• Waste buildup worsened after Kerawalapitiya waste disposal plant underperformed for months
• Authorities explore abandoned stone quarries as interim waste disposal option after Piliyandala dump fire
• Open dumping, methane buildup, policy failures continue to fuel recurring disasters, environmentalists warn
• Residents complain of lingering smoke, odour, growing health and environmental concerns

Following the recent fire at the Karadiyana garbage dump in Piliyandala, authorities are exploring the usage of abandoned sites including abandoned stone quarries for waste management in the Colombo District as part of interim measures. 

However, as such discussions review the situation, criticisms are growing with respect to the usage of such dumping grounds in the first place as environmentalists argue that a solution involves much more than just moving the garbage from one area to another. As the fire subsides, another is set aflame – with several solutions finding their way to the light.

Dealing with the fire and its aftermath 

When contacted by The Sunday Morning, Waste Management Authority of the Western Province (WMA-WP) Director Nalin Mannapperuma noted that the fire had originated in the section used to store burnable waste and had been brought under control, with the site being secure at present.

Mannapperuma said that the fire on 10 April had started during daytime and spread rapidly due to heavy winds, making it difficult for authorities to control it initially. Many organisations had joined forces with the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) to lead the operation.

“The fire occurred in Yard C. It is where we store burnable waste separated by local authorities. We separate biodegradable waste and then take the burnable waste separately,” he said.

Mannapperuma acknowledged that the sudden fire had been fuelled by a buildup caused at the Karadiyana site due to the underperformance of the Kerawalapitiya waste disposal plant.

“We transfer the burnable waste to the Kerawalapitiya waste disposal plant to incinerate. However, the plant was not functioning properly over the last few months. Because of that, a massive amount of waste – around 300,000 MT – accumulated at the Karadiyana site,” he explained.

Both the surface and sub-surface fires were dealt with in two stages. Mannapperuma noted that large amounts of water – over 1 million litres – were used to put out the surface fires while advanced technology and intervention was needed to eliminate the sub-surface fires.

“For sub-surface fires, we collaborated with universities and the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) to use thermal sensors. We sent up drones equipped with thermal sensors to check the temperature of the garbage pile from above and identified the hotspots. Using those images, we located specific areas and covered them with soil to extinguish the fire,” he said, adding that extinguishing sub-surface fires took a significant amount of time compared to surface fires.

Mannapperuma further stated that the sub-surface temperature was monitored continuously until it reached the ambient levels, which indicated that the fire had been fully contained, prior to concluding the phase. Observations and monitoring are still ongoing.

“Since the fire, the main concern has been air pollution. We monitored air pollution starting from 10 April. From 10 to 12 April, air pollution levels occasionally exceeded the limits. Specifically, carbon monoxide and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) were higher than the standard limits at certain intervals. However, we continued monitoring until the level returned to normal,” he said, adding that the Medical Health Officer (MOH) of the area had decided against a total evacuation as the situation had returned to a manageable state.

He also stated that health camps had been conducted for both officials and the local community of Piliyandala due to exposure, adding that MOH reports had indicated that the situation was normal with no major health issues. However, one case of dengue was identified among officials, prompting precautionary fumigation in the area. Yard C has also been temporarily shuttered with the garbage being directed elsewhere.

Stalled projects and planned measures 

Mannapperuma acknowledged that the situation at the site had been aggravated by a massive garbage buildup caused by delays in certain large-scale projects due to various political reasons.

“According to our master plan, Yard C was designated for a mass-scale waste project. The amount of waste being dumped there is excessive and unnecessary. However, due to reasons beyond the control of the WMA-WP, these projects, which were supposed to begin in late 2019, did not proceed. The political authorities at the time stopped them for political reasons, and a massive mountain of garbage has been formed here because of that,” he stated.

He further noted that ministers and the relevant authorities had been made aware of the situation, adding that the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was working towards commencing the large-scale project in Karadiyana.

