There is a stir in the society these days about waste stocks which have been imported into Sri Lanka and are now stored at the Colombo Port and at an institutional premises in Katunayake claiming to be re-exported mattresses.
Between September 2017 and March 2018, these items were said to be imported to Sri Lanka by 241 containers.
The Central Environmental Authority stated that these containers have been exported to Sri Lanka by a UK-based company named Vengaads Ltd.
The authority said that some of the mattresses in the containers were filled with clinical and other wastes.
It also shows that it can be regarded as a violation of international conventions.
Sri Lanka Customs told BBC Sinhala Service that 130 out of the 241 containers imported had been cleared at the port and are kept at the Hayleys Free Zone premises in Katunayake, and the remaining 111 containers are said to still be at the Colombo Harbor in three yards.
People in the street against a Chinese factory.
Want to eat the cake and have it too.
Director of Customs and its spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said Ceylon Metal Processing (Pvt) Ltd had been identified as the importer of all these containers.
Customs investigators have now recorded statements from the owners of the company.
Hayleys Free Zone, meanwhile, said in a statement that its company is not affiliated with the existing containers at the port.
They further stated that they only act as a facilitator for the importing & exporting companies.
Legal Background,
The opportunity to import these materials to Sri Lanka has been made with the amendments to the Sri Lanka Monetary Act of 30 March 2012.
Sections 16, 17 and 18 of the Finance Act have been amended by these amendments.
The Customs Ordinance, Exchange Control Act & the Import and Export Control Act are not applicable when importing goods for re-export according to the relevant changes and the process is carried out through BOI.
Meanwhile, according to a gazette notification issued on July 7, 2013, Katunayake Export Processing Zone has been declared a Bonded Area.
Customs Superintendent Lal Weerakoon told the BBC Sinhala Service that the Hayleys Free Zone located in the Katunayake Export Processing Zone is serving as a re-export center.
"According to that provision, other entities can sign agreements with a BOI registered company in this manner. Now Hayleys Free Zone has taken the BOI clearance from the Colombo port as a consignee. Then all the clearance of the company is done through the BOI and the BOI facilities. As stated in the Act it says the Customs cannot see them."
The Sri Lanka Customs has begun investigations in May last year on a classified information received from the Customs regarding 111 unrefined containers at the port.
Investigations have also revealed that 10 out of the 130 containers taken out of the harbor have been re-exported in the same manner.
Several iron-packed containers that have been removed from the mattresses have been re-exported to India, and the remaining sponge spare parts from the iron reserve have been re-exported to the State of Dubai.
So, the number of containers have been re-exported is seven.
According to the Sri Lanka Customs, they believe that these substances have been shipped to Sri Lanka, by pointing out that the mattresses used are for the purpose of obtaining iron.
Hazardous Waste:
However, according to the International Convention, hazardous waste is illegal to sent from one country to another.
The agreement for that is known as the Basel Convention.
Sri Lanka and the UK are also signatories to the Convention.
"The Convention states that if a contracted country exports hazardous waste to another country, the Focal Point of that country must be addressed regarding the matter", Customs Superintendent Weerakoon explained.
"What is really happening here is that some of the waste has been brought to Sri Lanka as used mattresses. These mattresses contain a variety of odors that are removed from various carpets, plastics and other items. There is so much garbage that they can't be opened and tested."
The Central Environmental Authority is the relevant authority in Sri Lanka regarding such matters.
According to the CEA, none of the companies have obtained the necessary permits.
According to the Central Environmental Authority, 27,685 metric tons of waste in the 50,000 square feet area of the Hayleys Free Zone has been dumped and exposed to the environment.
The Central Environmental Authority said that the National Environmental Act has ordered that the waste needs to be sent to the exporting country as soon as possible.
"Garbage Hub":
Meanwhile, convening a press conference, the JVP stated that Sri Lanka is becoming a "Garbage Hub" due to such activities.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) pointed out that even though Sri Lanka has signed the Basel Convention Agreement, Sri Lanka has failed to make it law. Due to this it is now possible to import and export anything to and from Sri Lanka.
While so much of Garbage was being brought to the country, what has this government been doing since then???
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