In Sri Lanka, lunch sheets are officially banned — and for good reason. But despite the ban, many people still use them every day to wrap rice packets, lunches, and short eats, unaware of the serious health and environmental dangers these sheets pose.
This is not just a legal issue — it’s a public health and environmental crisis.
🚫 Illegally Produced and Sold Since the ban, any lunch sheet you see in the market is almost certainly illegally produced or imported. Vendors and producers continue to sell them through backchannels, and many buyers — including hotels, canteens, and even schools — are unknowingly (or knowingly) supporting this black market.
If your organization is purchasing lunch sheets, you could face legal consequences under Sri Lanka’s environmental regulations. But even more alarming is what you’re bringing into your food chain.
What’s Inside These Sheets?
Most people assume that plastic is plastic. But in the case of today’s lunch sheets, that assumption could be harmful — even deadly.
To reduce costs, many illegal manufacturers are now mixing calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) into their plastic sheets. Calcium carbonate is a white, powdery substance that’s cheap and widely available. It gives the plastic a thicker appearance and makes it feel more substantial — but it drastically reduces the quality of the plastic and introduces serious risks.
Here’s why that matters: Calcium carbonate can leach into food, especially hot or oily meals.
These sheets are filled with millions of microplastics, which enter your body through your food.
Daily exposure to microplastics and chemical fillers has been linked to digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and long-term organ damage.
You’re not just wrapping your lunch — you’re wrapping your health in toxins.
Environmental Destruction
Lunch sheets aren’t just a personal health issue. They’re a catastrophe for the planet.
These thin plastic sheets:
Don’t biodegrade — they stay in the environment for hundreds of years.
Clog drainage systems, leading to floods and pollution.
Kill wildlife, as animals often mistake them for food.
Break down into microplastics, contaminating rivers, soil, and the food chain.
So Why Are People Still Using Them?
The short answer: comfort and habit.
Lunch sheets are cheap, easy, and widely available under the counter. But this comfort comes at a huge cost — to your health, your environment, and the future of our country.
✅ What You Can Do Instead Switch to reusable lunch boxes, cloth wraps, or biodegradable alternatives.
Educate your community about the health risks of microplastics and calcium carbonate.
Report illegal sellers of lunch sheets to the Central Environmental Authority or your local government.
If you run an organization or food service, commit publicly to banning plastic lunch sheets.
🛑 It’s Time to Say NO Lunch sheets are not just a nuisance. They’re a health hazard, an environmental pollutant, and a symbol of our failure to move forward.
Say NO to lunch sheets. Say YES to a cleaner, healthier Sri Lanka.
Written by: Zero Plastic Movement Team
