COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Customs on Monday (21) took steps to repatriate the last 45 containers out of 242 containers containing garbage arrived from Britain, which was the subject of much controversy in the recent past.The containers were shipped back to Britain by the vessel Ever Genius, which arrived at the CICT terminal in the Colombo Port yesterday.
The ship is scheduled to leave the Port of Colombo around 8.00 pm on Monday (21).In 2019, an investigation by the Social Protection Division of the Sri Lanka Customs found 242 containers containing clinical waste, used cushions and mattresses, plastic waste and unsorted and hazardous waste imported into the country from Britain.It was revealed that 112 containers had been deposited at the Port of Colombo and the remaining 130 containers had already been cleared from the port and stored at the premises of a private company operating under the Board of Investment (BOI) in Katunayake.According to the customs investigation, the containers were imported contrary to the provisions of the international convention known as Basel Convention and in violation of the provisions of the National Environmental Act and the Customs Ordinance.During the Customs investigation, the Center for Environmental Justice filed a case in the Court of Appeal.
As a result of that case, the Court of Appeal issued an ordered that the 242 containers be repatriated to Britain with immediate effect.Accordingly, Sri Lanka Customs took action to ship 112 containers of garbage contained in the Port of Colombo to Britain by the year 2020.
In addition, Sri Lanka Customs secured 130 containers stored at a private company premises in Katunayake and re-exported 85 containers to Britain on nine occasions.