“Once everything is sorted out, open dumping of waste will not be necessary and we will be able to dispose of it sanitarily,” he said.

Speaking further on interim plans that were in place, he said: “We plan to explore the option of moving decomposed waste into stone quarries, as such waste causes minimal environmental damage. Systems that will help prevent fire hazards are also to be established.”

‘A dumping site is not the solution’

However, environmentalists warn that the crisis at the Karadiyana garbage dump is the result of improper waste management techniques practised for decades and the absence of proper waste management policies and systems within the country.

Sajeewa Chamikara, representing the Movement for Land and Agricultural Reform (MONLAR), said that the Karadiyana waste site had existed for around two decades and had progressively expanded with multiple local authorities hauling waste to the site.

Chamikara told The Sunday Morning that the site had initially begun as a dumping ground for waste from the Boralesgamuwa Urban Council before being expanded later through a process of accumulating waste from the Kesbewa and Moratuwa areas.

“A massive amount of waste was dumped there in such a manner. This was followed by a legal process initiated regarding the dumping, and as a result, an order was issued to implement a waste management plan at that location,” he said.

According to him, a group of businessmen had maintained the dump prior to it being brought under the WMA-WP.

Chamikara noted that while the composting process at the Karadiyana waste site functioned properly, issues remained in relation to the remainder of the garbage being handled through open dumping at the site instead of proper waste management systems.

“A significant amount of the compost produced at the site is sold in a process that functions smoothly. However, the problem is that there isn’t a proper management system for the remaining solid waste. It is simply dumped and covered with a thin layer of soil,” he said, adding that Karadiyana was maintained as an open dumping site, rather than as a sanitary landfill or a place where waste was managed correctly.

“The issue is that methane gas is produced over time. When methane is formed, even a small spark can cause a fire. This is the process that can be seen in Karadiyana. Methane is a highly flammable gas and extinguishing it is not easy because it is produced by the activity of bacteria within the garbage mound through a process of anaerobic respiration,” he added.

Chamikara warned that the site’s location itself posed environmental risks and challenges as it was situated near the Bolgoda River and what was previously a wetland terrain.

“The land used for this dump was previously a wetland; it’s a wetland that is being filled up with garbage in such a manner. The next issue is the leachate (liquid waste) seeping into the groundwater. There are a vast number of such issues centred upon the site.”

He argued that Sri Lanka’s current approach in relation to waste management primarily focused on collecting and dumping waste rather than reducing waste generation or implementing a proper disposal system. 

“We claim to manage waste, but what we actually do is composting and dumping. In reality, waste management is neither of those. There is no process at all in Sri Lanka to reduce the amount of waste reaching collection points. Because of that, there is no process that functions according to a proper solid waste management policy. That is the main problem. 

“What happens now is that waste is collected and brought to a dumping site. There, a portion is composted. After collecting the rest, whatever can be sent for recycling or reuse is sent, and the remainder is dumped,” he said.

These waste sites are known to accumulate a significant amount of toxic and problematic waste, such as from hospitals, slaughterhouses, toilets, and sewage, which does not attest to proper waste management policies. Relating to past incidents such as the collapse of the Meethotamulla garbage dump and fires at the Bloemendhal garbage dump, Chamikara highlighted the repeated consequences Sri Lanka had faced over the years due to open dumping of garbage.

He criticised the authorities, holding them responsible for the worsening state of the country’s waste crisis as they remained focused on maintaining dumping grounds instead of transitioning towards a proper waste management system. 

“We are doing it the wrong way by just dumping waste; that is what needs to be stopped. We must have a proper waste management plan. Maintaining dumping sites is not the solution. Operating a dump is only a short-term fix, not a long-term one,” he said, adding that the incumbent Government should take these matters under consideration, having examined the shortcomings of many previous governments in this regard.

“People living around these sites face immense pressure. Furthermore, fires like these can occur. On the other hand, it contributes to flood threats and impacts people’s health. There are so many problems. Therefore, the primary need is to create a proper waste management policy and implement it,” he added.

