Managing Plastic Pollution as a Collective Responsibility

WORLD CONSUMER RIGHTS DAY-2021By Chandrika ThilakaratneCEO, Sri Lanka Accreditation BoardWorld Consumer Rights day is marked each year on March 15 under a theme which is remarkably important for consumer health and safety and environment. Consumers International (CI), the world organization for consumer groups working on consumers rights and responsibilities, has declared 2021 world Consumer Rights Day theme as “Tackling Plastic Pollution” considering its global importance. According to internationally accepted consumer rights, all consumers have right to safety and to live in a healthier environment. In order to protect the planet and provide fair social conditions for current and future generations, we need to think about the way we produce and consume goods and services. Sustainable consumption is about doing more and better with less use of resources. Its aim is to increase resource efficiency and fair trade while helping to alleviate poverty and enable everyone to enjoy a good quality of life with access to food, water, energy, medicine and more.Plastic is a useful material in our everyday lives, but our consumption and production of plastics, especially single-use plastic, have become unsustainable. This is impacting our ecosystems, causing negative environmental consequences, including pollution of the local and international environment, and threatening human health. As per the information given by the Consumers international, by the year 2050 it is estimated that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.Further CI states that 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans every year. Single use plastics account for 50 percent of the plastic produced every year. Further it is alarming to note that half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years and 40% of plastic produced is packaging and discarded after one use.Systemic marketplace change is required at all levels from government, regulatory agencies, businesses, standard setters, testing and Certification bodies, accreditation bodies and consumers to manage plastic pollution and promote sustainable consumption and production.Use of 7 R Model to manage plastic pollutionThis is something that everyone at any level starting from plastic produces, businesses who are using plastic in different stages of their production, packaging industry, and consumers, could practise.As a socially responsible and conscious producer/ consumer it is high time to think in what ways we can contribute to the global need to reduce plastic pollution. Further, this movement should be encouraged by the government introducing sensible policies and programs to manage plastic pollution in the Country.Do our regulations effective in tackling plastic pollution?Sri Lanka has introduced several regulations to curb plastic pollution time to time. We need to evaluate the contribution of these regulations and see whether they have achieved expected results.  Even though the regulations are introduced, due to lack of monitoring and enforcement we could not achieve expected results up to now. Some regulations in force such as trader cannot charge from the consumer for bags/wrappers issued to the consumer at the time of selling a product has undoubtedly created a huge negative impact on reducing plastic pollution in Sri Lanka.  The regulatory agencies such as Central Environmental Authority, Consumer Affairs Authority, Marine environmental Protection Authority etc need to do Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) to see the impact of current regulations and their effectiveness in reducing plastic pollution. Whenever there are changes in the regulations required, urgent steps have to be taken to introduce such changes. In managing plastic pollution regulatory agencies have a pivotal role to play. Contribution of Standards and LabellingConsumer demand for sustainable products helps to promote circular and regenerative economy. Accessible information is one of the most important ways to support consumers in their everyday purchase decisions.Following ISO standards will help the packaging /product manufacturers in developing their packaging/products in environmentally friendly manner.Recycled ContentISO 14021 – Environmental labels and declarations — Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling)For self-declared environmental claims, including recycled content and recycled materialMaterials and recyclabilityISO 18604 – Packaging and the environment — Material recyclingCompostable and BiodegradableISO 18606-Packaging and the environment – Organic RecyclingEco LabelsISO 14020 – Environmental labels and declarations – General PrinciplesISO 14024- Environmental labels and declarations – Type 1 Environmental labelling – Type 1 label is a voluntary, multiple criteria based third party program that