June 12, Colombo (LNW): A senior official from the Urban Development and Housing Ministry announced that starting from August, solid waste collected from the Colombo, Gampaha, and Kalutara districts will be transported to the newly constructed landfill in Aruwakkalu, Puttalam. The official noted that previous objections to the project have been resolved through discussions with relevant parties.
Colombo Waste Management Project Director Sarath Bandara confirmed that the construction of the solid waste management facility in Wanawasala is complete, and operations will commence by August. Preliminary trials began in May, paving the way for the project’s full-scale launch.
Initiated in 2014, the project aims to address the growing urban solid waste disposal issue by utilizing abandoned limestone quarries in Aruwakkalu for safe landfill and waste treatment. The Urban Development and Housing Ministry has been responsible for constructing the necessary facilities, including sanitary landfills and waste treatment systems.
Key components of the project include two waste transfer stations at Wanawasala and Puttalam, along with the required railway infrastructure and road systems. Initially, 1,200 metric tonnes of waste from the Colombo metropolitan area were planned to be transported to the Wanawasala transfer station, where it would be compressed, containerized, and then moved by train to Aruwakkalu for disposal. The project has since expanded to handle all waste from the Western Provincial Council.
The total cost of the project is US$ 130 million. Four locomotives have been imported for waste transportation between the Kelaniya transfer station and Aruwakkalu. Until the project becomes fully operational, these engines are being used by the Railways Department for passenger transport. Additionally, 94 containers have been acquired for waste transportation, and 17 railway carriages have been refurbished for the journey from Kelaniya to Aruwakkalu.
