Imports ban on plastic goods to protect elephants

Sri Lanka plans to ban the import of most plastic products in a bid to protect wild elephants and deer that die eating the waste, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera announced in Parliament.

Amaraweera said that legislation was being drafted to stop imports of plastic goods, including polythene, that end up in landfills. Officials said it would be introduced within months, AFP reported.

“Plastics are doing untold damage to our wildlife — elephants, deer and other animals,” Amaraweera told AFP shortly after his announcement.

Plastic in Sri Lankan landfills is a major killer of elephants, with autopsies showing kilos of it in the stomachs of animals who died after rummaging at dumps.

Sri Lanka banned the manufacture or import of non-biodegradable plastic used for wrapping food and shopping bags since 2017.