November 04, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Trade has announced a notable reduction in the use of polythene bags across Sri Lanka after the enforcement of new regulations prohibiting retailers from distributing them free of charge.
Prior to the rule taking effect, it was estimated that around 20 million polythene bags were used daily throughout the country.
However, within just two days of the regulation’s introduction on 1 November, a prominent supermarket chain reported a 50 per cent decrease in the number of bags issued to customers.
According to the Ministry, the initiative expects to curb plastic pollution and mitigate the environmental damage caused by single-use polythene. Officials expressed optimism that the change in consumer behaviour seen in the early days of implementation indicates growing public awareness of environmental responsibility.
