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Setup polluting industries in industrial zone: Environmentalists
It is reported that the President has ordered the Rathupaswala factory be relocated in an industrial zone. Environmentalists agree that industries which have the potential to pollute the environment should be located in industrial zones.
“It is better to set up polluting industries in industrial zones instead of in populated areas that are environmentally sensitive,” stressed Hemantha Withanage of Environment Justice. He pointed out that the first level of waste water and other pollutants needs to undergo primary treatment by the factories themselves, and another secondary process before releasing the effluent into the environment. Locating all the industries in a central area also makes it easier to regulate and monitor the process.
However, it is noticed that some of the non-polluting industries too are set up within industrial zones, which is a waste of resources, according to Avanthi Jayatilake of EML Consultants. Being an Environment Professional specialising in Waste Management, Avanthi lists out rubber processing, chemical processing, paint industry and garment dyeing as some of the industries that have a large pollution footprint. These should be located within industrial zones, he urged.
Avanthi also points out that some of the small scale facilities – such as electroplating – can emit harmful substances such as heavy metals. Even service stations and petrol sheds could cause environmental damage in the long run. So he suggests setting up ‘Mini Industrial Zones’ for polluting facilities. Avanthi who previously worked under the Central Environment Authority (CEA) is of the view that the CEA alone would not be able to monitor every industry in Sri Lanka, hence his suggestion to set up mini zones – perhaps one for 4 or 5 villages – which will facilitate greater reduction in pollution by small-scale operators.
However, there are also complaints regarding waste management within these industrial zones. A Sunday Times report on Moratuwa University’s Civil Engineering website titled ‘Industrial Waste Management: Free Trade Zones in Sri Lanka’, mentions of continuous complaints reported from the public, as well as ministries, on improper waste management practices prevailing within the free trade zones.
The report lists inadequate knowledge on industrial solid waste recovery, processing and disposal, profit oriented private sector, lack of coordination among internal bodies, loopholes in legal provision as some of the issues leading to failure in waste disposal.
Unawareness of new industrial waste management strategies too leads to not having efficient waste management system. “Monitoring is the key to avoid pollution by industries, whether they are within industrial zones or outside” says Institute of Environmental Professionals of Sri Lanka (IEPSL) President Prof Hemanthi Ranasinghe.
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