By: Staff Writer
March 17, Colombo (LNW): With a view of keeping Sri Lanka’s beautiful and pristine coastline immaculate, the government is set to implement an innovative initiative of cleaning beaches in the country by introducing a new mobile application “Beach Clean-up Coordination App”.
It is aimed at enhancing the cleanliness and waste management on beaches minimizing the involvement of labour to clean up the tourism beach line.
A meeting was convened at the Presidential Secretariat, on Friday (15) chaired by Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, to discuss the launch of a new mobile application “Beach Clean-up Coordination App”
The introduction of this mobile application is facilitated through the intervention of the Coastal Conservation Protection Authority. It is to formalize coordination among institutions and organizations engaged in the sustainable development of coastal and marine environments.
Ratnayaka emphasized the importance of commitment from all institutions responsible for ensuring the sustainability of ocean and coastal areas in maintaining cleanliness. He highlighted that the new mobile application will serve as a tool to facilitate these activities effectively.
Stressing the necessity of expanding current education and awareness programs concerning coastal cleanliness and preservation Ratnayaka noted that such efforts would significantly contribute to the government”s initiative to promote tourism in coastal regions.
The Coastal Conservation and Protection Authority highlighted the severe pollution of coastal and marine resources caused by waste flowing from rivers and canals, sewage discharge, and waste dumped near fishing ports and other marine areas.
They noted the importance of clean-up efforts involving public and private institutions, as well as non-governmental organizations. The introduction of the mobile application is expected to enhance the coordination of these activities for more effective waste management.
.According to a study published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin which analysed 10 locations along a 91-kilometer stretch of Sri Lanka’s southern coast, it was revealed that 60 percent of the sand samples and 70 percent of the surface water samples they collected contained an abundance of micro plastics mainly due to poor waste management and an inability to break away from age-old littering practices.
10 distinct beaches are considered paradise beaches of Sri Lanka, whose coastline accounts for nearly 80 per cent of the tourism infrastructure.
From among the 10 main beaches, it is learnt that seven experience heavy pollution, mainly from plastic.
As current cleaning methods are human/labour intensive, extremely time consuming and carried out at irregular intervals, machines can be used in an organised manner to clean the beaches as they are capable of collecting dangerous objects such as syringes, broken glass, cigarette filters, footwear as well as single use plastics in the forms of straws, plastic bags and Styrofoam.
Further, stones from pebbles to larger rocks and organic waste such as coconut husks and tree wigs can be collected as well.
Meanwhile, private sector assistance is also to be solicited to use the machinery which is presently not being used as well as to promote beach cleaning as a good practice mandatory for economic sustenance by encouraging private stakeholders to adopt their own form of coastal cleaning and conservation.
