By Pujanee Galappaththi and Dinithi Gunasekera
"Majority of the health equipment used by the general public such as masks are degradable, and gloves are not used at large by the public, hence there is no reported increase. Disposal of waste needs to be handled with caution during this time and medical waste and waste from quarantine centres are handled separately,"State Minister of Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation Dr. Nalaka Godahewa
Sri Lanka’s Covid-19 relapse has pushed everything, including climate control and environment protection, to the backseat. The only thing on everyone's mind is the virus and the uncertainty that comes with it.
Annual global plastic production reportedly exceeds 335 million metric tonnes and approximately half of this goes into the production of single-use plastic products.
With concerns of plastic waste increasing owing to the use of masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), and gloves amidst the pandemic, we spoke to a few professionals to assess the situation on whether there is, in fact, an increase in plastic waste because of the usage of plastic PPE or food packaging as a result of the second Covid-19 wave in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, State Minister of Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation Dr. Nalaka Godahewa shared that there is no reported increase of plastic and polythene waste amid this health crisis.
“Majority of the health equipment used by the general public such as masks are degradable, and gloves are not used much by the public, hence there is no reported increase. Disposal of waste needs to be handled with caution during this time and medical waste and waste from quarantine centres are handled separately and incinerated immediately. Currently, there is an incineration plant in Kerawalapitiya and we are working on installing a few more in the next year or so,” he said.
Disposal
With plastics, avoiding usage is the number one priority, according to Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Solid Waste Management Unit Director H.P.S. Jayasekara. If that is not possible, the general 3Rs protocol of “reduction, reuse, and recycling” is followed. She shared that landfilling in sites such as Dompe and Aruwakkalu is also occurring, which is unfavourable.
Commenting on the subject, Waste Management Authority Director Nalin Mannapperuma affirmed that there are no statistics to prove a significant increase in polythene and plastic waste as a result of the second Covid-19 wave in Sri Lanka. He, however, added that there is an approximate 40% reduction in waste collected in cities this time around, and the majority of this included polythene wrapping and plastic used for food packaging.
He further added that this plastic and polythene waste includes polythene bags, plastic wrapping, and surgical gloves and other single-use medical products. While there is a clear increase in the amount of plastic medical products used due to the Covid-19 situation, this does not affect the waste ratio of the cities, as it is mostly disposed of at medical facilities.
When asked about the process of disposing polythene and plastic waste in quarantine centres and houses where home quarantine is observed, Mannapperuma stated that they have provided strict and comprehensive guidelines to local authorities on handling this waste.
“We have to be very careful in handling garbage in these times because the virus can spread through it; as there are about 6,000 garbage collectors in the Western Province, if the virus spreads through the waste, we will have a major health crisis. As such, we have a greater responsibility.
“We have segregated the garbage into categories including organic waste, residual waste, and potential recyclable waste, and with the new Covid restrictions, we have added a new category – infectious waste – which covers everything coming out of quarantine centres and households where we are not sure of the Covid status.”
The first step in handling this kind of waste, according to Mannapperuma, is to minimise garbage in households. This is a responsibility of the public, he said, and when it comes to the collection of infectious waste, the local authorities are given strict guidelines to collect the waste in yellow garbage disposal bags with 100-gauge thickness so there will be no leaks.
“Local authorities are instructed to spray disinfectant on these bags and to burn them in incinerators, or crematoriums due to the current lack of incinerators.
“We have advised the relevant parties to bury organic waste in their gardens and add lime powder to avoid penetration. If not, the garbage can be handed over to local authorities after keeping it for 72 hours,” he said.
Potential recyclable waste collected at quarantine centres should be kept for 17 days before being handed over to local authorities, Manapperuma further elaborated, adding that residual waste should also be kept for 72 hours before being handed over.
He further stated that the Waste Management Authority has distributed PPE worth about Rs. 2 million to the local authorities, together with clear guidelines on how to safely dispose of garbage.
Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) Chairman Dr. B.P. Terney Pradeep Kumara, commenting on the plastic and polythene waste in coastal fronts and marine environments, stated that during the first lockdown, there was a whopping increase of plastic and polythene waste. However, this time around, there is no data to prove a significant increase in plastic and polythene waste in marine waters.
