Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody told Parliament that proposed amendments to the National Environmental Act (NEA) will introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework, placing greater responsibility for waste management on manufacturers and importers.
Speaking in Parliament, the Deputy Minister said the new framework is based on the internationally recognized “polluter-pays principle”, which shifts the responsibility for collecting and recycling waste from the public sector to producers.
Under the proposed system, manufacturers, importers, and brand owners will be required to collect and recycle a specified percentage of the plastic and polythene products they place on the market. Current proposals envisage collection and recycling targets increasing progressively, potentially reaching 50% in the first year, 60% in the second year, and 80% in the third year.
Jayakody emphasized that the legislation is designed to ensure that producers bear the financial and operational costs of waste management rather than passing those costs directly onto consumers.
To facilitate implementation, the Environment Ministry plans to provide a three-year grace period for companies to establish the necessary collection and recycling infrastructure before strict enforcement measures and penalties take effect.
As part of the new framework, producers will be required to participate in a Mandatory Reporting and Collect-Back (MRCB) system, through which they must regularly report their waste collection and recycling performance to the Central Environmental Authority (CEA).
The Deputy Minister noted that consumers will not be charged directly for standard municipal waste disposal services. However, households will continue to be responsible for properly managing their waste, including separating biodegradable and non-biodegradable garbage and handing it over to local authorities for collection.
He further stressed that improper disposal methods such as dumping, burning, or littering waste in public places will remain prohibited.
The amendments form part of a comprehensive revision of the National Environmental Act No. 47 of 1980, which has now been submitted to Parliament, marking the most significant overhaul of the legislation in more than two decades.