Plastic pollution in Sri Lanka has emerged as a pressing environmental, public health, and economic concern, casting a shadow over the island nation's natural beauty and cultural heritage. The mismanagement of plastic waste poses serious environmental, public health, and economic risks, affecting marine ecosystems, water quality, and key sectors like tourism and fishing that contributes significantly to the economy.  The National Action Plan on Plastic Waste Management (2021) identifies packaging (30%), consumer products as one of the primary sources of plastic waste, with food-related SUP items, such as straws and packaging, being a major contributor. Addressing this issue requires raising awareness about SUP's environmental and health impacts, promoting behavioral changes among consumers, and encouraging producers/ businesses to adopt sustainable production practices and alternative or innovative packaging methods.

a) Expertise France

Expertise France is the French Public Agency For International Technical Cooperation. As a subsidiary of the Agence Française de Développement Group (AFD Group), it designs and implements projects which aim to contribute to the balanced development of partner countries, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda and the priorities of France’s external action.

The agency achieves this goal by implementing national- or regional-scale projects in major areas of public action:

• Democratic, economic and financial governance
• Peace, stability and security
• Climate, agriculture and sustainable development
• Health and human development.

Expertise France promotes international solidarity by facilitating the transfer of skills, fostering peer dialogue, and mobilising experts to support development cooperation aligned with the rule of law, human rights, and France’s Official Development Assistance priorities. 

National Solid Waste Management Support Center (NSWMSC) under the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government is responsible for providing financial and technical support to Local Authorities to strengthen solid waste management and wastewater treatment systems, in line with the National Policy on Waste Management. This includes the provision of essential infrastructure, vehicles, machinery, and equipment required for effective waste collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal. Capacity-building initiatives are also implemented to enhance the knowledge and skills of Local Authority staff, ensuring sustainable, efficient, and policy-compliant waste management practices.

For more information: https://mpclg.gov.lk

“Circular Economy in the Food Sector (CIRCULAR)” project is a threefold umbrella “CIRCULAR” programme funded by the European Union (EUD-Sri Lanka), for 36 months (2024-2027). It is implemented by three Implementing Organisations (IOs): Expertise France (EF), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). CIRCULAR takes an integrated approach to “promote a circular economy in the food sector” in Sri Lanka, especially aiming at the reduction of food waste and loss, as well as the reduction of Single-Use-Plastic.

The Specific Objectives (outcomes) of the Action are:

Specific Objective 1 (SO1): to increase recovery, processing and supply of edible and safe food surplus and/or waste for the benefit of vulnerable consumers and/or food producers.

Specific Objective 2 (SO2): to enhance effectiveness of the sustainable production, distribution and consumption models related to food waste/loss and single-use plastic (SUP) food packaging.

Expertise France works on SO2: with a focus on reducing SUP in the food sector by raising awareness of actors along the SUP supply chain via Output;

2.1 Increased awareness (and behavioural changes) among the general public, economic   operators, consumers and civil society about public incentives, sustainable products, solutions and services on the market

In order to achieve output 2.1, Expertise France will implement activity (2.1.7) aimed at Awareness Raising and capacity building of local authorities on Green Public Procurement practices.

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is an important policy tool for promoting sustainability through the purchasing decisions of public sector organizations. It involves selecting goods, services, and works that minimize negative environmental impacts by evaluating their environmental consequences throughout their entire life cycle, from production to use, and eventual disposal. At its core, GPP encourages governments to use their purchasing power to stimulate markets for sustainable products and services. By demanding goods produced in an environmentally friendly manner, public bodies can help drive the transition to more sustainable production processes, incentivizing industries to adopt greener designs and practices. Furthermore, GPP supports the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the conservation of scarce resources, and the minimization of harmful chemicals in production and consumption processes.

In Sri Lanka, however, current procurement policies do not adequately address environmental and social criteria. This gap presents an opportunity for the government to integrate these considerations into the procurement process. By doing so, It could not only influence the demand for more sustainable goods and services but also guide local industries in adopting better environmental standards. This shift toward sustainable procurement could lead to long-term environmental benefits, cost reductions, and improvements in social and environmental quality.

Capacity building, awareness, and training programs for government officials, play a critical role in ensuring that public procurement decisions are informed by green criteria. Training on topics like Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), Life Cycle Costing (LCC), moreover, Eco-Labelling can empower officials to make decisions that balance the need for economic efficiency with the imperative of environmental sustainability.