Nature’s Secrets facilitates discussion on waste management and environmental threats posed to Horan

Friday, 11 October 2013 02:15 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A forum to discuss waste management and environmental issues faced by both state and private institutions in the Horana area was held at the

Nature’s Secrets facility recently. Initiated by the Horana Base Hospital, the discussion also sought to reach a consensus on waste management. The Hospital Committee decided to hold the forum at Nature’s Secrets as the premises is exemplary in waste management. Around 80 top officials from both public and private institutions related to waste management attended the forum. Prior to deliberations, they went on an observation tour around the Nature’s Secrets premises where they witnessed effective waste control efforts taken towards environmental protection. Nature’s Secrets’ Assistant General Manager (Factory and Premises) Nalaka Gunawardena and Assistant General Manager (Laboratories) Nishan Wickremasinghe gave the participants a briefing of initiatives taken towards effective waste management. Nature’s Beauty Creations, the manufacturer of Sri Lanka’s premier herbal cosmetics brand – Nature’s Secrets, is the country’s largest herbal cosmetics producer which also maintains European recognised Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) while meeting internationally accepted ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards, in its production process. In the past two consecutive years, Nature’s Beauty Creations was conferred with the prestigious National Green Award which is an event conducted annually by the Central Environmental Authority with the objective of recognising organisations that contribute towards environmental protection by maintaining clean production and green productivity. The Green Award is a testament to Nature’s Secrets demonstrated commitment in conserving natural resources through environmental pollution control, managing and minimising waste and controlling the use of non-renewable resources. The NBC facility is home to a lush herbal garden comprising of over 500 varieties of rare and endangered medicinal plants. A Plant Research Centre dedicated to carrying out scientific research on valuable and rare medicinal plants of Sri Lanka, is also established within the premises. This research centre becomes Sri Lanka’s first such privately owned centre. Also a Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory is functional with the aim of conserving rare, endemic and valuable medicinal plants, using modern tissue culture techniques. NBC is in an effort to propagate and distribute these medicinal plants to increase the awareness on preserving such plants for future generations. Later, the Horana Base Hospital organised discussion on the area’s waste management got underway. It was spearheaded by Ministry of Health Head of Non Communicable Disease Unit Dr. Thalatha Liyanage, Board of Investment Zonal Director Athula Jayasinghe, Central Environmental Authority Director of Waste Management Unit Ajith Weerasundara, Waste Management Authority Deputy Director Nalin Mannapperuma, Health Ministry Waste Preparation and Recycling Unit Neville Wijesekara and Horana Base Hospital Medical Superintendent T.K. Kalubowila also took part in the discussion.