awards a license which authorize the use of environmental labels on products, indicating overall environmental preferability of a product within a particular product category based on lifecycle considerations.In order for the industry to encourage the use of above standards, the government has to play a facilitative role by providing necessary infrastructure such as research and development and testing facilities. Currently, there is a need to promote accredited testing facilities for the industry on packaging material testing. Further, currently there is a need to develop a national guideline on ecolabelling.In order to contribute to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No 12 Sustainable Consumption and production, we all have a collective responsibility to make changes in the way that our society produce and consume goods and services. The Government, the business sector and the consumers must contribute in their capacity to changing unsustainable consumption and production patterns to sustainable consumption and production patterns. Visit Superbox.lk for Online Grocery Shopping in Sri Lanka.Get deals for Fish & Meat,Fruit & Vegetables,Grocery Deals andPersonal CareRELATED TOPICS:UP NEXTRaising of the Kotmale dam – misconceptions and factsDON'T MISSBiden FDA Moves to Tackle Heavy Metals in Baby Food!YOU MAY LIKECLICK TO COMMENTFEATURESThe Elephants in the Room – Electricity and Transport EnergyPublished 2 hours ago on 2021/03/18by Eng. Parakrama Jayasinghe(Council member Bio Energy Association of Sri Lanka Solar Industries Association of Sri Lanka  Sri Lanka Forum for Sustainable Consumption and Production Forum )There have been many arguments and discussions on the future of our electricity sector and more importantly the state of finances of the CEB, which continues to bleed the national economy. While this does remain a matter of grave concern, there is a need for a rational approach on all energy challenges.Although the electricity sector is an elephant in the room there is a much larger mammoth lurking. This is the tremendous drain on foreign exchange due to the complete dependence on imported fossil fuels for our transport. Sri Lanka spent some 7.5 Billion Dollars for the import of oil, back in 2010. But although the import bill in dollar terms came down to 4 Billion Dollars by 2020, the rupee equivalent remains at Rs 760 Billion, due to the continued depreciation of the rupee which appears to be inexorable. The trap mankind and Sri Lanka in particular has fallen into, remains just that, a trap, in which we are wallowing. The reality, which seems to escape the relevant authorities is illustrated here (Illustrations: Mankind’s use of fossil fuel) Whereas, electricity which provides only 11% of our primary energy need, fortunately has some contribution from our own indigenous sources of energy, down to 35% now, from a high of 95% in the 1990s, the transport sector is 100 % dependent on imported oil. The faint silver lining, if I may say so, of the Covid pandemic affecting the whole world, kept the oil prices low and gave some measure of relief to the beleaguered rupee up to now. But looks like the honeymoon is over, with the oil prices on an upward trend already past $ 56. Naturally, if this trend continues past the $ 60 mark per barrel, then the plans and programmes of the Central Bank to hang on to the dwindling foreign reserves and be able to meet the debt payments , will get completely awry.The highly volatile nature of the world market price of crude oil over which Sri Lanka has absolute no control is shown here (Illustrations: Cost of Oil Imports).Isn’t it unwise to make plans and forecasts for a most important national need, based on such a variable and uncontrollable input? This viewed, along with the change in parity rate, which with minor fluctuations is on an inexorable upward trend, tells the story.Fortunately, we are now offered an alternative which was not available even a few years ago. Are we ready to accept this challenge?The wartime Prime Minister of UK, Winston Churchill once said “Never let any Crisis be wasted”. One may add the more familiar saying”Behind every Crisis lies an Opportunity”. I contributed an article, back in March 2020, when the oil prices were quite low, down below $ 30 per barrel, suggesting not to be complacent and make plans for a paradigm shift in the Transport Policy and make use of this opportunity. But no one took much notice.The whole world is moving away from the use of petrol and diesel for transport, (even General Motors which killed the first Electric Car in the early 1960s, has plans to go all electric by 2025). So have all the major automobile manufacturers and governments with firm plans to totally electrify transport within this decade itself. Sri Lanka, however, puts up a factory for the manufacture of petrol driven vehicles and considers it a great achievement. There