Largest quantity of marine plastic waste sent for recycling (Pics)
The largest quantity of marine plastic waste collected following the MSC ELSA 3 maritime incident has been officially cleared for recycling, marking a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s coastal clean-up efforts, Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody said.
Addressing a special public awareness program was held this morning (July 22) at Sethapola, Puttalam, he emphasised that the government remains fully committed to implementing environmental policies to safeguard Sri Lanka’s marine ecosystem.
The event focused on the official clearance and recycling of plastic waste and plastic nurdles collected over the past year at the Central Waste Storage Facility in Sethapola, Puttalam.
These efforts stem from coastal cleanup operations spearheaded by the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) following the maritime incident involving the Liberian-flagged cargo vessel, “MSC ELSA 3.” The occasion was attended by the Chairman of MEPA, Dr. Samantha Gunasekara, General Manager Mr. Jagath Gunasekara, along with executive officers from MSC Shipping Company, Interocean, Colombo Logistics, and the P&I Club. Key proceedings included the formal exchange of agreements regarding the recycled plastic waste and the presentation of an interim compensation check to MEPA by MSC Lanka (Pvt) Ltd.
To minimize the environmental impact of the “MSC ELSA 3” incident, MEPA has implemented comprehensive, systematic measures. Beyond removing the plastic nurdles scattered by the vessel, the cleanup operations have cleared decades of accumulated plastic and marine debris spanning from Jaffna and the northern islands through Mannar and Puttalam, reaching down to the island’s southern coast.
Under an agreement reached between MEPA and the MSC Shipping Company, all financial costs incurred for removing this additional debris are fully covered by MSC.
Consequently, the entire coastal cleanup and waste management operation is being executed successfully under MEPA’s direct regulation and supervision without incurring any additional financial burden on the Sri Lankan government. At the time of the incident, the vessel was carrying a total of 643 containers – including 13 containing hazardous chemicals and 66 containing plastic nurdles – along with approximately 452 metric tons of fuel.
Under emergency notification protocols and in accordance with the National Oil and Chemical Spill Contingency Plan, a special briefing for institutional officers was held on June 12, 2025.
On June 13, 2025, MEPA initiated shoreline cleanup operations with operational support from the Tri-Forces and the Department of Coast Guard. A standout feature of this program is that it addresses not only the plastic nurdles lost from the “MSC ELSA 3,” but also decades of legacy marine waste across the island’s coastlines—all executed at zero additional cost to the state. Collected waste is first gathered at district-level temporary storage units before being transported to the central facility in Puttalam.
All operational logistics are facilitated through third-party partners Interocean and Colombo Logistics, backed by the guidance and funding of MSC Shipping Company.
(Pics : Ministry of Environment)
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