Sri Lanka has introduced a new nationwide effort to strengthen its recycling infrastructure with the launch of the Green Wheels Plastic Collection Project, a joint initiative between Green Earth and Eco Spindles. The programme was officially presented at the Monarch Imperial in Colombo, marking a new direction for the country’s plastic recovery system at a time when recycling rates continue to sit far below global averages.
Figures from the National Plastic Waste Inventory 2024 show the scale of the challenge: 249,037 tonnes of plastic waste are generated in Sri Lanka each year, yet only 11% is recycled. Green Wheels was developed as a response to this gap. The project will roll out 50 locally produced electric bikes to collect plastics from rural villages, dense urban centres, and underserved neighbourhoods. The project will be certified under Verra’s Plastic Standard, ensuring that all recovered waste is tracked and verified, offering a transparent approach to impact reporting.
At the launch event, Minister of Environment Dr Dammika Patabendi emphasised the importance of partnerships in advancing national waste solutions. He described the initiative as ‘a blueprint for scaling similar initiatives across the country’, and noted: ‘Sri Lanka’s plastic pollution crisis cannot be solved by government action alone. We need scalable, community-centred solutions driven by innovation. The Green Wheels project is a strong example of how technology, private-sector leadership, and grassroots participation can come together to support our national waste management agenda. This initiative strengthens livelihoods, expands recycling capacity, and contributes directly to the Sustainable Development Goals Sri Lanka has committed to.’
The programme will operate across Mirissa, Colombo, Negombo, and Anuradhapura—regions where plastic accumulation has threatened wildlife, tourism, and cultural landscapes. By collecting waste at the source, Green Wheels helps prevent harm to species such as elephants, sea turtles, and dolphins and reduces pollution pressure on coastal and inland ecosystems.
Recovered plastics will be channelled into Eco Spindles’ recycling facilities, where they will be converted into textile fibres and technical filaments. This supports domestic manufacturing and strengthens the shift toward a circular economy. With full implementation ready by the end of 2025, the initiative is expected to become one of Sri Lanka’s most decentralised and community-driven plastic recovery models.
Green Earth noted that businesses looking to address their plastic use can engage with certified plastic-credit solutions connected to Green Wheels, enabling companies to compensate for their plastic footprint through verified environmental impact.