Polythene manufacturers stage protest against polythene ban

UPDATE: Lotus Road in Pettah has been temporarily closed due to a protest by polythene manufacturers, Ada Derana reporter said. 

Earlier, severe traffic congestion was reported in the Colombo Fort area due to a protest by polythene manufacturers against the polythene ban.

The protest has been organized by the All Ceylon Polythene Producers and Recyclers Association against the ban which will come into effect from September 01, 2017. 

The protest is being staged in front of the People’s Park Shopping Complex in Colombo. 

Last month the Cabinet approved a proposal to implement short term, medium term and long term activities recommended by the committee of intellectuals appointed in regard to the management of polythene use for minimizing its environmental impact.

Accordingly, the use and production of polythene less than 20 microns will be banned from September 01.

The government has said that legal action will be initiated against individuals, institutions and factories that fail to comply with the decision from the aforementioned date and that raids will be carried out on a district level to monitor this.