POLLUTION IN SRI LANKA

R H. WPCKRAMASINGHE
Institute of Tropical Environmental Studies
41, Flower Road,
Colombo 7.

Pollution has become a source of public concern in which are possible and some of the ill effects they
Sri Lanka in recent times. This development is can cause.
probably the outcome of several contributory 1. Human, domestic and u r b a n wastes
factors.. A primary factor is the increasing
population and the increasing industrial and There are many instances which come to mind of
agricultural activities in recent years. This would pollution due to human, domestic and urban
lead to the increasing emission of pollutants into wastes. When human and domestic wastes are
the surroundings -including the contamination of released into waterways such as the Colombo
our watenvays and water bodies, for example, with Canals, this can lead to the water becoming unfit
sewage and domestic and municipal garbage. for any hygienic use and also to the breeding of
Another important fador is the rapidly increasing mosquitoes etc., once the mosquito larvae
public awareness on matters relating to the consuming fish population has been reduced or
environment. It must be emphasised, however, that died out.
monitoring for pollutants in the environment is Another consequence of organic matter pollution of
practised quite insufficiently in Sri Lanka and it is freshwater bodies is the developing of eutrophica-
more than likely that many problems of pollution tion which can be. seen in the Beira Lake in
remain to be uncovered. In other countries Colombo. Construction of toilets etc. in unsuitable
experience has shown that sometimes pollution locations can also lead to pollution of domestic
(say from a dump for toxic chemicals) may lie wells and other sources of water supply.
undeteded for some decades before its damaging
effects reveal its presence. Dumping of refuse without proper disposal .
practices, such as covering with a layer of soil, can
Another problem in Sri Lanka is the insufficient lead to unhygienic situations and examples may be
availability of sensitive and reliable instrumen- seen in numerous towns. Dumping of refuse on hill
tation for detecting pollutants arid the inadequate slopes can, for instance, eventually lead to the
scientific infrastructure in general. It should be pollution of the streams, which frequently flow in
noted that other countries in this region have the valleys, thereby causing problems in .
developed an awareness of the importance of downstream areas, as well.
Science to the well being of the nation and are 2. Vehicle exhaust emissions
giving every incentive for their scientists to make
their contributions. It is particularly important in Vehicle exhaust emissions are a major problem in
the field of pollution control that we do not rely on Sri Lanka. Most motor vehicles in Sri Lanka burn
"Crisis Management" but develop a monitoring either petrol or diesel. Vehicles burning petrol emit
and prevention capability. carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, particles and
unburnt hydrocarbons, oxides of-nitrogen and lead.
There are many types of pollution being Vehicles burning diesel fuel emit carbon dioxide,
experienced in Sri Lanka today and it will not be carbon monoxide,, particles and unburnt hydro-
possible to review all of them in the space available. carbons, oxides of sulphur and oxides of nitrogen.
However, some examples will be selected for Insufficient action has been taken so far to control
discussion to indicate the variety of pollutants excessive emissions from motor vehicles.
A number of harmful effects can arise from the such as the depression of property values also result
pollutants in vehicle exhaust emissions. The when undesirable environmental noise levels
carbon dioxide which is released is believed to add develop.
to the global greenhouse effect which is expected to
result in raising the atmospheric temperature in the 4. Agricultural
years ahead. However the contribution made by Sri Increasing numbers of problems related to
Lankan sources to the global load is probably
negligible. agriculture are being reported. However,
insufficient monitoring is being done due largely to
Unburnt hydrocarbons are effectively unburnt fuel insufficient analytical facilities and other scientific
and it has been estimated that some of the badly infrastructure being available.
belching vehicles may be emitting well over 10-
15% of the fuel in an unburnt form, which thus a. Pesticides
amounts to a considerable financial loss, both as
foreign exchange as well as local expenditure. The problems with pesticides are very
Some hydrocarbons found in fossil fuels have been many. They include problems caused to the
proven to be cancer-causing and would thus carry a farmers during the use of pesticides,
health hazard, as well. Carbon monoxide is well problems to the consumer caused by the
known as being a gas which is readily fatal but in presence of pesticides in food, development
lower concentrations can also cause drowsiness of pesticide resistance in the target species,
and the slowirig down of ones reflexes; thus damage caused to non-target species such
contributing to accidents on the road. Oxides of as honey bees etc.
nitrogen and sulphur can cause problems of the Malathion has been designated for use only
respiratory system and in the developing of acid for mosquitocontrol purposes in order to
rain. Lead may have an effect on the nervous avoid or delay the build-up of resistance to
system particularly in young children and on the the pesticide (as did happen with DDT).
production of components of the blood.
b. Fertilizer
Emissions from motor vehicles are believed to be
the principal factor leading to the "smog" or haze Improper use of fertilizer has resulted in the
reported over Co10,mbo from time to time in recent damage of groundwater supplies in certain
years. areas of the Jaffha peninsula. Storage of
fertilizer in unprotected areas has created
3. Noise similar problems in Hunupitiya. Reports
Noise is an ever-growing problem in many from Western Europe also suggest that the
countries. Many complaints in Sri Lanka concern large quantities of cattle manure produced
noise produced by road traffic and industries and in West European agricultural areas may,
during the use of loudspeakers. Recent research through liberation of ammonia, be contri-
world-wide is providing evidence that the effects of buting to the death of trees.
excessive exposure to noise can include not only c. Food additives
damage to ones hearing but also the causing of
high blood pressure, and heart and psychological Insufficient controls are routine in Sri
problems and the alteration of the functioning of '
Lanka with regard to food additives such as
some enzyme systems in the liver. Awareness of preservatives and colouring. Reports have
noise problems has not been highly developed in Sri appeared from time to time of the use of
Lanka up to now and the problem has been allowed materials like formalin and malathion for
to escalate to a very large extent. Due to the lack of the preservation of fresh food and the use of
concern about this problem in previous years, textile dyes etc. in the manufacture of
sweets and other foods.
industries have been allowed to 80 - UD next to
A

