Controlling waste management in industrial sector:

Industrial Clothing wins Geo Responsibility Awards

Cassandra Abeynaike

Industrial Clothing Pvt Ltd and Prime Polymers won the gold award at the annual Geo Responsibility Awards Ceremony held at Water's Edge in Battaramulla last Friday. Bodyline Pvt Ltd won the Silver while Hemas Manufacturing Pvt Ltd, was the Bronze winner.

The six excellence awards were presented to Union Chemicals Lanka PLC, BASF Lanka Pvt Ltd, Balfour Beatty Engineering Services Ceylon Pvt Ltd, Star Packaging Pvt Ltd, Noyon Lanka Pvt Ltd and De La Rue Currency and Security Print.

Geocycle, the company pioneering the awards ceremony, promotes the importance of controlling waste management in the industrial sector and this year seventy-one companies participated. This year, the ceremony was held in conjunction with the launch of Holcim Lanka Ltd's new product, ‘Holcim Extra.’

The recipients were chosen by an Independent Selection Team which consisted of academics whom expressed great concern for the survival of the environment. The joint venture raised one common theme of the 'visual footprint', where the protection of the environment was highly emphasized.

The Geocycle Group maintains that the awards ceremony will continue as an integrated annual event. There are hopes that more industries will be prepared to accept the environmental challenge and participate next year. By increasing the number of participants and stressing the importance of waste management, Geocycle expects that the population will become more aware of the environmental encounters faced by today's society.

“We must work together and respect resources to cherish the world we live in,” said , Moratuwa University Professor Ajith de Alwis.

Power and Energy Minster Champika Ranawaka said that energy is the key in today's society; Sri Lanka must maintain its stance well in this regard being the only nation in the South-East Asia region to meet the demand of power each day. “Our target is to reduce the usage of power by 10 percent, thereby saving millions of rupees and protecting the environment,” he said.