• Govt. Analyst to give a report on contents
• Customs says contents include clinical waste and suspect human remains as well
• Customs to send containers back and expedite investigation
• AG gives undertaking on CEA behalf to Appeals Court to ensure no damage to Environment

The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) yesterday wrote to the BASEL Convention Secretariat regarding the importation of 111 containers of hazardous waste from United Kingdom, while requesting the Government Analyst for an expert analysis of the contents.

“We have written to the BASEL Convention Secretariat regarding the incident, informing them of the details,” an official from the CEA told Daily FT.

As the goods in the containers have been categorised as “hazardous waste” by the CEA, which is also the focal point for the BASEL Convention, the laws and regulations under the Convention are applicable for the case. Under the Convention, the exporting country is required to obtain consent from the receiving country. However, no such consent has been obtained from the CEA.

“There has been no communication regarding these containers with the CEA to date from anyone,” the official said.

The waste containers, which have been imported to the country on several occasions since March 2018 from the UK via UK company Vengaads limited, have remained in Colombo Port after the Ceylon Metal Processing Corporation Limited failed to clear the containers, Customs Spokesperson Sunil Jayaratne confirmed. The containers remain in in Colombo Port. However in May this year, both CEA and Customs initiated investigations on the containers, after receiving information on suspicious containers.

According to Jayaratne, the contents of the containers had a “toxic odour” and were “clinical waste”, and are suspected to contain human remains as well.

“We have to carry out further investigations, it’s difficult to do that due to the toxic smell,” he said.

In May, the CEA ordered the containers to be returned to the exporting country, and Sri Lanka Customs has been working on the matter. The Customs Department has appointed a special investigation team to expedite the process and return the containers to the country of origin soon, and subsequently to take legal action against the culprits.

“The legal implications of this process are being evaluated now,” Jayaratne told Daily FT.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General, on behalf of the CEA, has assured the Appeals Court that nothing illegal will be done, and no action harmful to the environment will be carried out regarding the containers. This was told to the Appeals Court when the case filed by Centre for Environmental Justice had filed the Petition, naming the Customs Director General, Central Environment Authority and the Attorney General as respondents. The Petition has been fixed for 29 July.

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