Page 36 - Plastics News August 2021

INTERNATIoNAL NEwS

Srilankan Environment Ministry Bans 11 'Washington' Plastic

Products Made Of Polythene And Plastic Bag Ban In October

food and beverages such
as string hopper trays, statewide ban on single-use plastic
plastic spoons and cups, A bags that was originally scheduled
etc.), and bottles less than to begin on the first of this year will
750 ml made of PET go into effect on October 1 this year.
and PVC will be banned Washingtonians will begin to see fewer
under the regulation. plastic bags littering the state’s roadsides,
Earlier The Cabinet parks, and streams beginning October
of Ministers of the Sri 1 when the statewide plastic bag ban
Lankan Parliament, on goes into effect, the Dept. of Ecology
19th October approved says. (Department of Ecology). The
the proposal to ban a ban applies to single-use plastic carry-
ri Lanka’s Ministry of Environment range of single use plastic out bags by restaurants, retail stories,
Shas taken measures to ban another products in Sri Lankan markets. The small vendors, and grocery stores. The
11 products made of polythene and ban will be effective from 1st January ban was postponed by Gov. Jay Inslee
plastic, the Minister of Environment 2021 and include following items. because there weren’t enough compliant
Mahinda Amaraweera said. The Ministry According to the cabinet decision paper or plastic bags available when the
of Environment has taken steps to ban the following items are banned from ban was supposed to go into effect.
five types of products that are harmful January 1st 2021 onward, Chemicals The Washington State Department
to the environment with effect from or pesticides packaged in Poly Ethylene of Ecology said plastic bags cause
March 31. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera Terephthalate (PET) and Vinyl Chloride pollution other than the obvious litter.
pointed out that most of the products in (PVC) containers Sachets made of
the second list are manufactured in spite polythene and plastic less than 20 ml / 20
of the fact that eco-friendly, as well as g (excluding food and medicine) Various
inflatable toys made of plastic (excluding
biodegradable alternatives can be used. balloons, balls and floating toys)Plastic
He added that the country has to face cotton buds (excluding hygiene products)
a huge environmental damage due to At the same time the cabinet had
the production of these products using proposed few alternatives that can be
polythene and plastic. The list of 11 items used so the ban become effective. Single
to be banned include: shirt clips on shirts, use plastics are the goods that are made
disposable plastic spoons, forks, knife from fossil fuel based plastics and are
boxes, yogurt / ice cream spoons, food meant to dispose right after use. Most
packets and cups, plates, polythene & often many single use plastic products
plastic posters, advertisements, cutouts are used for just a fraction of time and The department said harmful chemicals
and advertising, single-use straws and away. Earlier in 2017 the Sri Lankan are released when plastics are made,
stirrers, small shopping bags made of government issued the special Gazette used, burned, or slowly disintegrate.
polythene and plastic up to 400-500 mm, 2034 which banned the use and sale of The bags are not easily recycled and
and grocery bags, and small bottles less polythene with a thickness below 20 clog sorting machines, which puts
than 400 ml made of PET and PVC. micrones. But the government seems workers at risk.“Single-use plastic bags
Also the use of polythene for incense failed in enforcing this ban properly are not easily recyclable, which makes
and candle packaging, food wrappers as they have been unable to introduce managing them at the end of their lives
used to prevent damaging of fruits fines or take actions against those who almost impossible,” said Laurie Davies,
and vegetables, personalized health disobey the law. So the government and manager of Ecology’s Solid Waste
care products containing micro plastic authorities like the central environment Management Program. “Reducing their
or micro plastic beads (personal care authority has a major responsibility in use will protect our rivers and streams
products), materials used to serve hot enforcing these laws. and help our recycling system run more
efficiently.”

36 PLASTICS NEWS AUGUST 2021