private homes, heavy commercial trafi3c travels on It should, however, be noted also, that
roads through residential areas etc; the correction proper storage and recommended methods
of such problems a t the present time will be of food preservation must be used where
expensive and timeconsuming. Urban planning . necessary to prevent food spoilage and
taking noise-related factors into account h m some development of natural health hazards
decades ago would have resulted in the non- such as the ailatoxins, which are cancer-
development of the existing situation. Other effeds causing in small amounts.
 d. Agro-based industries canning and milk factories, release a
considerable amount of organic materials
Huge amounts of pollutants are known to into waterways, together with numbers of
be released from industries based on putrefymg microorganisms.
agricultural and forestry products. These
include volumes of smoke generated in e. Emission of gases
cocount shell charcoal manufacture and Gases emitted by industrial establishments
large amounts of cocount husk coirdust and in Sri Lanka have included ammonia from
saw dust. These pollution problems can be the former urea factory a t Sapugaskanda.
relieved if suitable uses are made of these Oxides of sulphur and nitrogen are also
materials. Paddy husks which are a waste liberated from factories and power plants
product are being used as a fuel in some burning diesel and furnace oil as fuel.
areas.
f. Oils
There appear to be opportunities in the
country today for individuals or f b s who A large quantity of oil is released into the
can effect the development of a good idea, surroundings from garages, petrol stations
e.g. use of waste sawdust as a fuel, into a etc.
viable and functioning commercial enter- Concern is growing worldwide regarding
prise. hydrocarbons erriitted into the atmosphere
5. Industrial from these sources and refineries as well as
in motor vehicle exhaust emissions.
Sever1 sources and types of industrial pollution
exist in the country a t the present time. Some 6. Thermal
industry-related examples are. Fears have been expressed that the coal-firedpower
a. Cement manufacture plant proposed to be constructed a t Trincomalee
could result in significant thermal pollution of the
The cement factories were provided, where water in the vicinity of the discharge point.
necessary, with electrostatic precipitators
for the cleaning of dust from the 7. Indoor air pollution
atmospheric emissions. However, problems In Sri Lanka, this area mostly concerns cigarette
developed with these precipitators and they smoke and certain industrial work places; in
are presently being replaced. addition to that arising from poorly maintained
b. Paper and pulp manufacture toilet facilities. In other countries, however, other
forms of indoor air pollution may take on greater
The paper and pulp fadories in significance.
Valaichchenai and Embilipitiya are
causing considerable pollution of the The above account is a brief sketch of some of the
Valaichchenai Lagoon and of the Walawe pollution problems of relevance to Sri Lanka at the
river respectively. The chemical recovery present time. We have not, as yet, perhaps
system obtained for the Embilipitiya encountered to a significant extent, problems such
fadory does not work effectively due to the as sonic booms and electromagnetic and light
presence of signdicant amounts of silica in pollution which are being experienced in the
the paddy straw used as raw material. industrialized duntries of the world. However, it is
possible that may instances of chemical pollution
c. Leather manufacture exist already and await detection. In . this
Certain processes of manufacture of leather connection, close and continuing surveillance
results in the release into the environment should be made of methods employed for the
of, among other pollutants, chromium disposal of industrial wastes.
compounds. In some forms, chromium It is probably a worthy challenge to Sri Lankan
compounds are known to be cancer- scientists to develop a programme for the
causing. identification of the existence of pollution by the
d. F d processing observation of living plants and animals, without
resorting to the use of expensive instrumentation in
Food processing industries, such as fruit the first instance.