New Polythene Bag Levy Sparks Debate on 'Eco-Economy' 📈

Effective 1 November 2025, Sri Lankan consumers are now subject to a levy of Rs. 3–5 for a simple polythene bag. The new charge, intended to discourage use, has drawn criticism for creating a new business model where "eco" becomes an economy. • The core issue raised is the transfer of value: bags costing cents to produce are sold to consumers for Rs. 3–5, with retailers and intermediaries pocketing the margin, potentially acting as an unaudited penalty on ordinary life. • The article argues that alternatives often involve a higher hidden cost. Products in perceived "eco" materials (e.g., glass) are priced significantly higher (e.g., same juice in glass at Rs. 400+ vs. PET at Rs. 180), and materials like paper can be more water/energy-intensive to produce than lightweight polythene. • True sustainability, it suggests, requires a system-focused approach over product bans. The recommendation is to re-engineer collection, segregation, and cycling systems for the most efficient materials. • A key proposal is to transparently ring-fence the collected bag levy funds specifically for audited waste management and recycling infrastructure upgrades, rather than allowing it to be treated as a quiet retail markup.