Sri Lanka’s EcoBonus Proposal: Turning Plastic Waste into Economic Value 📈

• The Concept: A proposed EcoBonus-Driven PET Bottle Recycling Ecosystem aims to transform Sri Lanka's plastic pollution crisis into a circular economy model. Citizens depositing PET bottles at designated hubs receive digital wallet credits redeemable for utilities, retail discounts, or transport benefits. • Infrastructure & Scaling: Inspired by a practical 800 kg/hour semi-automated PET facility model in Tajikistan, the framework advocates for a decentralized network of regional aggregation centers rather than massive centralized plants. This model lowers transportation costs and boosts efficiency. • Three-Stage Value Chain: 1. Community collection and digital reward issuance. 2. Regional aggregation centers for sorting and cleaning. 3. Processing facilities converting bottles into high-quality PET flakes for packaging materials, apparel & textiles, and industrial products. • Economic Impacts: The initiative aims to drive job creation across collection and technology platforms, reduce dependence on imported raw materials to conserve foreign exchange reserves, and position Sri Lanka as a regional exporter of certified recycled PET products to build green economy credentials. • Social & Environmental Goals: Promotes behavioral change via digital reward gamification for youth and schools, provides supplementary income for low-income households, and reduces plastic leakage into rivers and marine ecosystems to protect fisheries and tourism.