“However, we find masks and gloves piled up on beachfronts and due to the current situation, we haven’t been able to arrange programmes to clean them. I think the problem is that the general public is unaware of how to dispose of these products. The Government should issue guidelines on how to properly dispose of them and further advise garbage collectors on how they should be handled when collecting. Surgical masks, gloves, and other personal protective gear cannot be treated as general waste; it should be segregated separately and treated separately,” he added.
University of Moratuwa Department of Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Ajith De Alwis informed The Sunday Morning that data on changing plastic waste trends was not available to the public yet, as it is still at the research stages.
“Only based on data can we determine the situation. Having understood the issue, the researchers are working to release the results as soon as possible. The Environment Ministry is currently conducting a national assessment on the material flow of plastics that assesses the quantity of plastic use as a whole,” said Prof. De Alwis.
He further stated that we can only speculate that although plastic usage has drastically increased in the medical sector, this might not be the case at all with restaurants and eateries. Another assumption is that there is a reduction in the use of PET bottles, which were earlier in major use in restaurant settings and hotels. With the industry presently being at an all-time low, there is the possibility that we do not even have enough PET bottles for recycling purposes, as consumption has reduced. But as for polythene and plastic being used as packaging material, this would have drastically increased, he opined.
Role of the CEA
CEA Solid Waste Management Unit Director Jayasekara reiterated that the mandate of the CEA is to primarily direct due local authorities who are responsible for household and general solid waste management in Sri Lanka to dispose of waste in a proper manner; they also provide relevant and necessary guidelines, training, and awareness.
Additionally, she said that the CEA also monitors the authorities to ensure that all procedures are adhered to, although it is sometimes beyond their mandate.
The stakeholders of the Solid Waste Management Unit are the waste management authorities which are functioning at the provincial level (particularly those in the Western Province), and also the Solid Waste Support Centre under the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils.
Alternatives
Something we can commit to, given the pandemic, is to opt for World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended reusable masks. Many health professionals encourage the use of surgical masks. However, to make sustainable decisions, the health officials would have to come together with local officials for new solutions.
Prof. De Alwis highlighted the alternative for bioplastics, which are biodegradable and therefore, eco-friendly. Given that Sri Lanka spends a lot on foreign exchange in bringing in conventional plastic, the production of bioplastics in Sri Lanka for Sri Lanka is a sustainable and self-sufficient way to combat the plastic issue. A carbohydrate source such as cassava or rice is used for the production of bioplastics. However, bioplastics are currently three times the cost of conventional plastic, as it requires heavy investment in the initial stages.
“It is definitely something for the future but that does not mean that the future is not happening right now.”
The professor also spoke about the importance of recycling and how the Western Province recycles merely 3% of its waste. He spoke about the innovative concept of plastic roads which was implemented in the 500-metre stretch of road from Ratmalana to Borupana, South of Colombo. The road was paved using an asphalt mixture containing shredded and molten plastic extracted from municipal waste, through a project by the Road Development Authority (RDA) in 2019.
“This could be done in many more areas. Neighbouring India has about 50,000 km of plastic roads. Science should be used well to come out of such problems – not politics or emotions, it has to be science.”
“The recycling process in itself is a separate science to be looked into. Only a portion of current plastic packaging is recyclable. Only pure material can be recycled while plastic packaging with the added lamination – which is the majority – cannot be recycled,” explained CEA Solid Waste Management Unit Director Jayasekara.
Prof. De Alwis added that not everything can be done based on cost-effectiveness, adding: “We sometimes have to make difficult decisions. Sometimes, things have to be done for the greater good rather than profit. We’re so used to taking decisions that are popular in the short term; the right decisions are not always popular.”
2021 single-use plastic ban
A Cabinet decision was taken recently to ban a range of single-use plastics in local markets from 1 January 2021. These include chemicals or pesticides packaged in Poly Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Vinyl Chloride (PVC) containers, sachets made of polythene and plastic less than 20 ml/20 g (excluding food and medicine), various inflatable toys made of plastic (excluding balloons, balls, and floating toys), and plastic cotton buds (excluding hygiene products).
“Before imposing a blanket ban, you have to train people to use alternatives; what is the reason for the ban? Why are plastics bad? Is it bad? What is the gravity of plastic usage? What is the answer? These questions should be answered comprehensively. No one is using plastic to deliberately cause harm. It’s only out of convenience,” expressed The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Past President and Serendib Leisure Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Srilal Miththapala.
