The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has called on the government to urgently address a regulatory loophole that allows companies to profit from charging for plastic bags without contributing to environmental protection.

CEJ Chairman Hemantha Withanage said the original legal action aimed to reduce plastic waste while ensuring revenue from bag charges would fund conservation and waste management.

Although a court-backed agreement in March 2024 allowed charging for plastic bags and proposed a conservation levy, no such surcharge has been implemented to date.