Energy News
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Sri Lanka bans single-use plastics to save elephants
Sri Lanka bans single-use plastics to save elephants
by AFP Staff Writers
Colombo (AFP) Feb 14, 2023
Sri Lanka will ban single-use plastics, the government said Tuesday, in a move that follows a series of wild elephant and deer deaths from plastic poisoning.

Cabinet spokesman and media minister Bandula Gunawardana said the manufacture or sale of plastic cutlery, cocktail shakers and artificial flowers will be prohibited from June.

The move was recommended by a panel appointed 18 months ago to study the impact of plastic waste on the environment and wildlife.

Non-biodegradable plastic bags were banned in 2017 due to concerns over flash floods.

And imports of plastic cutlery, food wrappers and toys were banned two years ago after a spate of deaths of elephants and deer in the island's northeast after foraging at open garbage tips.

Autopsies showed the animals had died after eating plastics mixed with food waste.

But local manufacture and sale of plastic products continued.

Sri Lanka's top authority on Asian elephants, Jayantha Jayewardene, welcomed the move to stop them, but told AFP the ban should be extended to biodegradable plastic bags.

"These bags are getting into the food chain of elephants and wildlife and that is not a good thing," he said.

Elephants are considered sacred and protected by law in Sri Lanka, but about 400 die a year as a result of human-elephant conflict near wildlife reserves, as do around 50 people.

Shrinking habitat has led to jumbos raiding villages looking for food and many suffer agonising deaths after foraging for food at dumps filled with plastic waste.

Dozens of wild deer died from plastic poisoning in the northeastern district of Trincomalee about five years ago, prompting the government to ban the open dumping of garbage near jungle reserves.

Related Links
Our Polluted World and Cleaning It Up

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
FROTH AND BUBBLE
Long-term air pollution exposure raises depression risk: studies
Washington (AFP) Feb 10, 2023
Long-term exposure to air pollution raises the risk of depression, according to a pair of new studies published in the JAMA network of scientific journals. A study published on Friday in JAMA Network Open found that long-term exposure to elevated levels of air pollution increases the risk of late-onset depression among the elderly. The other study, published in JAMA Psychiatry, found that long-term exposure to even low levels of air pollutants was associated with increased incidence of depressio ... read more

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Biogas produced with waste from apple juice making can minimize use of fossil fuels in industry

Biorefinery uses microbial fuel cell to upcycle resistant plant waste

Emirates announces 'milestone' sustainable fuel flight

Farming more seaweed to be food, feed and fuel

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Solar-powered gel filters enough clean water to meet daily needs

Research reveals thermal instability of solar cells but offers a bright path forward

Blue Origin unveils "Blue Alchemist" a technology that turns Moon dust into solar cells

'Good policy' for EU to match US green plan with own subsidies: Yellen

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Machine learning could help kites and gliders to harvest wind energy

Polish MPs vote to make building wind turbines easier

New research shows porpoises not harmed by offshore windfarms

UH professor developing new technologies to improve safety, resiliency of offshore energy systems

FROTH AND BUBBLE
All who can should pay even for their basic greenhouse gas emissions

S.Africa mining and energy giants thwarting climate goals: study

Energy industry must be part of climate fight, says COP president

France urges 'transparency' over US climate subsidies

FROTH AND BUBBLE
High thermal conductivity of cubic silicon carbide finally demonstrated

Controllable 'defects' improve performance of lithium-ion batteries

Ford to build new US electric battery plant with Chinese partner

Hungary protests against Chinese battery plant defy 'Orbanomics'

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Sri Lanka bans single-use plastics to save elephants

Sinkholes sow fear in former Polish mining town

Long-term air pollution exposure raises depression risk: studies

Rise in air pollution correlates to creation of impressionist painting, study says

FROTH AND BUBBLE
World oil demand exceeded pre-Covid level in late 2022: OPEC

Researchers develop 'green' method to extract hydrogen from seawater

Shareholder sues Shell bosses over climate risks

Rival Libya administrations agree to remove foreign fighters: UN

FROTH AND BUBBLE
Preparing to drill Dinira: Sols 3737-3738

Spanish lagoon used to better understand wet-to-dry transition of Mars

Mars rover finds rippled rocks caused by waves: NASA

Mars Helicopter at Three Forks

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.