He suggested the need for more awareness on plastic use throughout the country to prepare the people prior to implementing the ban. He stated that it is a good idea that needs gradual implementation. Realistic goals and targets have to be set and it should be achieved in milestones and followed through.
This is an area in which the media can serve greatly to educate the general public, expressed Jayasekara from the CEA, adding: “By banning it, they think we are attacking the affordability of the economically underprivileged, which is simply not the case.”
Another important tip is to follow through with good habits in households without being overwhelmed by the pandemic. The public need not shift from the use of recyclable cloth bags to polythene bags just because of a virus.
“We can't control each and every issue by regulation. We have to make a gradual change in our thinking patterns and the active decisions we take on a day-to-day basis,” concluded Jayasekara.
The hospitality industry
Apart from the medical setting, where a rise in plastic use is expected, another sector seeing increased plastic use is the tourism and hospitality industry. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Past President and Serendib Leisure Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Srilal Miththapala elaborated on this aspect.
According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), tourism revenue in 2018 was at an all-time high of $ 4.38 billion and revenue in 2019 was $ 3.61 billion, a drop as a result of the devastating Easter attacks. With the pandemic, the industry is facing a tough predicament in 2020, Miththapala said, adding that, the authorities are attempting, to the best of their abilities, to open up tourism and hospitality to new horizons.
The SLTDA has already launched a comprehensive document with detailed guidelines for hotels in the Covid climate. “The main principle is to give the guest the level of comfort in premises that are totally sanitised and disinfected,” he said.
“In the guidelines, it is recommended that all linen, laundry, utensils such as toothbrushes, shampoos, and electronics be enclosed and packaged. Usually, polythene or plastic is used for this purpose, so that the guest is assured that the item has not been in contact with any third parties, and that therefore s/he is safe.”
Due to this guideline, there is a definite rise in plastic use within the industry. The industry has taken measures, especially within the last few years, to be eco-friendly, but now, with the immediate health and safety concerns, they are compelled to halt their initiatives towards that end.
“Hoteliers are even compelled to serve food and beverages enclosed in shrink wrap to reduce exposure. Usually, the room service protocol would be to transfer soiled linen to be cleaned into the trolley cart, but now, the protocol is to transfer that linen immediately with gloved hands to a container which would be sealed, and in the most common scenario it would be a plastic container or a polythene casing. Even disposable gloves were hardly used in the hotel industry here, but now it is a mandatory everyday commodity,” explained Miththapala.
Miththapala added that hoteliers could be advised to use paper whenever possible for this purpose, as the use of plastics can definitely be reduced even in this crucial time.
Plastic: The holy grail vs. gateway to doom
“I don't think polythene is essentially bad, but we have to keep in mind that there is definitely going to be additional usage given the situation. We need to see to it in a way that it’s not going to cause problems,” stated University of Moratuwa Department of Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Ajith De Alwis.
“Plastics and polythene are definitely cost-effective to use, and they promise value for money. Unfortunately, it does not promise value for money for the environment. It’s not essentially a problem of the plastic, it’s a problem of the way we use it.”
Miththapala added that the irony is that plastics are the go-to for packaging, yet on the other hand, it’s biodegradability is poor.
“The first priority should be given to the prevention of Covid, of course. However, we have to think further. If we don't solve the hazardous solid waste management problem, it would only become another problem in the future, and a major health issue in itself.
“It is now advised to cut the two loops of a surgical mask – the parts that aid in retaining it to the user’s ears – when disposing of it. This is because of the high probability that these masks will eventually end up in the sea, which could negatively impact and cause severe harm to marine life; for example, the mask loops getting entangled with aquatic animals,” said Miththapala.
Going back to the topic of disposal in the hospitality industry, Miththapala stated that each hotel has its own methods of disposal, which could mean irresponsible practices in the absence of strict guidelines. He further noted that merely colour coding waste for segregation was insufficient, specifically in the current circumstances in which what the vendors do with that waste and where it is transported to are not monitored.
“Most scientific research suggests that sustainability is definitely going to take a blow under the new normal. Unfortunately, all the good things we were doing about sustainability, waste management, and discouraging single-use plastics will be superseded by the immediate requirement,” Miththapala said.
