Business
How a young entrepreneur finds worth in plastic waste
Pathum’s love towards keeping the environment plastic-free drives his passion for implementing a viable system for waste collection in Sri Lanka
International Youth Day is a reminder to recognise the initiatives of young people whose meaningful contributions will have a lasting impact on global developmental efforts. Celebrated every year on the 12th of August, Youth Day magnifies the actions of young people who aspire to repair the earth we live in, through their entrepreneurial decisions to solve the world’s most pressing issues.
As industrialisation and population increase, Sri Lanka is battling a threatening matter; the growth in irresponsible plastic waste disposal/management. Plastic consumption on the island sees a 16% increase, where 265,000 metric tons are consumed annually. Realising the damage this could cause, a young entrepreneur, Pathum Niranjana, started P&L Industries based in Athurugiriya in 2011 at the age of 20 to collect PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) plastic and other plastics.
A labour of love
Now, 30, he recalled why he started the company, attributing it to the love he has for keeping the environment free of plastic waste. “Before starting P&L Industries, I worked for a company that collected PET plastic. I noticed that plastic was everywhere, from the sides of the road to the waterways. I then realised that I needed to venture out and diversify my business by not only limiting it to collecting PET plastic but also other types of plastic waste, too,” mentioned Pathum.
On a typical day, he deploys his team to collect and purchase waste plastic from municipal councils in the Western Province, after the respective municipalities collect from households and offices. Depending on the plastics’ quality, he buys PET bottles from municipal collectors for Rs. 20-30 a kilo and other plastics (HDPE and PP) for Rs. 60-70 a kilo. Every month, his team collects approximately 450,000 PET bottles and 70-80 metric tons of other plastics, then sold to recyclers to create value-added products. One such is Sri Lanka’s largest plastic recycler, Eco Spindles, who also assisted P&L Industries by giving a loan during the pandemic when collectors like Pathum saw a reduction in income.
Though his business operations are now thriving, Pathum faced multiple challenges as a young business owner. When he started, establishing the business was problematic due to the lack of people/businesses with the necessary expertise in waste collection. Additionally, he required a team of employees who understood the trade while securing funds to buy a space to store plastic waste collected.
Reversing stigmas
“Furthermore, an issue we faced then, and even now, is the stigma behind waste collectors as many people think it’s a 3rd class business. But, it’s a business where you can make profits while also doing a service to the environment and our island home. Most have stigmatised the job as just a role of a bothal paththara karaya, but the industry and the role has evolved into a formal employment opportunity,” highlighted Pathum.
Despite these challenges, Pathum persevered to see his dream materialise and reverse the stigma. Today, he owns four vehicles to collect, purchase and transport plastic to recyclers and has employed 15 people. “I have plans to grow my waste collection business. I want to include components of a recycling facility. So I bought a crusher machine to crush PET plastic into pellets, which I can sell to organisations that can make products such as yarn and crush HDPE plastic to make Alkathene pipes used in agriculture,” stated Pathum.
An opportunity to thrive
On his journey to expand P&L Industries, he believes Sri Lanka can thrive in the waste collection sector since COVID-19 has restricted imports. “If imported, PET pellets cost between Rs. 300-400 a kilo, while locally, I can sell to companies for Rs.150 a kilo. Because of this, it is important to know that banning PET bottles is not practical since we don’t have a cost-effective alternative. Glass is too costly and difficult to transport,” indicated Pathum.
Pathum is a reminder that hard work and dedication are key pillars to success. Astonished that plastic waste is becoming a widely recognisable problem, he is on a quest to be part of a system that can provide viable solutions to this issue. “If collectors like myself do not collect and buy plastic waste, we run the risk of releasing the waste to open dumps/landfills, instead of sending it to recyclers who can give it new life,” emphasised Pathum.
Recycling ensures that a circular economy is established where the value of plastic bottles continues indefinitely. Pathum, as a collector, has become an integral part of this sustainable way of doing business.
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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