Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Cold Stores Leads the Way in Plastic Recycling and Sustainable Packaging Initiatives
Ceylon Cold Stores, a leading beverage and ice cream producer in Sri Lanka, announced that it has successfully recycled over 300 metric tons of plastics in the past year and is actively seeking alternative packaging solutions. The company invested 23 million rupees in recycling initiatives last year, significantly boosting plastic bottle collection to 311 metric tons from the previous 39.9 million tons.
In response to evolving regulations on single-use plastics and growing interest in eco-friendly packaging, Ceylon Cold Stores emphasized its commitment to exploring alternative packaging options. The company expanded its plastic recycling program, aligning with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPF), a voluntary initiative introduced by the Central Environmental Authority and the Ministry of Environment. This initiative requires producers to collect 16 percent of their PET and High-Intensity Polystyrene sales.
Sri Lanka is currently planning to make the EPF mandatory as part of upcoming changes to the country’s environmental law, as stated by Anil Jasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment.
Ceylon Cold Stores has established four material recovery facilities capable of processing 50 million metric tons of plastic waste per month. Additionally, the company has placed 165 collection bins throughout the Colombo district. Elephant House supermarkets, under the same group, have also implemented measures to reduce plastic usage.
The company has introduced compostable bags for products such as top crust bread, fresh meat, and fish. Plastic cups and straws have been discontinued, with paper straws being offered at juice counters. Furthermore, Ceylon Cold Stores encourages customers to bring their own bags for bakery products, incentivizing them with a rebate of 6 rupees, up from 4 rupees.
Looking ahead, Ceylon Cold Stores aims to increase plastic recycling to 20 percent of sales by 2025 and plans to establish eight new Material Recovery facilities along with 200 additional garbage collection bins.
