Business
Focus on Sri Lanka’s plastic waste management
By Manjula de Silva, Secretary General and CEO, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce
Each year, over 640,000 metric tonnes of plastic leak into the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka (Clean Cities, Blue Ocean, June 2020). The Western Province alone generates around 7500 metric tons of solid waste every day, out of which only 3500 metric tons are collected (Central Environmental Authority, 2018). Of this, close to 15% become compost, 10% is recycled and 75% is thrown into open dumps. While plastics have made essential products more accessible, the impact to the environment needs to be addressed.
As consumerism evolves, the earth continues to suffer. For over half a century, consumers have been placed at the forefront to bear the brunt of the burden they have placed on the Earth. But, are consumers only to blame? Consumers are a key stakeholder in the waste management process but they share this responsibility alongside legislators, civil society, importers of plastic and, producers who use plastic in their manufacturing and packaging processes.
Today’s consumers are even more aware of what they consume and hold these products, services and brands to renewed standards of transparency and accountability. Due to this, the conversation on sustainability among brands has shifted from a mere marketing gimmick, to a legitimate requirement that is demanded by the next generation of consumers, the world over.
The 3 Rs of responsible waste management – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle will remain the holy mantra across the spectrum of sustainability. However, as producers take up accountability, we have to ask the important questions. Are organizations able to switch to plastic alternatives and meet their current demands? How will this affect the product design and its safety for consumption? Elimination and reduction will only take away from the end consumer’s ease of access to the product. The end consumers in this case, are Sri Lankans like you and I.
This is where Extended Producer Responsibility comes into play. According to the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy mechanism through which producers are given the responsibility (either financial and/or physical) for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. EPR is a critical tool in driving linear economies into a circular economy, as they supplement an extended product cycle even after the products initial use. Assigning such responsibility could in principle, provide incentives to prevent waste at the source, promote environmentally friendly product design and support the achievement of the national recycling goals.
EPR is systematic approach to ensuring commitment to the waste hierarchy of the 3 Rs by facilitating producers to remain responsible in the treatment and disposal of post-consumer products. This at present, is a more sustainable tool over bans as most products are created for utility and cannot be removed from the market overnight. For recyclable items such as PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) and HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) plastic, better alternatives need to be sought which encourage recovery and recyclability.
Dialog Axiata PLC, Sri Lanka’s #1 connectivity provider, joins the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL) to launch the IESL National Startup Challenge, creating a national pathway for aspiring entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into commercially viable, investment-ready startups. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Sri Lanka’s entrepreneurship ecosystem through structured development, expert mentorship and practical support that enables promising ideas to progress towards market readiness and scale.
Launched through the IESL Entrepreneurship Forum at the Dialog Auditorium on 5 October 2026, the competition invites Engineering Undergraduates, Engineering Practitioners and participants in an Open Category for Non-Engineers to submit ideas across 12 innovation verticals aligned with national priorities, emerging technology and market trends, and inclusive innovation. Participants will progress through idea development, pitching, incubation, prototyping, validation, minimum viable product development and business scaling, supported by industry experts, mentors and ecosystem partners. The programme will culminate in a Top 10 selection, with the first-place winner receiving an award of LKR 1 million.
As title sponsor and a key ecosystem enabler, Dialog is contributing practical expertise and resources beyond sponsorship, providing technical expertise, mentors and digital resources to help participating teams develop, validate and scale their solutions. Each of the Top 10 teams will also receive a Dialog Digital Startup Support Package valued at LKR 250,000, comprising selected Dialog digital products and services.
“Dialog is committed to enabling Sri Lanka’s next generation of innovators by connecting entrepreneurial ambition with the technology, expertise and practical resources needed to turn ideas into scalable ventures. Through the IESL National Startup Challenge, Dialog is extending its digital capabilities, mentorship and ecosystem support to help promising teams progress from concept to validation and investment readiness,” said a representative of Dialog Axiata PLC.
