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Recycling polythene, cement for asbestos to overcome national health issues
Following President Maithripala Sirisena’s instructions to officials to present a work plan to minimise the use of polythene and plastics, and recommend low-cost alternatives for asbestos, the National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has submitted several suggestions.
The NBRO last week said that, following a comprehensive study on alternative, safe roofing material, it advocates using cement corrugated sheets made of coconut fibre, which is already in use in government sponsored housing schemes since the early 1980s.Accordingly, the NBRO, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders in the construction industry, intends to manufacture substitutes for the asbestos corrugated roofing sheets.
However, it maintains that, the switch to any alternatives to asbestos will be a tall order for the lack of knowledge among the public, on the health hazards related to asbestos.Moreover, asbestos roofing sheets are popular because of its affordability, availability and ease of installation.
It has been scientifically proven that prolonged use of asbestos sheets can cause cancer. However, due to the disease’s long gestation period of around 15 to 20 years, it is difficult to prove that the sickness is caused by asbestos, and the trade is capitalising on this issue. It is learnt they claim that cancer could have developed due to other issues.
The NBRO however, recommends the Government refrain from making it mandatory to remove the already installed asbestos sheets, in view of the health hazard it would pose when dismantling.
Meanwhile, the NBRO is also studying the feasibility of using roofing materials such as clay tiles, cement tiles and zincalume sheets, with their limitations and drawbacks under review.
Whereas zincalume sheets need sound-proofing and will radiate heat, the manufacture of clay tiles in vast quantities can cause environment degradation due to clay mining. On the other hand, cement tiles will require plenty of timber for their support.
However, after careful consideration, the NBRO recommends a range of substitutes as follows:
1. Fibre-cement roofing with synthetic fibres – polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polypropylene
2. Clay tiles – Flat and other profiles or traditional round (which does not require very good clay for manufacture)
3. Concrete tiles
4. Coated metal sheet/tiles (Zincalume)
5. Vegetable fibres in asphalt roofing sheets
6. Glass fibre reinforced magnesium oxychloride (MgOCl) cement based tiles
Industries manufacturing polythene for the packaging industry last week said that shopping bags, commonly called the sili sili bags, does not come under the polythene category.
The Packaging Development Centre said, banning polythene will be disastrous to the country, as many industries including the food industries depend solely on polythene for packing their products.
Chairman Dharmasiri Ratnayake emphasised the need to define what polythene is, so as to eliminate the ambiguity that exists on polythene, among the public. He said polythene exists in various forms including nylon, polyester and laminating material which are very important for several manufacturing industries.
Mr Ratnayake admits that non-biodegradable shopping bags can cause environment damage, but said that, with no alternatives in sight, the banning of the bags will be difficult.
He said that, as a first step, the public need to be educated on the adverse effects of the bags and its profuse usage. “Also, they need to be educated on proper disposal methods to be followed,” he said. Another option was to encourage customers to re-use the bags.
Another area that needed attention was the extensive use of shopping bags in malls. One leading supermarket chain said they spend Rs 3 million a month on shopping bags.
On the disposal side, Mr Ratnayake emphasises the need for a proper collection system. Just like collecting old newspaper fo recycling, the used bags can also be recycled into pellets, which can be used to manufacture plasticware and containers that is much sought after by housewives.
For this purpose, he said it is important that Government encourage entrepreneurs to move into the recycling industry.
“When the used shopping bags gain value, people will automatically start collecting them,” he said.
Association of Laminated Flexible Packaging Manufacturers, President, Anton Hemantha also said that the high density shopping bags should not be confused with polythene that is extensively used as flexible packaging material in the food industry.