The Kaduwela Municipal Council opened the first of four Plastic Recycling Centres at 567/3, Yashodara Mawatha, Dedigamuwa as a pilot to improve standards in plastic waste collection and apply environment, health, and safety best practices.
The Plastic Recycling Centres, supported under United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Clean Cities Blue Ocean activity will sort, clean, and bale or crush large quantities of plastic in the municipal areas for commercial recycling.
“The Plastic Recycling Center is a significant step towards strengthening the role of informal waste collectors through a plastic recycling model developed to increase the recycling rate”, said Douglas Sonnek, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Colombo. “During the U.S.-Sri Lanka 75-year partnership, we have supported such interventions, contributing towards the transformation of discarded plastics into valuable resources, as well as education and researching, and the engagement of local communities in the waste management process”, he said.
USAID support provided essential machinery and equipment, including a crusher and baler machine, to the recycling center among other equipment, such as a scale, trolley, and jumbo collection bags. The workers also received safety equipment such as first aid kits, personal protective equipment, and fire extinguishers.
“Collecting and recycling waste is a service to the environment as well as to people to reduce the damage caused by improper waste disposal to the environment. I am very glad that I can contribute to this service with the support of USAID CCBO and Janathakshan”, said Krishantha Vidanagama, Managing Director, Green Step Private Limited.
This model piloted in the Kaduwela Municipal area will be replicated in Galle in the coming months to promote sustainable waste management, foster the integration of informal waste collectors into a formal system, and create a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly country. “Investment in recycling gives double dividends. On one hand, it improves the economy of the country by saving the expenditure on plastic material importation while creating employment opportunities for marginalized communities. On the other hand, it reduces the negative impacts on the sensitive ecosystems by diverting the plastic waste which will otherwise be added to the environment for recycling”, said Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment.
Kotmale Police have stated that luggage, mobile phones and other belongings of the passengers on the bus that met with a tragic accident at Gerandi Ella are safe with them/
Kotmale Police OIC Chief Inspector Vajira Ratnayake stated that the villagers who assisted authorities at the time of the accident handed over the passengers’ belongings to the Police.
The OIC also stated that 35 mobile phones, luggage and other valuables have been kept safe at the police station and can be obtained after the identities of the claimants are verified.
Meanwhile, it is reported that the bus conductor’s ticket book and the money he had collected could not be found.
The OIC had also stated that the exact number of passengers on the bus could not be ascertained due to the death of the driver and the fact that the conductor was receiving treatment in hospital.
PSL 2025 will resume on May 17, with the final on May 25. The announcement confirms the league will end a week after it was originally scheduled to conclude.
The four remaining group games will take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Ground, with the playoffs and final in Lahore. Aside from one afternoon game in Rawalpindi – between Multan Sultans and Quetta Gladiators on 18 May, all fixtures take place at night, with evening games starting at 7:30pm local time.
“HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off,” he wrote in the post,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi announced on X (formerly Twitter). “6 teams, 0 fear. Get ready for 8 thrilling matches starting 17th May, leading up to the Grand Final on 25th May. Best of luck to all the teams!”
The league, which was postponed due to increasing cross-border tensions with India, has eight games left.