Eng. Jasmine Nanayakkara, Chairperson of the Entrepreneurship Forum at the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka, added, “The IESL National Startup Challenge is designed to turn innovative ideas into viable businesses by connecting aspiring entrepreneurs with industry expertise, mentorship and continuous practical support. More importantly, it is about creating an ‘Engineer to Entrepreneur’ transformation and nurturing a stronger entrepreneurial culture within the IESL community. By encouraging our engineers and aspiring founders to create, commercialise and scale solutions, we aim to contribute to new ventures, new opportunities and meaningful job creation for Sri Lanka’s skilled and educated next generation. We are grateful to Dialog for partnering with IESL to create this pathway for innovation, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.”
Driving innovation across Sri Lanka, the National Startup Challenge also brings together a strong network of partners, including The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce as Ecosystem and Mentoring Partner, Helago as Official Mobility Partner, Helakuru as Official Digital News Partner, and Real Life as Official Climate Action Partner.
The IESL National Startup Challenge represents a collaborative effort to strengthen Sri Lanka’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem by creating a structured pathway from promising ideas to market-ready businesses. Applications are now open via www.iesl.lk/announcements, giving aspiring entrepreneurs an opportunity to access the resources and funding they need to succeed. Applications close on 16th November 2026. For more information, contact mgr.pub@iesl.lk / 071 109 4393.
Keeping a home clean involves more than dealing with one kind of mess. Kitchens face grease and cooking splashes, bathrooms develop soap scum and limescale, while frequently used areas around the home collect marks, fingerprints and everyday dirt.
For households looking to simplify this routine, multi-surface cleaners offer a practical solution by allowing one product to tackle multiple cleaning needs across suitable surfaces.
One home, many everyday messes
In the kitchen, grease, splashes and burnt-on food can build up around hobs and hotplates. Cupboard doors and appliance exteriors can also collect smudges and marks through daily use.
Bathrooms present different challenges, including limescale, soap scum, toothpaste residue and water marks around sinks, washbasins and shower doors.
Even outside these rooms, surfaces such as door handles, baseboards, table mats and PVC areas can require regular attention.
Making everyday cleaning simpler
This is where the versatility of products such as CIF Cream becomes useful.
CIF Cream can help tackle a range of common household cleaning challenges across suitable surfaces, from grease and burnt-on food in the kitchen to limescale and soap scum in the bathroom.
Its uses can also extend to other suitable areas and items around the home, including cupboard doors, appliance exteriors, PVC surfaces and more, when used according to product directions.
For busy households, the benefit is straightforward: a versatile cleaner can help reduce the complexity of everyday cleaning by addressing several common cleaning needs with one product.
Consumers should always follow product instructions and check suitability before using any cleaner on a particular surface.
CIF products are now available at Cargills, Keells, Glomark and Celeste, as well as online through Daraz and uStore, at a retail price of Rs. 900 for 500ml. Shop CIF online at https://ustore.lk/collections/cif or https://www.daraz.lk/cif/
As household routines continue to evolve, multi-surface cleaning provides a simple approach to keeping different areas of the home clean — one versatile solution for many of the everyday messes that come with daily life.
SriLankan Airlines set dreams in motion for 24 young students selected to represent Sri Lanka at the 2026 International Mathematics and Science Olympiad, held in Indonesia from 2 to 7 October 2026, helping make their journey to Indonesia and back an extra special one.
The students were selected through a four-stage national selection process covering school, zonal, provincial and national levels, with the highest-performing students progressing at each stage.
As a special initiative for Children’s Day, the Ministry of Education sponsored the air travel of all 24 students for the first time. Returning to Sri Lanka with an impressive haul of three Silver Medals and 10 Bronze Medals, the young contestants competed alongside students from 23 countries.
SriLankan Airlines was privileged to be part of their special journey, helping make their experience even more memorable as they represented Sri Lanka on the international stage.
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