are also moves to spend 2.5 Billion dollars to construct a refinery in Hambantota. These decisions would have been highly appropriate and visionary moves if taken and implemented at the right time, which was at least a decade ago.But the world has changed drastically during this past decade, particularly in the energy sector, and the transport vehicle technologies. Due to the great efforts of some committed individuals and private sector companies, the electricity sector still remains to some measure protected from this total dependence. But the transport sector has not moved an inch in the right direction, to ensure protection from the vagaries of the world market prices and deteriorating rupee to buy the dollars needed to pay for the oil.The overdependence on imported sources of energy, in the recent decades, would definitely lead to problems of supplies, even if we have the funds to pay for them. The benefits of any price reductions are now past and the wisdom not to expect such uncertain bonanzas in the future, should dawn on us at least now. In the meanwhile, what is important to the Sri Lankan economy and the consumers is the price per liter in Sri Lanka Rupee terms, which will continue to go up, irrespective of the world market price in US Dollars. The huge import bill on oil itself is largely responsible for the continuing depreciation of the rupee to a very large extent, now exceeding over 6% annually.Although the Yahapalana government effectively scuttled the baby steps being taken for the electrification of the light vehicle fleet, the advent of the Covid has at least led to the wise decision to curtail the import of vehicles, making a virtue of necessity. It is prudent to retain this policy for some years to come. However, it must be noted that the last energy policy published by the previous government in August 2019, includes a target of reaching 25% electrification of the light vehicles by 2023. A good enough starting point.Why Electrify TransportNo doubt Sri Lanka has a back to the wall battle at this point of time, due to the double whammy of increased price of oil and the depleted rupee, to try and reduce the dependence on imported oil, purely on monetary grounds at present. But there are very valid scientific, environmental and commercial reasons why electrification of the transport is the wise and obvious way for the future.As already mentioned, all the major automobile manufactures have plans for total departure from the use of Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) using petrol or diesel in their future vehicles. As such, before too long Sri Lanka would have to depend on the laggards who will continue with the ICE engines and face the many problems that would ensue, such as higher costs and lack of spares supply, etc.But the basic thermodynamic reality of the much higher overall efficiency of the conversion of the input energy in the fuel or electricity to useful energy for driving the vehicle itself is a compelling reason for this change over as illustrated. The reality of gaining from this wonderful boost of efficiency was denied until now till the cost and durability of batteries and the overall cost of the electric vehicles came down to the present values. This change has been rapid and continues on the down ward trend.The Way Forward.The starting point, of course, is a firm national policy, made mandatory for compliance. Even the institutions under line Ministries often ignore such policies in their day-to-day programmes. Therefore if at this late stage Sri Lanka is to wake up and see a little beyond the collective nose, the following steps are recommended, if Sri Lanka is to covert this Crisis to an Opportunity.1.Declare a policy and time targets to reach 100% electrification of transport sector with intermediate target levels and time frames. Make it a mandatory requirement for all state agencies to abide by and to provide facilitation to achieve same.2.Accept the policy statement “4.5 Enhancing Self Reliance Section 5f” in the National Energy Policy Gazette No 2135/61 of 9th August 2019, as a national target and assign responsibilities of achieving this target to the relevant agencies. CEB/LECO to set up Charging Stations and RMV to limit registration of ICE driven light vehicles.3.Remove the punitive duty rates imposed on the import of Electric Vehicles which came in to force on the 1st April 2019. These nearly doubled the price of the EVs coming into the country destroying the small growth seen till then. 4.Remove the punitive duties and taxes on the import of deep cycle batteries, imposed on the erroneous notion of protecting local battery industry, which does not manufacture any deep cycle batteries, suitable for EVs or for Solar Energy storage.5.Levy a charge on all imports of fossil fuels at point of import and use this fund to offset the loss of income to the treasury by