National Environmental (Protection & Quality) Regulations No 01 of 2008

As per Part II of the National Environmental (Protection & Quality) Regulations No 01 of 2008 all persons involved in the management of (Generate, Collect, Transport, Store, Recover or Recycle and Disposal of waste or establish any site or facility for the disposal) Scheduled Waste specified in the Schedule VIII of the regulation should obtain a licence from the Central Environmental Authority. Application for a license for scheduled waste management, Guidelines The Scheduled Waste Management License Procedures given below.

1. Submission of the duly filled application for the Scheduled Waste Management
2. Documents required – Business Registration
   Site Plan
   Waste Management plan
   Route sketch to the site
   Any other relevant approvals and documents
3. Site inspection – Inspection fee

Basel Convention on the Control of Tran boundary Movements of Hazardous wastes and their Disposal (1989) – www.basel.int

Date of Adoption: 22.03.1989
Date of Entry into force: 05.05.1992
Date Ratification by Sri Lanaka: 28.08.1992(Ac)
Number of Countries which have ratified the convention: 170
National Focal Point: Environment Pollution Control Division, Ministry of Environment & Natural Resources
National Competent Authority: Central Environmental Authority

In the late 1980, a tightening of environmental regulations in industrialized countries led to a dramatic rise in the cost of Hazardous wastes Disposal. Searching for cheaper ways to get rid of the wastes, "toxic traders" began shipping Hazardous wastes to developing countries and to Eastern Europe. When this activity was revealed, International outrage led to the drafting and adoption of the Basel Convention which is an international convention which controls the transboundary movement of Hazardous Waste.

The Basel Convention on the control of transboundary movements of Hazardous wastes and their Disposal is the most comprehensive global environmental agreement on hazardous and other wastes. The Convention aims to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects resulting from the generation, management, transboundary movements and disposal of hazardous and other waste.

Project on Awareness & Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL)

The Ministry of Environment (MOE) and the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) with the technical & financial support from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has started implementing a pilot scale disaster management programme on Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL).

In this regard, the MOE has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the UNEP in February 2006 and the CEA was designated as the implementing body. The project goal is to minimise casualties, property and environmental damages from industrial and manmade disasters by organizing the public, private sector and the local communities based on the technical guidelines developed by the UNEP under the APELL programme. The project is implemented at two selected sites ( Koggala Export Processing Zone and Ekala Industrial Area) on pilot scale with the effective participation of industrial community, government institutions and the local community. Photo 01 – Project Sites

The final outputs envisaged by this project include the preparation of IEPPs and awareness raising APELL brochures, one for Ekala and one for Koggala.

The preparation of the draft IEPPs was carried out by the members of the LCGs of the two sites. The data, maps and other information with regard to the type and quantities of chemicals used, existing on-site emergency plans, fire fighting equipment etc were collected from the relevant industries and local level institutions in order to prepare the above plan. The information from the industries was collected using the model fact sheet received with the courtesy of NSC, India

Environmentally Sound Management of E - Waste

The Ministry of Environment & Natursal Resource (MENR) and the Secretariat of Basel Convention [SBC] has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to implement a Project on E-waste in Sri Lanka. As per this memorandum the MENR has agreed to implement a project on Development of National Implementation Plan for Electrical & Electronic Waste [E-Waste] in Sri Lanka, which forms one component of the Pilot Project for the Environmentally Sound Management of E-Waste in Asia and the Pacific.

Upon an intimation made by the MENR, the CEA has implemented the phase I & II of the Project with funding from the SBC. The following key tasks of the project were completed during year 2007.

• Establishment of Co-ordination Mechanism to implement the project
• Establishment of the Project Management Unit [PMU] at CEA to implement the project
• Preparation of a Detailed Inventory of E-waste [Review & Compilation of Existing Information [Desk Study]
• Field Survey on Electronic and Electrical Waste Generators, Collectors, Storages and Recyclers.
• Delivery of Project Reports and Reporting [Data Analysis, Preparation and Submission of the final report].