Controversy in Sri Lanka Over News About The Government’s Intention To Import Organic Waste From China

People’s Liberation Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna – JVP ) MP, Vijitha Herath claims that the government is trying to import urban waste from China and label it as organic fertilizer, adding that the government is paving the way for deceitful businessmen to achieve various goals through the waste plan, as imported products from China are exported to other countries in the name of organic fertilizers, it is also planned to be used in Sri Lanka. For its part, the government stated a few days ago that Sri Lanka is not China’s landfill. Cabinet spokesman Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella stated that the government plans to bring in organic fertilizers and not Chinese urban waste and that the media is misleading the community with false information. While specialists pointed out that China uses human and animal waste to manufacture so-called organic fertilizers and urban waste, which is not organic. It is noteworthy that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed in May 2021 a presidential working group to find solutions to the problem of climate change in a plan to transform Sri Lanka’s economy into a green social economy, and the main task of the group is to create a roadmap for the complete transition from chemical agriculture to organic agriculture.

Further Professor Chandima Wijegunawardena states that no country in the region has biotic resources to manufacture organic fertilizer other than Sri Lanka. The main requirements to make organic fertilizers are diverse microorganisms, small insects, and humus. Due to recent heavy industrialization, China does not possess such rich fertile resources to produce organic fertilizers. China, Egypt, and India are known to be manufactures of large quantities of agricultural products which are mostly consumed by domestic requirements. But, certain products are exported to other countries by China. Yet, European countries do not import to consume a product from China since it sources its organic fertilizers from domestic and regional ‘Human & Animal Excretions’. As such it is not recommended to import organic fertilizers from China which will be detrimental to our naturally fertile and rich organic soil. Since the locals are used to consuming traditional meals which are harvested through pure and healthy resources. Finally, the organic fertilizers which are to be imported from China will have various contaminations and health hazards, since it is derived from Human Excretions which also might have disease components which should be endemic to their country.