He further used the Mariott Group as an example; it is a group known to have stringent sustainability policies as its credo. Their decision to suspend their branding by a period of one year in itself speaks volumes, he said.
With concerns of plastic waste increasing owing to the use of masks, personal protective equipment (PPE), and gloves amidst the pandemic, we spoke to a few professionals to assess the situation on whether there is, in fact, an increase in plastic waste because of the usage of plastic PPE or food packaging as a result of the second Covid-19 wave in Sri Lanka.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, State Minister of Waste Disposal and Public Sanitation Dr. Nalaka Godahewa shared that there is no reported increase of plastic and polythene waste amid this health crisis.
“Majority of the health equipment used by the general public such as masks are degradable, and gloves are not used much by the public, hence there is no reported increase. Disposal of waste needs to be handled with caution during this time and medical waste and waste from quarantine centres are handled separately and incinerated immediately. Currently, there is an incineration plant in Kerawalapitiya and we are working on installing a few more in the next year or so,” he said.
Disposal
With plastics, avoiding usage is the number one priority, according to Central Environmental Authority (CEA) Solid Waste Management Unit Director H.P.S. Jayasekara. If that is not possible, the general 3Rs protocol of “reduction, reuse, and recycling” is followed. She shared that landfilling in sites such as Dompe and Aruwakkalu is also occurring, which is unfavourable.
Commenting on the subject, Waste Management Authority Director Nalin Mannapperuma affirmed that there are no statistics to prove a significant increase in polythene and plastic waste as a result of the second Covid-19 wave in Sri Lanka. He, however, added that there is an approximate 40% reduction in waste collected in cities this time around, and the majority of this included polythene wrapping and plastic used for food packaging.
He further added that this plastic and polythene waste includes polythene bags, plastic wrapping, and surgical gloves and other single-use medical products. While there is a clear increase in the amount of plastic medical products used due to the Covid-19 situation, this does not affect the waste ratio of the cities, as it is mostly disposed of at medical facilities.
When asked about the process of disposing polythene and plastic waste in quarantine centres and houses where home quarantine is observed, Mannapperuma stated that they have provided strict and comprehensive guidelines to local authorities on handling this waste.
“We have to be very careful in handling garbage in these times because the virus can spread through it; as there are about 6,000 garbage collectors in the Western Province, if the virus spreads through the waste, we will have a major health crisis. As such, we have a greater responsibility.
“We have segregated the garbage into categories including organic waste, residual waste, and potential recyclable waste, and with the new Covid restrictions, we have added a new category – infectious waste – which covers everything coming out of quarantine centres and households where we are not sure of the Covid status.”
The first step in handling this kind of waste, according to Mannapperuma, is to minimise garbage in households. This is a responsibility of the public, he said, and when it comes to the collection of infectious waste, the local authorities are given strict guidelines to collect the waste in yellow garbage disposal bags with 100-gauge thickness so there will be no leaks.
“Local authorities are instructed to spray disinfectant on these bags and to burn them in incinerators, or crematoriums due to the current lack of incinerators.
“We have advised the relevant parties to bury organic waste in their gardens and add lime powder to avoid penetration. If not, the garbage can be handed over to local authorities after keeping it for 72 hours,” he said.
Potential recyclable waste collected at quarantine centres should be kept for 17 days before being handed over to local authorities, Manapperuma further elaborated, adding that residual waste should also be kept for 72 hours before being handed over.
He further stated that the Waste Management Authority has distributed PPE worth about Rs. 2 million to the local authorities, together with clear guidelines on how to safely dispose of garbage.
Marine Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA) Chairman Dr. B.P. Terney Pradeep Kumara, commenting on the plastic and polythene waste in coastal fronts and marine environments, stated that during the first lockdown, there was a whopping increase of plastic and polythene waste. However, this time around, there is no data to prove a significant increase in plastic and polythene waste in marine waters.
“However, we find masks and gloves piled up on beachfronts and due to the current situation, we haven’t been able to arrange programmes to clean them. I think the problem is that the general public is unaware of how to dispose of these products. The Government should issue guidelines on how to properly dispose of them and further advise garbage collectors on how they should be handled when collecting. Surgical masks, gloves, and other personal protective gear cannot be treated as general waste; it should be segregated separately and treated separately,” he added.
