JICA Supports the Completion of “Pollution Control and Reduction of Environmental Burden in Solid Waste Management” Project
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in cooperation with Central Environmental Authority (CEA), completed a final seminar to share their findings and recommendations on ‘Pollution Control and Reduction of Environmental Burden in Solid Waste Management’.
JICA conducted waste management projects in Sri Lanka from February 2017 to February 2019. Under this initiative, three local authorities, - Kurunegala municipal council, Ratnapura municipal council, and Kataragama Pradeshiya Ssabha have been selected as Pilot Project sites, and have carried out improvement work on their landfills, using the techniques introduced in JICA’s former project, (Science and Technology Research Partnership for Sustainable Development - SATREPS), done in 2016. The project also implemented multiple activities to promote 3R (‘Reduce, Reuse and Recycle’) awareness raising.
At the seminar, JICA’s chief consultant Dr. Sato explained that in those Pilot project sites, with the promotion of 3R and the improvement of final disposal facilities, solid waste management has been gradually improved.
“This project has helped all the participants to deepen their understanding of the issues and opened up a dialog on how other local authorities can also improve the waste disposal system in the country,” he said.
JICA’s long term expert, who led the project, Dr. Onuma, has identified the fact that since many Local Authorities have started to separate collection and recyclable waste, their sales of recyclable waste to the Private Sector is increasing. Following the situation, the recycling industry development Policy needs to be considered in Sri Lanka as one of the next policy targets.
In concluding the seminar, JICA’s Senior Representative, Toru Kobayakawa, requested the stakeholder’s to support and keep sustainable the activities and facilities that have been put in place by the project.