Waste disposal:

Act together to minimize damage

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

All institutions should act in a responsible manner to minimize the unfavourable environmental effects caused by waste disposal, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

The President made this observation at a conference at Temple Trees yesterday to create awareness on the ill effects of waste disposal and measures to overcome them. At this meeting the President was briefed about a sterilization system introduced by Sri Lankan Catering Services Ltd to sterilize food waste disposed by Airlines.

A press release by the President’s Media Unit said this system which is similar to the water vapour system of sterilization used for medical instruments transfered food waste into animal food and it is estimated to cost Rs 3.5 million.

The President who said that an immense damage is caused by waste entering the environment emphasized the need to pay attention to systems of this nature. The environmental dividends derived from the use of such systems especially in the hotel sector would help create a healthy environment, the President said.

Ministers Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Priyankara Jayaratne, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunge, Chairman SriLankan Airlines Nishantha Wickremasinghe, Chairman, Airport and Aviation Services Ltd Prasanna Wickramasuriya also attended the conference.