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CEA to move toxic container to safe place

by Florence Wickramage

In keeping with the BASEL Convention to which Sri Lanka is a signatory a process has been activated according to the procedure set out in the convention to ship the contaminated container and drums now considered hazardous, to a destination which has facilities to treat such items, Chairman Central Environment Authority (CEA) Ajita de Costa told the Daily News yesterday.

Residents in the neighbourhood of the Sedawatte Yard had complained that offensive odours were emanating from the containers and were increasingly felt at night. On this report the Chairman CEA, Customs Department officials and shipping agents' representatives had decided to open at least ten more containers to investigate the cause. This was not possible since the OIC, Grandpass Police produced a Court order to remove the containers to the Port. The team of officials had then inspected the containers and had interviewed several residents.

Meanwhile the Atomic Energy Authority had examined the remaining containers in the Sedawatte Asian Container Terminal Yard and had reported that the contents within tallied with the cargo manifests. A site at Tudella, Ja-ela had been identified with the minimum habitation and an environment to store and wash the balance containers. The CEA has issued a directive to the Shipping Agents to initiate action accordingly, de Costa said.

The Shipping Agents of "LT GRAND", Greenlanka said that only one container out of the 184 containers removed from the Port had a chemial compound "Oxime Carbamate" which is a pesticide and not classified as a dangerous cargo or toxic, hazardous or radioactive material according to IMDG code. The product has been de-composed and therefore not harmful to human or environment.

They also say that 183 containers which contained eElectronic, General and household items, foods and rubber products are being taken in batches to a yard in Tudella for carrying out a door inspection prior to re-shipping to their final destination. All cleaning/washing are being done with absolute transparancy to all concerned, Greenlanka said.

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