Events

Joint effort enables safe disposal of 191 tons of PCB-contaminated waste

In a groundbreaking effort to address environmental and health risks, a collaborative initiative involving the Ministry of Environment, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), and INSEE Ecocycle has successfully disposed of 191 tons of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) contaminated transformer oil and transformers. This initiative marks a significant step towards mitigating potential hazards posed by PCBs within Sri Lanka.

PCBs, particularly in industrial applications such as electricity transformers and capacitors, are known to have severe adverse effects on both the environment and human health. Classified as a class 1 carcinogen, PCBs have been linked to developmental disorders in children, making their safe disposal a matter of utmost importance.Sri Lanka is part of the global movement to eliminate the use of PCBs in equipment by 2025 it is a key milestone for the nation. For a longtime, a safe way to dispose of this large stock of PCB-contaminated oil has been searched and the National Implementation Plan (NIP) for the Stockholm Convention of Sri Lanka also identified phase out and disposal of PCBs as one of the priorities requiring immediate attention and action.

“It was important for us to have the right waste management partner capable of managing a project of this importance. Taking this point as the overall objective, the Ministry of Environment signed an agreement with UNIDO for environmentally sound management of PCBs in utility and welding sectors and INSEE was selected to carryout disposal process following an international bidding process conducted through UNIDO,” said B.K. Prabath Chandrakeerthi (Attorney at Law), Secretary to the Ministry of Environment, emphasizing the significance of the project and referring to the INSEE Ecocycle’s role. As Sri Lanka’s pioneering force in waste management, INSEE Ecocycle embraced the pivotal role of overseeing the complete process, from collecting hazardous materials to transportation, secure storage, and final disposal – all in strict adherence to global standards.

“We are very proud to have been a part of this project. INSEE Ecocycle has worked closely with the Ministry of Environment, lending our expertise to a wide array of projects in the past, this is by far the most significant,” said Sujith Gunawardhana, INSEE Ecocycle’s General Manager.

( Source : Daily Mirror)