Parliamentary Committee mulls banning lunch sheets

• Lunch sheets contain phthalates, a carcinogen, posing a health risk

By Ajith Siriwardana

A Parliamentary Committee has recommended the Central Environment Authority to ban the use of lunch sheets, considering the serious damage caused to health and the environment.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Natural Resources & Sustainable Development which met in Parliament recently has given recommendations to give a grace period of six months to discontinue the use of lunch sheets and introduce alternatives.

The officials of the Ministry of Environment pointed out that lunch sheets are not used in any country in the world and pointed out to the Committee the importance of not using lunch sheets.

The Committee headed by MP Ajith Mannapperuma discussed at length the environmental damage caused by the use of lunch sheets in this country as well as the effect of phthalates, a carcinogen, on human lives and regarding the reduction of plastic and polythene use and the development of the recycling process in Sri Lanka.
A group of officials representing the Ministry of Environment, Central Environment Authority, Sri Lanka Customs and Department of Agricultural Development were called before the committee held recently.