News
Technical barriers slow down Colombo’s waste management project
View(s):By Dilushi Wijesinghe
The long-delayed Aruwakkalu Sanitary Landfill in Puttalam, promoted as a long-term solution to Colombo’s garbage crisis, is now expected to begin operations by the end of this year, with full-scale disposal likely from early 2026, says the Urban Development Ministry’s Solid Waste Management Project Director W.H. Dias.
He told the Sunday Times that efforts were underway to resolve the final technical barrier at the Kelaniya Transfer Station, where waste is compressed before train transportation to the landfill. He clarified that because the compactors had not produced the necessary output, the contractor was doing corrective work.
The landfill, located on a 47-hectare abandoned limestone quarry in Puttalam, has been designed for 1,200 MT of municipal solid waste per day
“The compactors, designed to handle 80 metric tonnes per hour, have not achieved the required capacity. Until this problem is rectified, the consultant has refused to give final acceptance,” he said. By the
end of the year, this work ought to be finished, opening the door for the facility to start up.
The landfill, located on a 47-hectare abandoned limestone quarry in Puttalam, has been designed for 1,200 MT of municipal solid waste per day. It was originally projected to have an operational lifespan of about 10 years. However, Mr Dias said that Colombo now generates less waste than was expected at the design stage. “The Colombo Municipal Council collects about 600 to 700 MT of waste daily, and a portion of that is already being diverted to composting and a proposed waste-to-energy plant,” he said.
As a result, officials now believe that only about 400 MT will be sent to Aruwakkalu every day.
Mr Dias said this change would extend the landfill’s lifespan from the initially estimated 10 years to almost 25 years, making it more sustainable than originally thought.
The project was conceived in 2014 but was pushed forward with urgency after the deadly Meethotamulla collapse in April 2017, killing 32 people. The disaster created immense pressure on authorities to find a long-term disposal site for the capital’s waste, and the Aruwakkalu was presented as an environmentally acceptable alternative to uncontrolled dumping.
Construction was given to China Harbour Engineering Company in 2018 at an estimated cost of nearly Rs. 40 billion. The project has so far cost close to Rs 26 billion, funded mainly through the Treasury.
Work was halted in mid-2022 when the contractor abandoned the site over payment delays but resumed after dues were settled in 2024. A trial run took place in August 2024.
The project consists of three parts: a transfer station in Kelaniya where waste is compacted, a 170-kilometre rail link to transport the garbage, and the landfill itself at Aruwakkalu.
Four locomotives and 34 wagons were bought to transport waste at night to avoid clashes with passenger services. These engines are being used by Sri Lanka Railways but will be reassigned once the landfill comes into operation, Mr. Dias said.
Public opposition has been just as challenging as technical problems. Local residents, environmental groups and civil society organisations in Puttalam have resisted the scheme from the beginning, saying the government has simply transferred Colombo’s environmental burden to their community. Complaints of unbearable odour during early waste transfers in 2019 triggered street protests and litigation.
Mr Dias admitted that the initial mishandling of uncompressed waste disposal before the project was finalised did serious damage to public confidence. He said people still feared untreated garbage would be dumped in their district. “We are continuing public awareness campaigns to rebuild trust. People are slowly beginning to understand the differences, but the fear remains.”
He insisted, however, only segregated waste will be transported, and much of the moisture (leachate) will be removed through compaction. He explained that compaction removes between 80% and 90% of the water, reducing the risk of
leachate seeping into the lagoon.
The landfill has safeguards that include a composite liner system to prevent seepage into groundwater and a structure to divert stormwater, Mr. Dias said.
He added liquid from the waste is treated on site and reused for irrigation and washing of machinery. “Nothing will be discharged into the lagoon,” he stressed.
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