Practice of 3R by individuals would not be of much use if their local authorities themselves are not practicing 3R. Attempts by individuals to recycle, for example, would be not be effective if the local authority does not collect the waste that is separated diligently by individuals. There are private recyclers but they are not going to come to each and every house and collect. Recyclers prefer to buy from those who can give them larger quantities of recyclables. Only your local authority has the resources to go house to house or set up centers to collect separated waste on a large scale. Therefore it is important that we educate and encourage, or even pressure, our local authorities to practice 3R.

A 3R-based waste management is one that focuses on (a) reducing the amount of waste generated and (b) separating the waste generated for reuse or recycling before it is disposed into landfills or open dumps.

There may be little that a local authority can do to reduce the waste generated, but they are well-equipped to recycle most of the waste and reduce the amount going to landfill. To recycle, waste can be separated at the home by community members, or separated in the truck or at the site by waste management personnel. Most of our local authorities have tried one or more methods but only about 50 of them have succeeded in showing results. The successful ones have done so mostly by getting their solid waste workers to separate the waste at the disposal site.

Local Authorities which have successfully reduced the amount of waste they dump (working list)

Following is a list of those local authorities who have reported that they have successfully reduced the amount of waste that they dump. Typically, after collection, they separate waste as biodegradable and non-biodegradable. They recycle biodegradables waste into compost or bio-gas. They further separate non-biodegradable waste as plastics, polythene, paper, metal, glass and other and sell to recyclers. The remainder is allowed to collect on the site. Most of these LGAs are trying various means of getting households and businesses to separate the waste at the source so that the unpleasant task of site separation can be minimized.

We have highlighted those LGAs we have visited between June 2009 to date to validate their claims. If we omitted any LGAs please let us know.


Central Province (4/41)

Matale MC

Pathadumbara

Ukuwela PS (stopped)

Yatinuwara PS


North Central province (2/26)

Anuradhapura MC

Tamankaduwa PS


North Eastern Province (1/43)

Vavuniya UC


Sabaragamuwa province (6/28)

Balangoda UC

Eheliyagoda PS

Kegalla UC

Kuruwita PS

Mawanella PS

Ratnapura MC (Market waste only)


Southern province (12/49)

Ambalangoda PS

Ambalantota PS

Baddegama PS

Habaraduwa PS

Hambantota UC

Hikkaduwa PS

Kamburupitiya PS

Matara PS

Niyagama PS

Pasgoda PS

Thihagoda PS

Yakkalamulla PS


Uva province (8/27)

Bandarawela UC

Haputale UC

Hatton-Dickoya UC (not functional now)

Ella PS

Haldummulla PS

Medagama PS

Uva Paranagama PS

Welimada PS


North Western Province (6/32)

Anamaduwa PS

Bingiriya PS

Chilaw PS (by private company)

Kulliyapitiya PS (market waste only)

Polpitigama PS (not functional now)

Udubaddawa PS


Western province (8/47)

Attanagalla PS

Bandaragama PS

Bulathsinhala PS

Gampaha MC (market waste and non-biodegradables)

Kaduwela PS

Katana PS

Matugama PS

Negombo MC