By Newswire Editorial
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to introduce a household composting programme in the Western and Southern Provinces under the government’s Clean Sri Lanka initiative.
Under the programme, selected streets identified by Local Government Authorities will be designated as zones where organic waste collection services will no longer be provided, with households instead required to manage biodegradable waste through composting.
According to the Cabinet decision, households in the selected areas will be provided with compost bins to convert biodegradable waste into compost within their own premises.
The initiative will initially be implemented in the Western and Southern Provinces before being expanded to other provinces based on its success.
The programme forms part of the three-year “Clean Sri Lanka – Pivithuru Purawara” National Solid Waste Management Project, scheduled to be implemented from 2027 to 2029.
The government has identified that approximately 50% to 60% of the solid waste generated daily in Sri Lanka consists of biodegradable organic materials.
It is expected that converting such waste into compost at the household level will significantly reduce the costs associated with waste collection, transportation, segregation, recycling and final disposal.
The project will also provide households with technical guidance and necessary knowledge, while Local Government Authorities will oversee its implementation.
The Cabinet approved the proposal submitted by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to implement the programme as part of the national solid waste management initiative. (Newswire)