Mission

Protection, Management and Enhancement of the provincial environment by way of establishing a suitable Waste Management Structure, Strategy and Legal Framework for the Province with the Co-ordination of relevant Institutes/Organizations in the Provincial and the Central Governments.


Brief History

Waste Management Authority of the Western Province which was established in mid 2004 is the only Authority at provincial level to address one of the main problems of “Waste Management” in the Western Province. Western Province governs more than 60% of the total waste generated in Sri Lanka which include hazardous, industrial and clinical waste since no action has been taken to separate those hazardous waste types from the municipal waste stream which should be handled at National Level.

Our Authority is coming under the Chief Ministry of the Western Province which handles the subject of Local Government and Provincial Education and Environment. In legal framework, Local Governments are the responsible agencies for the management of their Municipal Solid Waste at Local Level.

Therefore, we are closely working with all 48 Local Authorities, during our short history we have provided infrastructures and financial & technical support gained a good reputation among the Line Ministries and their stakeholder institutions.

 Objectives

• Implement the provisions of the Waste Management Statute No 01 of 2007. 

• Prevent the accumulation of waste in environment and make provision of the maintenance of a clean atmosphere for the wellbeing of the public as well as the fauna and flora within the province.

• Plan, advise, organize and supervise the regulation of the functions of disposal, transportation and storage of waste generated within the areas of Western Province in a manner not to cause any hazard to environment and health, for the purpose of subsection 3, in coordination with local authorities and other intuitions with similar interest and determine and evaluate the hazardousness, if any, that may be caused, with a view to adopting necessary procedure for the prevention thereof.

• Conduct research on the recycling and re-use of waste.
 
• Issue directions with a view to redeeming the places, areas and zones that have been polluted due to injudicious disposal of waste and to implement measures and supervise activities connected therewith.

• Coordinate with local authorities or any other institution or person and supervise all the projects concerning waste management carried out within the province, with local or foreign assistance.

• Publish papers, reports, books, information and notices jointly with other institutions in the province or independently, and crate awareness among the public on waste management.

• Work in conjunction with other organizations within Sri Lanka and abroad that have similar objective to those of the Authorities.

• Conduct research to find ways and means to arrest the proliferation of waste, to crate public awareness and to specify certain measures in relation to them.