MWRP Sri Lanka: Strengthening Plastic Waste Management in Fast-Growing Urban Areas

Recent scientific research shows that Sri Lanka contributes as much as 640,000 metric tons of plastic waste to our oceans annually, making it the world’s fifth largest polluter1 by total mass of mismanaged plastic debris. The challenge is particularly acute in urban and peri-urban areas like Dehiwala, a poor but fast-growing area with a quarter of a million people located next to the capital city of Colombo.

Recent scientific research shows that Sri Lanka contributes as much as 640,000 metric tons of plastic waste to our oceans annually, making it the world’s fifth largest polluter1 by total mass of mismanaged plastic debris. The challenge is particularly acute in urban and peri-urban areas like Dehiwala, a poor but fast-growing area with a quarter of a million people located next to the capital city of Colombo.

The Community-Led Plastic Waste Management Program in Dehiwala focuses on reducing plastic waste, especially single use waste, and strengthening the municipal solid waste management (SWM) system through innovative river waste traps, public awareness campaigns, and technical assistance to the recycling sector. The project also facilitates public-private partnerships to foster collaboration between the SWM service providers and the primary waste generators.