University of Moratuwa Department of Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Ajith De Alwis informed The Sunday Morning that data on changing plastic waste trends was not available to the public yet, as it is still at the research stages.
“Only based on data can we determine the situation. Having understood the issue, the researchers are working to release the results as soon as possible. The Environment Ministry is currently conducting a national assessment on the material flow of plastics that assesses the quantity of plastic use as a whole,” said Prof. De Alwis.
He further stated that we can only speculate that although plastic usage has drastically increased in the medical sector, this might not be the case at all with restaurants and eateries. Another assumption is that there is a reduction in the use of PET bottles, which were earlier in major use in restaurant settings and hotels. With the industry presently being at an all-time low, there is the possibility that we do not even have enough PET bottles for recycling purposes, as consumption has reduced. But as for polythene and plastic being used as packaging material, this would have drastically increased, he opined.
Role of the CEA
CEA Solid Waste Management Unit Director Jayasekara reiterated that the mandate of the CEA is to primarily direct due local authorities who are responsible for household and general solid waste management in Sri Lanka to dispose of waste in a proper manner; they also provide relevant and necessary guidelines, training, and awareness.
Additionally, she said that the CEA also monitors the authorities to ensure that all procedures are adhered to, although it is sometimes beyond their mandate.
The stakeholders of the Solid Waste Management Unit are the waste management authorities which are functioning at the provincial level (particularly those in the Western Province), and also the Solid Waste Support Centre under the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial Councils.
Alternatives
Something we can commit to, given the pandemic, is to opt for World Health Organisation (WHO)-recommended reusable masks. Many health professionals encourage the use of surgical masks. However, to make sustainable decisions, the health officials would have to come together with local officials for new solutions.
Prof. De Alwis highlighted the alternative for bioplastics, which are biodegradable and therefore, eco-friendly. Given that Sri Lanka spends a lot on foreign exchange in bringing in conventional plastic, the production of bioplastics in Sri Lanka for Sri Lanka is a sustainable and self-sufficient way to combat the plastic issue. A carbohydrate source such as cassava or rice is used for the production of bioplastics. However, bioplastics are currently three times the cost of conventional plastic, as it requires heavy investment in the initial stages.
“It is definitely something for the future but that does not mean that the future is not happening right now.”
The professor also spoke about the importance of recycling and how the Western Province recycles merely 3% of its waste. He spoke about the innovative concept of plastic roads which was implemented in the 500-metre stretch of road from Ratmalana to Borupana, South of Colombo. The road was paved using an asphalt mixture containing shredded and molten plastic extracted from municipal waste, through a project by the Road Development Authority (RDA) in 2019.
“This could be done in many more areas. Neighbouring India has about 50,000 km of plastic roads. Science should be used well to come out of such problems – not politics or emotions, it has to be science.”
“The recycling process in itself is a separate science to be looked into. Only a portion of current plastic packaging is recyclable. Only pure material can be recycled while plastic packaging with the added lamination – which is the majority – cannot be recycled,” explained CEA Solid Waste Management Unit Director Jayasekara.
Prof. De Alwis added that not everything can be done based on cost-effectiveness, adding: “We sometimes have to make difficult decisions. Sometimes, things have to be done for the greater good rather than profit. We’re so used to taking decisions that are popular in the short term; the right decisions are not always popular.”
2021 single-use plastic ban
A Cabinet decision was taken recently to ban a range of single-use plastics in local markets from 1 January 2021. These include chemicals or pesticides packaged in Poly Ethylene Terephthalate (PET) and Vinyl Chloride (PVC) containers, sachets made of polythene and plastic less than 20 ml/20 g (excluding food and medicine), various inflatable toys made of plastic (excluding balloons, balls, and floating toys), and plastic cotton buds (excluding hygiene products).
“Before imposing a blanket ban, you have to train people to use alternatives; what is the reason for the ban? Why are plastics bad? Is it bad? What is the gravity of plastic usage? What is the answer? These questions should be answered comprehensively. No one is using plastic to deliberately cause harm. It’s only out of convenience,” expressed The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Past President and Serendib Leisure Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Srilal Miththapala.
He suggested the need for more awareness on plastic use throughout the country to prepare the people prior to implementing the ban. He stated that it is a good idea that needs gradual implementation. Realistic goals and targets have to be set and it should be achieved in milestones and followed through.
