INSEE Ecocycle Lanka (Private) Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of Siam City Cement (Lanka) Limited, and part of the INSEE Group, Southeast Asia‘s leading cement manufacturer with proven expertise in environmental services and waste management, initiated a vital programme recently to provide the nation with sustainable waste management solutions for used electrical and electronic equipment.
INSEE Ecocycle understands that increasing levels of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and its improper and unsafe disposal through inferior methods of open burning or in dumpsites are creating significant risks to the environment and human health, in addition to presenting several challenges to the country’s sustainable development goals.
INSEE Ecocycle is geared towards creating awareness and minimising the potential environmental impact associated with disposing decommissioned electrical and electronic equipment in the country. The organisation is engaged in dismantling and separating parts based on material types such as plastic, metal, rubber, wire, printed circuits boards etc., at its state-of-the-art electronic waste dismantling pre-processing facility in Katunayake. The remaining materials components are sent to INSEE’s Puttalam cement kiln or recycled through proper partnerships.
Based on INSEE Cement’s partnership with Ousei Kankyo Shoji Co. Ltd Japan, a reputed organisation undertaking e-scrap recycling to preserve the environment, all dismantled printed circuit boards are exported to Japan for reprocessing. The agreement also enables long term partnering for the country’s sustainability and international cooperation.
The auspicious event marking the export of the first consignment of processed electronic waste to Ousei Kankyo was held amidst a distinguished gathering. Gracing the occasion was Chief Guest, Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Environment, Siripala Amarasinghe, Chairman of Central Environmental Authority, P. B. Hemantha Jayasinghe, Director General of Central Environmental Authority, Ranjith Ariyaratne, Postmaster General, M. K. D. Lawrance, Executive Director (Zones), Board of Investment, Ajith Weerasundara, Director, Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management Unit, Central Environmental Authority and Nandana Ekanayake, Chairman, INSEE Cement.
Commenting on the occasion, Sanjeewa Chulakumara, Director INSEE Ecocycle said, “We are committed to play a vital role towards curbing the country’s WEEE crisis by extending our collection capacities from local councils in the Western and North Western provinces. INSEE Ecocycle is also planning to ensure the collection of electronic waste from other provinces too. INSEE continuously works to support the waste management and disposals needs at national level which include disposal of contaminated milk powder, confiscated Cocaine, etc. The company is engaged in providing this service in disposing e-waste too to prevent it becoming an environmental burden.”
For nearly two decades, INSEE Ecocycle has paved the path for sustainable waste management in Sri Lanka through its circular economy-based solution of cement kiln co-processing.
Established in 2003 INSEE Ecocycle introduced responsible waste management solutions to Sri Lanka by initially co-processing 297mt of tyre waste. Gradually establishing the ‘polluter pays’ concept within local industries, Ecocycle expanded its co-processing capabilities to serve wide range of hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste.
The rapid rise in the demand of sustainable waste management has led to the vigorous expansion of Ecocycle. Utilising strategic investments of more than Rs. 3 billion, INSEE Ecocycle exceeded its annual co-processing capacity by 100,000 metric tons and getting closer to achieve of 1,000,000 metric tons of total co-processed volume millstone.
Further in 2020 Ecocycle launched its fully-fledged Resource Recovery Centre, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, marks an important milestone for INSEE Ecocycle as it provides solutions in transitioning the country towards a greener circular economy, where waste is eliminated and resources are used in an efficient and sustainable way.
Today, Ecocycle has become the premier waste management solutions provider for the industries in Sri Lanka. Currently INSEE Ecocycle supports more than 1000 enterprises in the country in their industrial waste management efforts by introducing customised waste management solutions.
INSEE Ecocycle’s Pre-processing and Co-processing facilities fulfil all regulatory technical standards globally adopted for the management of waste. It is also considered a better option than simple land filling or incineration as it offers a complete solution with zero harmful emission to the environment. The facility has obtained all required licenses (Environmental Protection License and Scheduled Waste Management License) and certifications such as, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 17025 and ISO 450001.