Rebecca Pavey – ceylontoday.lk
Only biodegradable lunch sheets will be permitted to be used and sold From 01 August.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera stated that the production and sale of non-perishable lunch sheets made of polythene will be prohibited beginning next month.
However, a one-month grace period will be provided for the selling of lunch papers that are presently in production.
Speaking at a media conference today (14), the Minister further stated that the law would be strictly enforced against those who continue to make non-biodegradable lunch sheets, and that raids in this regard would be conducted by the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA).
He stated that biodegradable lunch sheets are now created by ten manufacturers and that if those factories attempt to mislead the public by producing non-perishable lunch sheets, their production licenses will be suspended.
Furthermore, clearance for the production of biodegradable lunch papers will be granted exclusively to CEA-registered institutions.
He stated that a list of products that will be banned beginning August 1st would be provided to the Cabinet, adding that the relevant document was signed today (14).
The banned products are as follows :
- Disposable drinking straws and stirrers
- Disposable spoons, forks, yoghurt spoons and knives
- Plastic shopping bags less than 400X500 in volume
- Plastic string hopper trays
- Polythene packaging
- Plastic garlands
- Plastic cups
- Lunch sheets
