Reports on a staggering amount of waste being imported to Sri Lanka via containers from the United Kingdom some time back raised controversy, with the Central Environmental Authority and the Sri Lanka Customs taking immediate action to seize the cargo.
The importation of waste between two countries is in direct violation of the BASEL Convention and our correspondents revealed that 45 containers have been re-exported to the UK today (20).
Sources on the condition of anonymity told LNW that the waste material was exported from UK by shipper M/s Vangaads Ltd, a company belonging to a UK national of Sri Lankan origin at 241, B High Street North, London, England E21 6SJ, to consignee M/s ETL Colombo Pvt Ltd, #12, Park Road, Colombo 05, Sri Lanka, on behalf of the ultimate consignee M/s Ceylon Metal Corporation Pvt Ltd, at 157 4C Winson Park II, Averiwatte Road, Watala, and has now been re-exported to the UK.
Hayleys, whose name had been mentioned among headlines catering to the controversy, was accused of having links to the importation of the waste material. However, LNW learned that ‘Hayleys Free Zone’ acted purely as the logistics service provider on behalf of the party who imported the cargo and had nothing to do with the actual cargo apart from acting as a pure service provider.
Speaking to ‘Talk with Chathura’, Environment Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe also commented on the event and this can be viewed from 01:25:55 to 01:29:17.
