Minister of Environment Mr. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa stated that the support of general public is essential to improve the situation of waste management in Sri Lanka.

 Improper waste disposal has led to pollute our water resources. He further stated that the efforts done by the government to manage waste cannot be successful without the support of general public.  

Minister expressed these views during a ceremony organized by the National Ozone Unit of the Ministry of Environment, United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) and Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute, to distribute coolant collecting and recycling equipments.  The function was held at Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute.

Minister stated that several steps will be taken in future to further extend this waste management programme, which has been already implemented in most Local Government Institutions. He further mentioned that mitigating climate changes by minimizing human impacts is a current requirement and National Ozone Unit of the Ministry of Environment is providing a high level of support to this.      

Coolant collecting and recycling equipments were distributed among Sri Lanka German Technical Training Institute and Technical Institute of Batticaloa District and Air Conditioning Service Divisions of Sri Lanka Parliament and Sri Lanka Navy. This was implemented as another step of sequential elimination of ozone depleting substances from Sri Lanka. The objective of this programme is to raise the awareness of students who engaged in technical field and to make environment friendly professions. Chairman of the Moratuwa Urban Council Mr. Samanlal Fernando, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment Mr. B.M.U.D Basnayeke, Secretary of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Skills Development Mr. Suso Hewapatirana and United Nations Development Programme Deputy Director for Sri Lanka Miss Razina Bilgrami were participated for this programme.