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Eco Spindles strengthens Sri Lanka’s circular economy for plastic recycling

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From left to right: Prashantha Malimbadage – Deputy General Manager Yarns (Eco Spindles), Nalaka Senavirathna –CEO Yarns (Eco Spindles), Lithmal Jayawardhana - Compere, Jerome de Mel - Head of sales, Yarns (Econ Spindles),

Eco Spindles (Private) Limited, Sri Lanka’s largest plastics recycler, has announced plans to expand its capacity to manufacture yarn using recycled plastics, as well as innovative new additions to its suite of cutting-edge, eco-friendly products used by some of the world’s leading fashion brands.

The company owns one of only two plants in the world capable of creating polyester yarn directly from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic flakes. After the completion of the second phase of its yarn plant expansion programme in April 2022, the company expects its capacity to manufacture recycled polyester yarn to increase by 120%, from 100 tonnes of Draw Textured Yarn a month to 220 tonnes a month.

For its third phase of expansion, Eco Spindles is exploring potential opportunities to expand its footprint within or beyond Sri Lanka.

Given that its products, made using recycled PET plastics, are primarily exported, these developments pave the way for the company to generate more export earnings and foreign exchange for Sri Lanka. It also addresses the improper disposal of plastics, one of the world’s biggest environmental issues.

These developments were announced at Eco Spindles’ annual yarn conference held virtually on the 14th February 2022, with the participation of the company’s senior management. During the conference, Eco Spindles also felicitated its top 10 buyers of 2021.

The conference featured keynote addresses from BPPL Holdings PLC Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Dr. Anush Amarasinghe, Eco Spindles Yarns CEO – Nalaka Senavirathna and Eco Spindles Yarns Head of Sales – Jerome De Mel. In addition to plans for business improvement, the speakers also shared their insights into the ongoing battle against plastic pollution and offered promising solutions adopted on a national scale with global impact.

“As people who are passionate about the environment, we are painfully aware of the impact plastic materials have on nature since more than 583 billion PET plastic bottles are produced each year with 85% of it going to landfills. We also believe that to resolve this crisis, the solution is social entrepreneurship which seeks to create and support a circular economic model. It is from this understanding that Eco Spindles emerged, and we are fortunate that our customers and partners have supported us in this vital mission. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with them in the future,” Dr. Amarasinghe said.

Eco Spindles also announced plans to manufacture recycled polyester yarn using textile waste during the conference. The company has been working closely and trailing this innovation with leading apparel manufacturers in Sri Lanka and global apparel brands. The first commercially viable product will be launched in May 2022.

“Globally, only 20% of clothing waste is recycled or reused, while the remaining 80% is incinerated or in landfills. Given that Sri Lanka is a prolific exporter of apparel, the ability to recycle textile waste back to yarn will provide the domestic industry and its global brands and retail partners a significant boost in enhancing their sustainability efforts. Additionally, a PET bottle, which typically takes over 1,000 years to degrade in the environment, can be recycled into polyester yarn, which manufacturers later convert into garments. Through this conversion, we remove over 900 years in degradation time if we responsibly dispose of and recycle plastic,” Nalaka Senavirathna said.



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Stealer malware leaked over 2 million bank cards

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The number of infections with data-stealing malware, 2020-2024 (Source: Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence)

Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence estimates that 2.3 million bank cards were leaked on the dark web, based on an analysis of data-stealing malware log files from 2023-2024. On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information, with nearly 26 million devices compromised by infostealers, including more than 9 million in 2024 alone. Kaspersky released its report on the infostealer threat landscape while the technology world gathers at MWC 2025 in Barcelona.

Kaspersky experts estimate that approximately 2,300,000 bank cards have been leaked on the dark web. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the log files from data-stealing malware, dated 2023-2024, that were leaked on the dark web market. While globally the share of leaked cards is well below one percent, 95% of the observed numbers appear technically valid.

Infostealer malware is not only designed to extract financial information, but also credentials, cookies and other valuable user data, which is compiled into log files and then distributed within the dark web underground community. An infostealer can infect a device if a victim unknowingly downloads and runs a malicious file, for example one disguised as legitimate software, such as a game cheat. It can be spread through phishing links, compromised websites, malicious attachments in emails or messengers and various other methods. It targets both personal and corporate devices.