Chamikara also alleged that Local Government authorities continued to favour open dumping sites as it created avenues for many people to earn money through activities such as waste transportation and site maintenance.

“Currently, we have the ability to move towards reuse for some waste. Even though we talk about recycling, there are many issues when it comes to actually recycling. Some items can be reused or converted into other materials. Items that absolutely cannot be recycled – like shoes and certain clothes – can be put through crusher machines and used as raw materials for construction or as filler material. Such things happen all over the world, but here, all we do is dump everything at one site,” he said.

Speaking on the Government’s plans towards using abandoned stone quarries for waste management in the Colombo District, Chamikara added: “When waste is transported, the smell and other hazards spread to the surroundings. Stone quarries involve deep underground excavations. Therefore, the leachate will seep into the groundwater, and it will only worsen the problem,” he said, noting that the abandoned stone quarries were not suitable for waste disposal either environmentally or structurally.

He warned that unless Sri Lanka implemented long-term waste reduction, sustainable management, and reuse policies and techniques, issues such as fires, landslides, pollution, health risks, and environmental damage would persist.

“A dumping site is not the solution; the solution is building a proper system to manage waste,” Chamikara emphasised.

Discussions on future steps

According to a media release issued by the District Media Unit of Colombo, a discussion regarding the issues that had arisen when a sudden fire broke at the aforementioned garbage dump was held on 24 April.

The meeting was held at the mini-auditorium of the Colombo District Secretariat under the patronage of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. It involved the participation of relevant officials and authorities who discussed and reviewed the ongoing situation at the Karadiyana garbage dump, along with other general waste management strategies.

According to the statement, the WMA-WP had discussed the current status of the Karadiyana waste site and its future operations. “The progress of decisions taken during the waste management meeting held on 19 November 2025 and the actions taken by the Waste Management Authority and the Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation to release the land in Kerawalapitiya, where disaster waste has been collected, were also reviewed,” it read. 

The discussion had also covered the process of directing the Colombo Municipal Council’s (CMC) degradable waste to the compost production unit at the Kerawalapitiya waste disposal plant, as well as the process of directing non-degradable waste at the plant to Western Power in Kerawalapitiya, which is the waste-to-energy plant supervised by the CMC.

A discussion on reviewing the progress of decisions made regarding waste management in the Colombo District at the District Environmental Committee meeting held on 24 March and obtaining suitable land for the Methane Capture Project, a proposed project by the CMC to generate electricity from degradable waste, had also taken place at the meeting.

The committee had further focused special attention on the possibility of utilising abandoned stone quarries. Accordingly, the Prime Minister had instructed the Central Environmental Authority and other responsible institutions to investigate the feasibility of using abandoned stone quarries for waste management in the Colombo District and to submit a status report as soon as possible.

Complaints from residents

Locals around the area of the Karadiyana waste site said that the situation had remained concerning for days after the fire, with persistent smoke along with lingering issues of odour.

Sameera Hettiarachchi, a resident of the area, said that the authorities were conducting post-fire operations at the site at present. “Now the authorities are using backhoes to rearrange the garbage piles while clearing away the ash from the places that caught fire,” he said.

Recalling the days of the fire, Hettiarachchi commented on the severity of the fire that had affected adjacent cities as well. “The Bokundara area was completely covered in smoke for several days,” he noted.

Hettiarachchi further claimed that the locals’ objections predated the recent incident. “There were objections before about garbage being dumped, but the authorities did not stop it. Now the garbage dump has grown to an unimaginably large size,” he claimed.

He added that the lingering odour in the area caused by the waste site had affected nearby locations as well. “The stench even reaches the upper floors of the Kotelawala Defence University Hospital,” he said.

“So much garbage has piled up now that it is impossible to remove it,” he added, highlighting how the scale of waste accumulation had made the situation increasingly difficult to manage.