November 09, Colombo (LNW): A pilot initiative designed to curb plastic pollution in Colombo’s waterways was launched on November 07 near the Nawala canal in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, marking a significant step in the city’s efforts to keep its drainage systems and rivers free of plastic waste.
The project, part of the national Clean Sri Lanka programme, is being implemented with financial assistance from the PLEASE project. The newly introduced “Plastic Loops” are floating barriers engineered to capture plastic debris carried through major canals before it enters rivers or eventually reaches the ocean.
Officials explained that the Colombo region’s network of 14 main canals and connecting waterways has long suffered from blockages caused by discarded plastic and other non-biodegradable waste—problems that often worsen during heavy rainfall and contribute to urban flooding.
The new system, they said, aims to provide an environmentally sustainable and cost-effective solution to this challenge.
The launch ceremony was attended by several senior government figures, including Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Sunil Watagala, Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody, and the Mayor of Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Arosha Athapaththu.
They were joined by key officials from the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat and the Presidential Office, including Additional Secretary S. P. C. Sugishwara, Director of Environment Anjula Premarathna, and Director of Coordination Dasun Wijesekara, who expressed confidence that the initiative could be expanded citywide once its effectiveness is evaluated.
Environmental advocates at the event noted that if successful, the “Plastic Loop” concept could become a model for other urban areas grappling with similar pollution and drainage issues, signalling a progressive shift towards cleaner, more resilient cities.
