10.8Mn ballpoint pens enter the environment from schools annually: Amaraweera

By Chaturanga Samarawickrama   

A total of 10.8 million ballpoint pens enter the environment from the school system in a year in our country,  Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. While addressing a media briefing he said between 100 and 120 kilograms of used ballpoint pens are disposed per day.   

“One kilogram contains about 300 ballpoint pens. The number of used ballpoint pens added to the environment by the school system in a single day is close to 900,000,” he said.   In addition, the amount of used ballpoint pens released into the environment after use by government agencies, private companies and individuals has not yet been calculated.   
These ballpoint pens take at least 450 years to decompose and then they turn into microplastic particles.   

“Ballpoint pens and toothbrushes that are being disposed of informally in our country has become a major environmental problem.   

The Environment Ministry has introduced a special container for the systematic collection of discarded toothbrushes and ballpoint pens.   

“At present we have distributed 3,000 such containers to government agencies. By next year, we will supply another 8,000 containers to public and private institutions.