After initiation of source separation programme, waste collectors of Katana pradeshiya  sabha  have understood the value of recyclables. They consider it a privilege to work in waste collection carts and for them having to work in a tractor is a punishment.

Katana pradeshiya sabha possess a huge compost site, which was 100% automated earlier but now functioning  manually.  Organic waste for compost production is collected from the Raddolugama housing scheme.  Garbage collection and source separation procedures have evolved according to this primary factor.

Waste  is collected separately as biodegradables and nonbiodegradables in the Raddolugama  housing scheme. Waste collection is done by carts and  the carts have been provided with large bins for collecting biodegradables. During initiation of the source seperation programme, pradeshiya sabha has distributed green bins to households in a selected part of the scheme to collect food waste. Upon expansion  of the programme residents in other areas have been instructed to give their food waste in separate bags.

We observed a clear difference in the cleanliness of collections carts, condition of recyclables and the effort the waste collectors have to take  to separate waste after collection. Those who worked in the area where the bin system is in place had much cleaner carts with considerably cleaner recyclable items and it was easier for them to select what was marketable from nonmarketable. Life was bit difficult for workers of the other end of collection stratergy. Though they have separated their carts for collection of separated waste, 40% of the houses still give them mixed waste. Therefore, they have to tear each garbage bag to separate the content inside.  Much of the ecyclable items seem to be soiled and some amount of marketable items has to be disposed.

Pradeshiya sabha has given freedom to waste collectors to make money out of recyclables. Therefore the workers have formed small groups and sell their recyclables collectively. One such group store their recyclables in the Sampath Piyasa while another group has rented a small store space in the town as it is still profitable for them. Caretaker of  the sampath piyasa earns some  little money from the collections.

However the  cart collection system has incresed the cost of collection as much human resource is involved than deploying tractors. Due to the unorganized nature of collecting recyclables, some low valued recyclables are disposed by the workers since they can not earn a considarable money without having larger quantities.  Although the community is fairly educated and homogenous, response for the source separation programme is still not satisfactory. Had the community been more aware and waste responsible Katana could have performed better.