Sri Lanka sends hazardous waste back to Britain after two-year court battle

A Sri Lankan court ordered the repatriation of plastic waste and bio-waste, including body parts, that was imported in violation of shipping regulations

Several Asian countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, are pushing back against being used as the world’s trash dump

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Sri Lankan authorities load containers of garbage, allegedly including hospital waste, to be taken back to Britain. Photo: AFP

Published: 6:41pm, 1 Nov 2020Updated: 6:44pm, 1 Nov 2020

Sri Lanka has started shipping 242 containers of hazardous waste, including body parts from mortuaries, back to Britain after a two-year court battle by an environment watchdog, officials said.

Several Asian countries have in recent years been pushing back against an onslaught of international refuse from wealthier nations and have started turning back the unwanted shipments of garbage as they battle against being used as the world’s trash dump.

The first 20 containers of medical waste, including body parts, were loaded on the MV Texas Triumph on Friday and another 65 will be sent within a week, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne said.

“The balance will be shipped as soon as another vessel is available,” Jayaratne said.

Sri Lanka’s court of appeal two weeks ago ordered the repatriation of the bio-waste from hospitals and tonnes of plastic waste imported in violation of local and international shipping regulations.