On average, every 14th infostealer infection results in stolen credit card information. Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence experts found that nearly 26 million devices running Windows were infected with various types of infostealers in the past two years.

“The actual number of infected devices is even higher. Cybercriminals often leak stolen data in the form of log files months or even years after the initial infection, and compromised credentials and other information continue to surface on the dark web over time. Therefore, the more time passes, the more infections from previous years we observe. We forecast the total number of devices infected with infostealer malware in 2024 to be between 20 million and 25 million, while for 2023, the estimate ranges between 18 million and 22 million,” says Sergey Shcherbel, expert at Kaspersky Digital Footprint Intelligence.

In 2024, Redline remained the most widespread infostealer, accounting for 34% of the total number of infections.

The most significant surge in 2024 was in infections caused by Risepro, whose share of total infections increased from 1.4% in 2023 to almost 23% in 2024. “RisePro is a growing threat. It was first discovered two years ago but seems to be gaining momentum. The stealer primarily targets banking card details, passwords and cryptocurrency wallet data, and may be spreading under the guise of key generators, cracks for various software and game mods,” explains Sergey Shcherbel. Another rapidly growing stealer is Stealc, which first appeared in 2023 and increased its share from nearly 3% to 13%.

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ComBank’s 2023 Annual Report tops Banking sector at ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards

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Commercial Bank Chief Operating Officer S. Prabagar and members of the senior management accepting one of the ACCA awards.

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon’s prowess in comprehensive disclosure of sustainability-related information to stakeholders has won its 2023 Annual Report two top awards at the 2025 Sustainability Reporting Awards presented by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).

The Bank was adjudged the overall runner-up and the winner in the Banking category at these awards, repeating the achievement of its 2022 Annual Report which was similarly honoured by the ACCA last year.

The ACCA Sustainability Reporting Awards recognise Annual Reports that clearly acknowledge and explain the economic, environmental and social impacts of the business to internal and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organisation’s policies, targets and long-term objectives towards the goal of sustainable development.

Commercial Bank’s 2023 Annual Report also won two Golds, a Silver and a Bronze at CA Sri Lanka’s ‘TAGS’ Awards 2024, excelling in the key aspects recognised by the awards programme which is dedicated to Transparency, Accountability, Governance, and Sustainability – TAGS.

The Bank won the Gold for ‘Corporate Governance Disclosure’ in the Financial Services sector, the Gold for the Best Annual Report among the private sector banks, the Silver for ‘Digitally Transformative Reporting’ across all sectors, and the overall Bronze award for Excellence in Corporate Reporting.

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UTE Delivers Sri Lanka’s Largest Cat D8 Tractor to NEM Construction

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(From left to right) Deepthi Hewageegana (CEO - UTE), Mani Rajan (Director Distribution - India), Joe Moscato (Vice President - Distribution - Japan & Asia South (India & SE Asia) Caterpillar Inc), Raja Nanayakkara (Chairman / MD - NEM Construction), Prasan Fernando (Chairman - UTE), Priath Fernando - (Director - UTE), Duminda Perera (Senior General Manager - Operations)

Caterpillar equipment dealer UTE has delivered the country’s largest Cat D8 Track-Type Tractor to NEM Construction Pvt. Ltd., marking a significant milestone in heavy machinery. This delivery strengthens the long-standing partnership between UTE and NEM Construction, which spans over 45 years. The Cat D8 is expected to boost operational efficiency in large-scale projects. As the sole authorized dealer for Caterpillar in Sri Lanka, UTE continues to provide top-tier machinery and after-sales support. The handover is particularly notable as Caterpillar celebrates its 100th anniversary. NEM Construction’s Chairman, Raja Nanayakkara, praised the Cat D8’s superior performance and UTE’s unmatched service and parts support, which have been key to the company’s long-term collaboration. This purchase highlights the continued trust in both Caterpillar and UTE’s expertise in supporting Sri Lanka’s construction industry.

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