At many places along the road, people burn their waste at low temperatures. This ancient habit gave no problems for many years. But items like packages have been shifted from organic to artificial materials like plastic. People seem not to realize that. Nowadays, burning waste contributes to atmospheric pollution and can cause serious health problems. Sometimes when I am enjoying a tuk-tuk ride, I am being startled by a penetrating smell. A big black thick smoke, caused by burning a tyre, covers the road.

Anyway, there is already a development and more and more towns have garbage collection programmes. My host-town Hikkaduwa has garbage collection. Along the roads there are central places where people can dump their solid waste, which will get collected daily. Hikkaduwa also has a central dumpsite.

A lack of resources makes it difficult for the local authorities to execute sufficient measures. Anyway, there are several developments noticeable. The government has a National Strategy for Solid Waste Management for municipal solid waste. There are also projects for re-using and recycling household waste.

In my point of view it is important to work on public awareness and attitude. There are educational programmes being held at schools and at social communities. But it is a long way to change the public attitude. Anyway, more and more often the Government broadcasts informing spots through television media. Although on a splintered scale, people are being informed about a good treatment of their solid waste.

I have been a long time in Sri Lanka, so It would be nice If I could find a new host that would take me to another place so I could report about that.

Many greetings from Sri Lanka!

Yaldor