ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED WITH PLASTIC RECYCLING INDUSTRY IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

High consumption of plastics inevitably leads to the production of large amounts of plastic waste especially because a substantial part of produced plastics is used for packaging. Therefore, suppression of environmental pollution by plastic waste is a task of significant importance. Main objectives of the study are to assess the current status of plastic recycling industry in Sri Lanka and identification of issues related to plastic recycling industry. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect data from all plastic waste collectors and recyclers registered in the CEA. Field observations were taken by studying twenty randomly selected plastic recycling industries in the Western Province.

The highest percentage (93%) of recyclers use PP (Polypropylene) as a raw material in plastic recycling industry in Sri Lanka compared to other polymers. Waste collection by waste pickers from dumps and streets are the main source of plastic waste collection for recycling. About 95% of plastic and polythene waste obtained for recycling are in unsorted  condition and 91% are in unclean condition. Private wells are the most widely used (72%) source of water for washing of waste plastic. None of the plastic and polythene waste recycling industries in Sri Lanka has a wastewater treatment facility. Therefore  78% of plastic and polythene waste collectors and recyclers discharge their industrial wastewater in to the nearest water body.Field observations indicate that most of the plastic waste recycling industries are running under capacity due to insufficient collection of plastic materials. In addition, lack of standard techniques for waste plastic sorting, problems of getting EPL and not having suitable lands for the establishment of large scale waste plastic recycling plants are the major issues currently faced by the plastic waste recycling industries in the Western Province.