Pilot plastic waste mgt. system rolled out to address mounting disposal challenge

In an effort to get the private sector to implement an effective plastic waste management system, a ‘Collect Back’ model was rolled out as a pilot by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment to address Sri Lanka’s mounting disposal challenge.
The initiative is part of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model, which requires all stakeholders involved in generating plastic waste to take responsibility for recycling and minimising the use of plastic packaging. 

According to CCC, the implementation of this model aligns with global EPR legislation, which aims to mitigate the environmental risks associated with single-use plastic waste. This is done by holding plastic manufacturers, importers, and brand owners accountable for the end-of-life management of plastic packaging -  a significant step forward in addressing Sri Lanka’s escalating plastic waste management challenge. 
The ‘Collect-Back’ Plastic Waste Management Model was recommended by the EPR Roadmap, a strategic plan developed by the Ceylon Chamber with the technical assistance of Biodiversity Sri Lanka (BSL) in 2021. 
Funded by the United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Clean Cities Blue Ocean (CCBO) programme,  the initiative aims to provide crucial technical and advisory support for the formulation of an EPR Roadmap based on the principles of the circular economy.
The proposed model, known as the ‘Mandatory Reporting and Collect-Back’ (MRCB) Model, requires plastic users to declare their annual plastic usage and commit to collecting back an agreed-upon percentage, with a target of reaching close to 100 percent over a five-year period. 

The Ministry of Environment (MoE) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) have endorsed the Collect-Back target model, and the private sector has shown enthusiastic support, as evidenced by a Perception Survey on EPR conducted in 2021, which revealed that over 90 percent of private-sector respondents were willing to voluntarily commit to the MRCB model.
A high-level multi-stakeholder Project Steering Committee co-chaired by the Secretary to the Ministry of Environment and the Secretary General of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce has been established to oversee the project. 

As a first step, the project has formed two independent private sector-led consortia for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) and High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), comprising 43 companies from PET and HIPS manufacturers and brand owners.  The project’s key objectives include the establishment and operation of an online Plastic Waste Reporting System and a verification system, enabling real-time monitoring of corporate collect-back targets.
While Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs) have been identified as the optimal method to institutionalise the collection of plastic waste, private sector participants have committed to investing such facilities nationwide and partnering with informal waste collectors to enhance collection and aggregation methods, the CCC said in a statement. 
Currently, twelve MRFs have received support from private companies, contributing to the success of the EPR scheme.