Illustration of an elephant. - HOerwin56

Sri Lanka will ban the import of plastic products to protect wild elephants and deer. Plastic in landfills across the country is indeed a major cause of death for these animals, after autopsies have shown that they have pounds of it in their stomachs.

Legislation is being prepared to end the importation of plastic products that end up in landfills, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told parliament on Friday. It will be presented in the coming months.

Non-biodegradable plastic already banned

“Plastics are causing untold damage to our wildlife, elephants, deer and other animals,” Mahinda Amaraweera said shortly after her announcement. Sri Lanka has already banned the manufacture and import of non-biodegradable plastic for packaging food or for plastic bags since 2017.

The minister indicated that the measures envisaged, which mainly concern toys and kitchen utensils, would be extended to local production. But no timetable has been given for this extension.

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  • Environment
  • Pollution
  • World
  • Animals
  • elephant
  • Plastic
  • Sri Lanka