News
Customs, CEA delaying legal action against importers of foreign waste
Twenty-one hazadous waste containers sent back to United Kingdom recently
Another 242 UK waste containers still lying here
By Ifham Nizam
The Sri Lanka Customs and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) have failed to take legal action against the companies responsible for importing 263 containers full of hazardous waste from the United Kingdom.
With more foreign garbage entering the country, this time from Ukraine, environmentalists and authorities are up in arms.
A senior lawyer told The Island that the Attorney General’s Department would soon submit a report to Parliament, spelling out the fact that the CEA and Customs Department had failed to file legal action against the importers of waste.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, contacted for comment, told The Island that he would take immediate action.
He also said that such activities should be completely stopped and he would do his utmost to rid the country of foreign waste..
Customs Director Sunil Jayarathna told The Island that a new probe team would be appointed and the CID called in.
He said that the delay was due to a Court order and a Customs inquiry. He said the Customs had not been able to do much for months due to the pandemic and most of the officials were quarantined.
On September 21, some containers of hazardous waste were finally sent back to the United Kingdom after more than a year.
Jayaratne said that the Customs had decided on the penalties. Environmentalists said Rs. 1.6 billion had to be charged from the local agent and a separate penalty imposed on the British company concerned.
Jayaratne said that hazardous waste transfers were against the Basel Convention.
The Customs said that they wanted to send the containers last year back to the UK and awaited the verdict of the Court of Appeal.
Colombo Metal Industries and ITL Colombo Limited imported the hazardous waste.
The containers contained used mattresses, carpets and hospital waste, officials said.
Another 242 containers from Britain, which the government said were holding illegal waste in violation of international law, are lying at the Colombo Port and at a free trade zone outside. They arrived here between 2017 and 2018.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
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Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
SL to receive 10 helicopters from US
Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains
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