action items 3 and 4 above, and to assist the private sector to install charging stationsThe (Illustration: Potential Savings…) chart points to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.These are approximate values based on assumed rates of registrations extrapolating historical data.Visit www.bioenergysrilanka.lk for details of calculation.The many ways that this change could benefit the Sri Lankan economy, environment and health is far too many to be included here. But even without such detailed analysis anyone with common sense can readily understand the timeliness and the value of embarking on this change without any further delay. E Mail: parajayasinghe@gmail.comCONTINUE READINGFEATURESUN must promote human duties, not only human rightsPublished 2 hours ago on 2021/03/18By Dr Laksiri FernandoOne-sided human rights promotion and advocacy by the UN has come to a crisis point today not only because of the Coronavirus pandemic, but also due to the weakening of the democratic States throughout the world with neoliberal economic and political deviations. Apart from the failures, the culpability of the UN and some of its agencies are very clear under the circumstances.Since last year, the coronavirus pandemic has hit very hard at countries where people, particularly the youth, have been groomed with unlimited freedoms without any sense of duty. Many young people opted to resist or question lockdowns and other restrictions as invasions on their freedoms. In countries where public health services had been cutdown as part of the dismantling of the ‘welfare state,’ the death tolls were extremely high. America’s death toll exceeded half a million by the end of the last year. Who is responsible for these deaths? No UN Shenanigan has answered this question.Britain, Italy, France, and other EU countries were among the next hardest hit. Those are the countries where protest marches and resistance loomed against lockdowns. Of course, some southern countries were not spared. India also was one of worst-affected countries. Brazil at present is experiencing extremely difficult conditions with chaos and lack of appropriate medications and hospital beds. Although some vaccinations have been developed by researchers and pharmaceutical companies, their effectiveness is still not clear.The idealistic globalization has collapsed with the enforcement of lockdowns and boarder restrictions between and within countries. Now several variants of the virus have emerged while countries are scrambling over limited vaccine supplies. The ‘vaccine nationalism’ among the Western countries is now rampant, the poor countries being virtually left out.This is the immediate background within which the so far Western promoted human rights notions and approaches of the UN should be scrutinized and critically assessed.Lopsided UDHR?It was completely short sighted for the UN to highlight individual freedoms and rights without equally emphasizing human duties and responsibilities in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and in the two International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). With the good intervention of the Soviet Union, there was a possibility of striking some balance between civil and political rights on one hand, and economic, social, and cultural rights on the other. But for some reason, the balance between rights and duties was virtually lost except in some corners of the international conventions.During the preparations and consultations for the UDHR, then UNESCO Director, Julian Huxley, sent a request to Mahatma Gandhi, among others, to seek his views. In May 1947, while busily travelling in a train, Gandhi wrote back a succinct reply giving his vision. The following was its essential part.“I learnt from my illiterate but wise mother that all rights to be deserved and preserved came from duty well done.”Gandhi further exchanged views with H. G. Wells who was also involved in the consultation process for the UDHR and said: “Received your cable. Have carefully read your five articles. You will permit me to say you are on the wrong track. I feel sure that I can draw up a better charter of rights than you have drawn up. But what good will it be? Who will become its guardian? …Begin with a Charter of Duties of Man and I promise the rights will follow as spring follows winter. I write from experience….” he said.No one needs to accept what Gandhi said as the absolute truth. But it was a strong view particularly in Asia and the Pacific which should not have been neglected. Even today, there is a great divide between the East and the West on this matter, but the Westerners try to ignore and impose their views.Neglect of DutiesAt a UNESCO meeting held in Malta in 1987 on Human Rights Education, I asked one of the main drafters of the UDHR, John Humphrey, whether they had taken Mahatma Gandhi’s views into consideration. He pointed out Article 29 but later admitted to me in Geneva that it might not be what Gandhi completely meant. Article 29 of the UDHR says the following.