With the passing of time and investments gaining momentum, activities have diversified at Seethawaka Export Processing Zone (SEPZ). It has become necessary to address the environmental issues very soon.
The issues at SEPZ Concerning waste could be characterized into two main categories: hazardous waste disposal and non-hazardous waste disposal.
There are 26 factories operating in the Zone and the solid waste generated by their manufacturing activities are directly dumped at the dump yard. There are five factories who regularly send out the waste for disposal to Central Environment Authority approved facilitators.
Each day, around 12 MT of waste is dumped at the yard. Villagers from the surrounding areas are permitted to collect whatever they can find from the dump yard and eke out a living.
The balance waste remains collecting daily at the yard. The dump yard waste comprises fabric off cuts, polythene, papers, card board, rubber and wooden debris. For more than 12 years the dump yard at the SEPZ located on a higher elevation in the Zone has been storing all the solid waste.
Steps are now being taken to sort the waste into distinct categories, so that open tender procedures could be followed to dispose the waste. This will assist to keep the zone environmentally clean and friendly.
In Sri Lanka, unfortunately the disposal of solid waste does not have a concrete solution as yet. There is no agency that is competent to handle solid waste management efficiently and in an eco-friendly manner.
The dump yard at SEPZ during warm weather has a very high tendency to catch fire and has to be controlled fast, thus preventing it spreading to the adjoining enterprises. We as a nation are very slow in handling environmental issues seriously.
Government should collect proposals from bidders to set up projects that could assist in waste management and also that promote recycling and reusing solid waste. Such projects should be encouraged with special incentives to overcome this major issue.
We at SEPZ are in the process of establishing a sorting shed to segregate the waste and to take measures to call bids to dispose the accumulated waste amongst interested parties.
In order for the SEPZ to obtain the environment protection license it is of prime importance that solid waste disposal issue is looked into fast.
The most problematic hazardous waste generated is sludge from the operation of effluent treatment plants. There are 13 hazardous waste generating industries at SEPZ. Daily around 8 MT of industrial sludge is generated.
This is dumped into the sanitary landfill which is now filled to the brim and cannot accommodate any more. In addition to the industrial sludge, the common waste water treatment plant also generates 17 MT of sludge per day.
Industrial sludge is disposed of by finding temporary solutions. Considering the urgency of the issue a new sanitary landfill is to be constructed soon.
It is a well-known fact that many industrially developed countries today use solid waste generated through industrial activities, as a source generating energy.
Public-private partnerships could and should be encouraged for this purpose.
Land could be provided by the state, while expertise from Government sources and investment from the investor community will assist to set up solid waste management projects. Presently investments with dry operations are only encouraged at SEPZ.
During the rainy season the dump yard can become a breeding source for dengue and other diseases. When plastic containers and water retraining debris are stacked in the dump yard with the rains setting in, it will eventually breed dengue mosquitoes. Therefore periodically preventive measures are taken to clean this area. By this regular monitoring practice the spread of dengue is prevented.
Not only the Zone at Seethawaka but also the country is faced with a serious problem with the accumulation of disposable and undisposable waste.
Recently the Meethotamulla dump with tons of waste collapsed, killing a few and causing a serious threat to the people living in the vicinity. Yet even to date no concrete solution has yet been arrived at by the Government.
The BOI has the massive task of promoting foreign direct investments and also create employment opportunities by opening new industrial zones. My question is, how are we to handle the solid waste disposal? Are we geared to face this issue?
At SEPZ, we are studying many proposals, evaluating these proposals and trying to arrive at the best solution. That is to sort out, then segregate and dispose the waste by inviting bidders to buy the waste. The remaining solid waste which is hazardous has to be incinerated. Cost should not be the deciding factor but time and fast results should be placed as first priority to resolve this matter.
(The writer is Senior Deputy Director, Seethawaka Export Processing Zone)
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