This is an area in which the media can serve greatly to educate the general public, expressed Jayasekara from the CEA, adding: “By banning it, they think we are attacking the affordability of the economically underprivileged, which is simply not the case.”
Another important tip is to follow through with good habits in households without being overwhelmed by the pandemic. The public need not shift from the use of recyclable cloth bags to polythene bags just because of a virus.
“We can't control each and every issue by regulation. We have to make a gradual change in our thinking patterns and the active decisions we take on a day-to-day basis,” concluded Jayasekara.
The hospitality industry
Apart from the medical setting, where a rise in plastic use is expected, another sector seeing increased plastic use is the tourism and hospitality industry. Speaking to The Sunday Morning, The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Past President and Serendib Leisure Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Srilal Miththapala elaborated on this aspect.
According to the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA), tourism revenue in 2018 was at an all-time high of $ 4.38 billion and revenue in 2019 was $ 3.61 billion, a drop as a result of the devastating Easter attacks. With the pandemic, the industry is facing a tough predicament in 2020, Miththapala said, adding that, the authorities are attempting, to the best of their abilities, to open up tourism and hospitality to new horizons.
The SLTDA has already launched a comprehensive document with detailed guidelines for hotels in the Covid climate. “The main principle is to give the guest the level of comfort in premises that are totally sanitised and disinfected,” he said.
“In the guidelines, it is recommended that all linen, laundry, utensils such as toothbrushes, shampoos, and electronics be enclosed and packaged. Usually, polythene or plastic is used for this purpose, so that the guest is assured that the item has not been in contact with any third parties, and that therefore s/he is safe.”
Due to this guideline, there is a definite rise in plastic use within the industry. The industry has taken measures, especially within the last few years, to be eco-friendly, but now, with the immediate health and safety concerns, they are compelled to halt their initiatives towards that end.
“Hoteliers are even compelled to serve food and beverages enclosed in shrink wrap to reduce exposure. Usually, the room service protocol would be to transfer soiled linen to be cleaned into the trolley cart, but now, the protocol is to transfer that linen immediately with gloved hands to a container which would be sealed, and in the most common scenario it would be a plastic container or a polythene casing. Even disposable gloves were hardly used in the hotel industry here, but now it is a mandatory everyday commodity,” explained Miththapala.
Miththapala added that hoteliers could be advised to use paper whenever possible for this purpose, as the use of plastics can definitely be reduced even in this crucial time.
Plastic: The holy grail vs. gateway to doom
“I don't think polythene is essentially bad, but we have to keep in mind that there is definitely going to be additional usage given the situation. We need to see to it in a way that it’s not going to cause problems,” stated University of Moratuwa Department of Chemical and Process Engineering Professor Ajith De Alwis.
“Plastics and polythene are definitely cost-effective to use, and they promise value for money. Unfortunately, it does not promise value for money for the environment. It’s not essentially a problem of the plastic, it’s a problem of the way we use it.”
Miththapala added that the irony is that plastics are the go-to for packaging, yet on the other hand, it’s biodegradability is poor.
“The first priority should be given to the prevention of Covid, of course. However, we have to think further. If we don't solve the hazardous solid waste management problem, it would only become another problem in the future, and a major health issue in itself.
“It is now advised to cut the two loops of a surgical mask – the parts that aid in retaining it to the user’s ears – when disposing of it. This is because of the high probability that these masks will eventually end up in the sea, which could negatively impact and cause severe harm to marine life; for example, the mask loops getting entangled with aquatic animals,” said Miththapala.
Going back to the topic of disposal in the hospitality industry, Miththapala stated that each hotel has its own methods of disposal, which could mean irresponsible practices in the absence of strict guidelines. He further noted that merely colour coding waste for segregation was insufficient, specifically in the current circumstances in which what the vendors do with that waste and where it is transported to are not monitored.
“Most scientific research suggests that sustainability is definitely going to take a blow under the new normal. Unfortunately, all the good things we were doing about sustainability, waste management, and discouraging single-use plastics will be superseded by the immediate requirement,” Miththapala said.
He further used the Mariott Group as an example; it is a group known to have stringent sustainability policies as its credo. Their decision to suspend their branding by a period of one year in itself speaks volumes, he said.