Problem statement
Sri Lanka is drowning in plastic
A small island of 65,610 km² holds one of the highest plastic-pollution rankings in the world, and the cost is landing on the communities and fisheries that depend on its coasts.
1.59M tonnes, of plastic waste produced in Sri Lanka each year
300,000 → 50,000 tonnes, decline in fishing stocks between 1980 and 2020
65,610 km², island carrying one of the world’s highest plastic-pollution rankings
What the numbers mean
Sri Lanka produces roughly 1.59 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, much of which ends up in the ocean. The effect on marine life is measurable: fishing stocks have fallen from around 300,000 tonnes in 1980 to just 50,000 tonnes in 2020.
Three gaps we are working to close
- Lack of national-level initiatives driving citizens towards a behavioural change to reduce plastic waste and to encourage development and production of plastic alternatives.
- Absence of continued awareness education geared towards creating a behavioural change so citizens seek alternatives for plastic in both consumption and production.
- Lack of support for the ecosystem within the country that establishes a healthy level of supply and demand for plastic-alternative products.
Individual campaigns exist, but without sustained education, a supply of viable alternatives and a market that rewards them, behaviour does not change. ZeroPlastic works on all three at once: awareness, alternatives, and the entrepreneurs who produce them.