(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.The above was not sufficient. It is not only for the ‘full and free development of personality’ that duties should be promoted (2.1). Duties are moral obligations. The other two sections (2.2 & 2.3) have placed duties completely in a negative manner. There is a positive and a dialectical interconnection between human rights and human duties.If we take what Gandhi said as an Asian or a different view, there was no question that drafters could have found a middle way between, if they wanted. But that was not the case. Although 29 (1) says, ‘everyone has duties to the community’ what are they? The UDHR or the International Covenants never explained them. Why? The predominance of the Western views in the UN drafted human rights.Let us take the principal article of the UDHR, Article 1. It says, “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”Of course, to say, ‘all human beings should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood’ is a good one. But to say, ‘all are born free and equal in dignity and rights’ is bit of a lie! There are so many inequalities and disparities when we are born, and no doubt that we should change them. It is a long struggle. Even in the British royal family these disparities have surfaced today!In ideal terms, equality should be the case. But it is not the reality. Without such a lie or idealism, it should have been said differently. Gandhi’s views or Asian views should have been taken into proper account in drafting the UDHR. Realism should be our guide in human rights promotion and protection. Otherwise, we easily get into political traps. One formulation could have been the following.“All human beings are of the same human family (Homo sapiens) and should treat each other with dignity and equality. In a democratic polity, they all should have equal rights, and equal duties to each other and to the community. In exercising and performing both rights and duties, they should act on reason and conscience guided by the rule of law and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”ConclusionHuman rights and human duties are largely interdependent and interrelated. When there is a right (rights holder), there is a corresponding duty (duty bearer). In a democratic society, the state and the government/s are the primary duty bearers. However, the duties go beyond. In respect of child rights, for example, parents are the primary duty bearers. In respect of women’s rights, all men are the primary duty bearers.There are duties on the part of the rights holders when they exercise their rights, not to abuse them. These are also called responsibilities. People should be educated and trained to exercise their rights in a responsible and a nonviolent manner.There are duties on the part of human beings independent from rights, or whether they have rights or not. Respect for other human beings, protection of the environment, and caring for other animals are some of them. The disrespect for these duties could be catastrophic for human beings with environmental disasters, global warming, and pandemic diseases.Human needs and aspirations are the basis of human rights. Human conscience and morality should be the basis of human duties. Both should go hand in hand. The failure of the UN to promote human duties, alongside human rights, appear to be a major reason for the increasing conflicts, violence, chaos, and wars not only in developing countries but increasingly in the developed societies.CONTINUE READINGFEATURES93rd Oscar nominationsPublished 2 hours ago on 2021/03/18By Tharishi HewavithanagamageThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the official nominees for the 93rd Oscar Awards a few days ago and it is perhaps the most diverse slate in the history of the Oscars. After the #OscarsSoWhite scandals in 2015 and 2016, the Academy has leaned in on improving diversity and inclusion. This year ,70 women received a total 76 nominations, a record for a given year. Filmmakers, actors and actresses of Asian descent and persons of colour have received the spotlight in this year’s nominations.Nine actors of colour earned nominations and set a new record for diversity in their categories. ‘Minari’ star Steven Yeun became the first Asian American ever nominated for Best Actor; in the same category, ‘Sound of Metal’ star Riz Ahmed became the first person of Pakistani descent ever nominated for any acting Oscar. With the late Chadwick Boseman earning a posthumous nomination in the same category, it is the first time the Best Actor category is not majority white.The rest of the diverse slate continues with ‘Minari’ co-star Yuh-Jung Youn securing a supporting actress nomination, making her the first Korean