On June 27, the Negombo Recycling Club (NRC) proudly completed the first trial run of its state-of-the-art plastic recycling facility in Milalniya, Horana, marking a historic step forward in Sri Lanka’s journey toward a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future. Participants in this milestone event included the PLEASE project team, UNOPS officials, SACEP officials, and officials from the Environmental Ministry, highlighting NRC’s leadership in closing the loop on plastic waste and aligning with the national Clean Sri Lanka initiative.
Strategically located in the heart of Sri Lanka’s coastal belt—where plastic pollution has increasingly threatened ecosystems and livelihoods—the NRC facility is the first in the country to provide a fully integrated plastic washing and compounding line for High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) post-consumer plastics.
Sri Lanka generates thousands of tons of plastic waste each month, much of which ends up in open dumps, waterways, or the ocean. While awareness campaigns and policy frameworks have improved, the country has long lacked the advanced processing infrastructure needed to turn post-consumer plastic waste into high-quality raw materials for reuse.
NRC’s new facility directly addresses this gap. Designed with world-class recycling technology, the plant has an annual capacity of 3600 metric tons, enabling the country to transform previously discarded plastic materials into reusable industrial-grade compounds and consumer goods.
The facility’s core functions are built around a closed-loop washing and compounding line. Post-consumer plastics—such as shampoo bottles, yogurt cups, detergent containers, take-away packaging, crates, and milk containers—are carefully collected, sorted, washed, shredded, and processed into recycled plastic pellets that meet industrial manufacturing standards.
The inclusion of multiple polymer types—HDPE, PP, PS, and ABS—positions NRC as a regional leader in material recovery and recycling diversity. This ensures a more inclusive and effective recovery of the mixed plastics stream generated by households, markets, businesses, and coastal communities.
Beyond basic recycling, NRC’s facility includes advanced Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) compounding and injection molding capabilities. This allows the plant to convert a blend of waste plastics and wood dust into a wide array of durable and high-value consumer and industrial products.
From agricultural tools to bathware, tiles, furniture, fencing, and cladding, these products offer an excellent alternative to virgin materials while supporting circular economy principles.
Even a portion of degraded plastics—typically excluded from traditional recycling streams—can now be utilized through WPC technology, reducing landfill burden and maximizing resource efficiency.
Sustainability is built into every layer of NRC’s operations. The facility is equipped with an in-house wastewater treatment plant, ensuring all water used during washing is treated and reused responsibly. This dramatically reduces freshwater consumption and ensures no pollutants enter nearby ecosystems.
Any non-recyclable by-products, including fines, sludge, and residual plastics, are managed through authorized incineration partners and sanitary landfills in full compliance with Sri Lanka’s environmental regulations.
By adhering to national air and water quality standards, NRC’s operations set a benchmark for responsible and ethical recycling practices in the country.
NRC’s mission goes beyond recycling. The organization is committed to improving the livelihoods of the people behind waste collection—the often-overlooked champions of environmental protection. Through the new facility, NRC has capacity to pay US$1 million collection incentives for the collators at its full operations, empowering communities while increasing recovery rates.
The facility is expected to contribute over US$3.5 million in annual revenue, a portion of which will be reinvested into expanding collection networks, awareness programs, and local job creation in the recycling sector.
This model not only supports the informal waste workforce but also creates formal opportunities in logistics, plant operations, quality control, packaging, and research & development.
The launch of NRC’s facility is a significant boost to Sri Lanka’s “Clean Sri Lanka” and “Zero Waste to Ocean” missions. It offers a scalable, replicable model that demonstrates how public-private partnerships, innovation, and community engagement can come together to combat plastic pollution at the source.
With the support of global organizations like the World Bank and UNOPS, NRC plans to share best practices, collaborate with municipal councils, and scale its operations across other districts in the country—especially in high-risk coastal zones.
The plant also aligns with several UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) including:
NRC envisions a Sri Lanka where waste is no longer a threat but a valuable resource. The launch of this pioneering facility is a milestone not only for the organization but for the nation. As plastic waste continues to grow globally, initiatives like this represent hope and innovation in action.
NRC invites policymakers, corporates, environmentalists, educators, and citizens to join the movement—supporting sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet.
Join NRC in redefining the future of waste.
Together, we can build a cleaner, greener Sri Lanka.
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