Polypto Lanka – the world’s first plant in which petrol is generated from polythene and plastic waste – was launched yesterday at Yatiyantota. The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in collaboration with Ananda Withanage, the inventor of the novel concept, and several lecturers from the Chemical and Process Engineering Department of the University of Moratuwa (UoM) had embarked on this venture in 2009.
The launch of Polypto Lanka was held yesterday headed by Environment and Natural Resources Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka. The newly produced fuel was pumped into fuel tanks of three-wheelers and motor cycles at the event, for the first time.
Minister Ranawaka who spoke at the event pointed out that this was a golden opportunity where extensive profits could be earned from waste that would otherwise contribute to adverse effects on the eco- system of the country.
“This venture will be a massive boost to achieving the goals of the Pilisaru project as well,” he added.
“The CEA, the UoM and Mr. Withanage entered a tri-party agreement on February 19, 2009. The project was initially planned to conclude within nine months. The project was, however, completed in 12 months,” said national post consumer plastic waste management project CEO/ Project Director Roshan Gunawardena.
The plant which is still in the secondary stage, processes non-biodegradable matter such as mixed plastics, except for PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) and directly produces three most valuable forms of crude oil – petrol, diesel and kerosene. It has the capacity to process waste plastics from a minimum of 500 kilos up to a maximum of 1000 kilos daily.
“We have currently estimated that the output can range around 0.75 to 1 litre of petrol from one kilo of waste plastics. Therefore the daily generation of Polypto petrol can vary from 500 to 1000 litres,” said the main man behind the venture, Mr. Withanage.
The main goal of the project is to provide a stable solution for the waste problem of Sri Lanka while introducing low cost fuel options to the masses. “According to the estimations we have currently made, we believe that a litre of Polypto petrol can be priced at Rs. 75 to Rs.80,” said Mr. Withanage.
Before voting for parties and candidates let us cast our first ballot to planet earth and take pride in the fact that we have fulfilled our global durty, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Patali Champika Ranawaka Ranawaka said at the launch of his ecampagn held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute.
