Mountain of a problem in empty quarter liquor bottles

By Ifham Nizam

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has disclosed that a recent study by his Ministry found that Sri Lankans in 2018 have consumed 18,995,790 litres of arrack sold in 105,532,169 of 180 ml (quarter) bottles, which he vowed to ban considering environmental damage they caused.

Minister Amaraweera, addressing a ceremony at Anuradhapura on Saturday to launch a programme to plant tree saplings along the road to Thuparama Chaitya, said: “Before attending this ceremony I read a report, which states that 52 % of the volume of arrack manufactured in this country are sold in quarter bottles. The liquor companies sold arrack in 180 ml bottles made of glass or plastic. The consumers discarded them haphazardly after use. The liquor companies do not collect them. It has also been found that not even five percent of quarter bottles are collected for recycling. They cause a considerable damage to the environment.”

“The research also found that in 2018, our people consumed 161,468,470 litres of arrack sold in 43,115,920 half (375ml) bottles and 39,426,069 litres of arrack sold in 52,568,092 bottles (750 ml). When I attended the Surakimu Ganga project to clean waterways, I saw heaps of empty plastic and glass bottles along the river banks.

Farmers complain of empty bottles floating on water ways. Whenever there is a rain these bottles float through canals into rivers. Now, we have to spend Ministry funds to remove them. We commenced a discussion to ban the quarter bottles several months ago. I will resume talks with officials this week and to expedite the process of banning the quarter bottles.