The Light Millennium, Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization, proudly presents the below research by Helitha Rehan Athukorale, Whyteleafe Junior Researcher (Sri Lanka), in support of the 2022 theme of the #WorldScienceDay #BasicSciencesForSustainableDevelopment, along with encouraging students toward further research-based projects.

The theme of World Science Day on 10 November 2022 is Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development. It is being celebrated within the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development, which kicked off on 8 July 2022. Scientists, science communicators, and science enthusiasts are encouraged to prepare their events to celebrate #WorldScienceDay.

“The annual observance of the International Week of Science and Peace (each year during the week in which 11 November falls), is making an important contribution to the promotion of peace. The Week encourages greater academic exchanges on a subject of universal importance while also generating greater awareness of the relationship of science and peace among the general public. Based on observances of Science and Peace Week to date, it may be expected that participation each year will increase, contributing to greater international understanding and opportunities for co-operation in the applications of science for the promotion of peace throughout the year.” Source: https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-science-day/week

Whyteleafe Junior Researchers Series

The Process of Garbage Disposal in Sri Lanka
by Helitha Rehan Athukorale | 29/09/2022

Introduction

Garbage is not just a problem but a huge predicament in the present society. Over the years there have been many incidents where garbage has affected nature which has even caused death to certain lives. This research will help us to identify the reasons for the improper garbage disposal in our motherland Sri Lanka and how we can properly fix this problem. 

 It’s a widely known fact that the process of garbage disposal in Sri Lanka is not maintained properly, Because of this Improper maintenance garbage dumps like Meethotamulla have been known to collapse into houses causing massive destruction. 

Research Question:

Why aren’t the people of Sri Lanka disposing of garbage properly?

Proper disposal of garbage means Removing and destroying or storing damaged, used, or other unwanted domestic garbage in an environmentally friendly manner. Even though this word is common around the world it is not practical, especially in a country like Sri Lanka. Methods of Disposing of garbage include.

• Disposing of my Burning

• Disposing of by Burying 

• Disposing of the method of the 3R system 

In this research, I am focused on the proper methods of garbage disposal. Even though my research topic includes Sri Lanka, I mostly focused on Colombo which is the main city in the country. 

A study done by the EPI (Environmental performance index) in 2020 shows that Sri Lanka is in the 109th place (as shown in Fig.1) out of all the countries in the world which mean that Sri Lanka is in a really low place when it comes to environmental health and cleanness. 

Research Materials and Methods

All the data and information I am looking at are from the Colombo district because Colombo is known to be one of the districts that produce the most garbage in

 Sri Lanka. I am using quantitative methods to analyze the 

 research questions. 

Results

From this research, I can find out about the major 

 reasons and how the future of Sri Lanka will look if 

 it continues in this manner. According to the analysis, it seems

 that children focus on cleanliness more than adults. As to the data I

 received children are mainly focused on the health and 

 cleanliness of their rooms. Adults on the other hand are a little

 less careful when it comes to this field. Shown below 

 are the percentages of children helping their parents when disposing of garbage. Figure: 2

(Do you help your parents with disposing of garbage?)

For more information, the main reason that 20% of children have told no is that their parents haven’t asked them to. Going further I discovered 2 main reasons adults are less concerned about the process of garbage disposing of, they are…

• Not enough time 

• Not enough space 

The above points were discovered when I asked them whether they sort their garbage before giving them to the garbage collector and whether they follow the 3R system. This research also able to find out that Reusing the 3R system is used the most in houses. Some adults have stated that they do it but most have stated that they have no space in these urban areas and they are busy with their work schedule. Most people would burn their non-degradable garbage and give their degradable garbage to the garbage collectors. Shown below are the percentages of the number of people disposing of their garbage in an environment-friendly way.

Limitations

Because of the lack of time and because of this pandemic situation this research is limited to Colombo. Also because of the fewer resources in this pandemic situation, this research is done only by questionnaires. 

Conclusion

I have done this research to solve the research question “Why aren’t people of Sri Lanka disposing of garbage properly” I found out major reasons for my question and I concluded that even though there are many resources and ways that this predicament can be solved because of the carelessness of the authorities and the society this problem keeps getting bigger and bigger. 

According to the data I gathered, I believe that if the 3R system is followed frequently and is practiced at all houses the cleanness of the future of the country will be better. But this is a hard process to do since we can’t change all houses. I believe if we can create recycling centers and make them more practical in Sri Lanka, we might be able to reduce the use of garbage and increase the cleanliness of this country. 

Also, this problem can be minimized by using scientific methods. When a matter is burned it produces, but scientists have found a way to extract particles using this method. Conversion centers can be made to burn garbage and the process will turn the gas produced into favorable gases and be let out to the environment.

According to my discoveries, I believe that if this garbage problem is not solved by the time 2035, the people of Sri Lanka will have to suffer dangerous viruses and illnesses that will either be created in the country by itself or viruses and diseases spread around the world will have a high chance of developing its DNA to an incurable level. This will also cause a massive extinction of rare endemic animals in Sri Lanka and the growth of animals like crows, mosquitos, and flies will take diseases to a whole new level. The oxygen levels in this country will reduce to a maximum of 10% and life will not have a chance of survival anymore.

_ . _

Declaration

“I certify that the content of this research is my study findings. The information and data given in the report are authentic to the best of my knowledge. Hope you learn something new”

Helitha Rehan Athukorale (29/09/2022) 

Biography of the Whyteleafe Junior Researchers

Whyteleafe Academy

Dedicated to the 2022 World Science Day & International Week of Science and Peace byThe Light Millennium, Charitable Global Human Advancement Organization (LMGlobal.Org; 2001, New York); associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (formerly, UN.DPI) since 2005. www.lmglobal.org

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