to ever be nominated for an acting Oscar. Actresses Viola Davis and Andra Day are running in the category for Best Actress. Viola Davis is also now the most nominated Black actress in Oscar history. Meanwhile Daniel Kaluuya, Leslie Odom Jr., and LaKeith Stanfield scored nominations in the Best Supporting Actor category.Beyond the acting categories, two women were nominated for Best Director, Chloé Zhao and Emerald Fennell, making it the first time more than one woman has been nominated in this category in a single year. Chloé Zhao is also the first woman of Asian descent to be nominated in the category. She also earned a total of four nominations, making her the first woman ever to receive so many nominations in a single year. In addition, ‘Minari’ filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung and Chloé Zhao made history as it is the first time two Asian filmmakers have been nominated in the Best Director category in the same year. ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ is the first movie with an all-Black production team to be nominated for Best Picture.However, notable actors and actresses like Zendaya, Tom Hanks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jodie Foster, Regina King and Spike Lee missed out on Oscar nominations. Netflix’s black and white drama ‘Mank,’ directed by David Fincher, scored 10 nominations and is leading the overall field. The biggest, star-studded event will be held on April 25th via a virtual ceremony. The nominees are as follows;Best DirectorThomas Vinterberg, ‘Another Round’Emerald Fennell, ‘Promising Young Woman’David Fincher, ‘Mank’Lee Isaac Chung, ‘Minari’Chloé Zhao, ‘Nomadland’ Best Picture‘The Father’‘Judas and the Black Messiah’‘Mank’‘Minari’‘Nomadland’‘Promising Young Woman’‘Sound of Metal’‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Best Actress in a leading roleViola Davis, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’Andra Day, ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’Vanessa Kirby, ‘Pieces of a Woman’Frances McDormand, ‘Nomadland’Carey Mulligan, ‘Promising Young Woman’ Best Actor in a leading roleRiz Ahmed, ‘Sound of Metal’Chadwick Boseman, ‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’Anthony Hopkins, ‘The Father’Gary Oldman, ‘Mank’Steven Yeun, ‘Minari’ Best Actress in a supporting roleMaria Bakalova, ‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’Glenn Close, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’Olivia Colman, ‘The Father’Amanda Seyfried, ‘Mank’Yuh-Jung Youn, ‘Minari’ Best Actor in a supporting roleSacha Baron Cohen, ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’Daniel Kaluuya, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’Leslie Odom, Jr, ‘One Night in Miami’Paul Raci, ‘Sound of Metal’Lakeith Stanfield, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’ Best Animated Feature Film‘Onward’‘Over the Moon’‘A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon’‘Soul’‘Wolfwalkers’ Best Documentary‘Collective’‘Crip Camp’‘The Mole Agent’‘My Octopus Teacher’‘Time’ Best Documentary Short‘Colette’‘A Concerto Is a Conversation’‘Do Not Split’‘Hunger Ward’‘A Love Song for Latasha’ Best International Feature Film‘Another Round’‘Better Days’‘Collective’‘The Man Who Sold His Skin’‘Quo Vadis, Aida?’ Best Sound‘Greyhound’‘Mank’‘News of the World’‘Sound of Metal’‘Soul’ Best Production Design‘The Father’‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’‘Mank’‘News of the World’‘Tenet’ Best Film Editing‘The Father’‘Nomadland’‘Promising Young Woman’‘Sound of Metal’‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Best Cinematography‘Judas and the Black Messiah’‘Mank’‘News of the World’‘Nomadland’‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Best Visual Effects‘Love and Monsters’‘The Midnight Sky’‘Mulan’‘The One and Only Ivan’‘Tenet’ Best Costume Design‘Emma‘Mank’‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’‘Mulan’‘Pinocchio’ Best Original Score‘Da 5 Bloods’‘Mank’‘Minari’‘News of the World’‘Soul’ Best Adapted Screenplay‘Borat Subsequent Moviefilm’‘The Father’‘Nomadland’‘One Night in Miami’‘The White Tiger’ Best Original Screenplay‘Judas and the Black Messiah’‘Minari’‘Promising Young Woman’‘Sound of Metal’‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ Best Animated Short Film‘Burrow’‘Genius Loci’‘If Anything Happens I Love You’‘Opera’‘Yes-People’ Best Live-Action Short Film‘Feeling Through’‘The Letter Room’‘The Present’‘Two Distant Strangers’‘White Eye’ Best Makeup and Hairstyling‘Emma’‘Hillbilly Elegy’‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’‘Mank’‘Pinocchio’ Best Original SongHusavik, ‘Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga’Fight For You, ‘Judas and the Black Messiah’Io Sì (Seen), ‘The Life Ahead’Speak Now, ‘One Night in Miami’Hear My Voice, ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’CONTINUE READINGADVERTISEMENT