of 20 microns, the advantages of it is negated by the inefficient method in which it is collected. In most instances when a polythene bag is thrown, it is to dispose of food waste. This food waste then is picked by crows, rats and other vermin. Once eaten the polythene bag in which the food was wrapped in is free to float around in the streets creating clutter and spreading germs. Therefore, is it the product itself that is harmful to the environment or is it the use of it?

This brings us to a ‘what-if’ situation. What if all polythene products were banned in Sri Lanka? What would be the alternative? Is there an alternative that exists? Would this solve the problem of litter in the country?