Sri Lanka, June 13 -- Environment Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody told Parliament yesterday that proposed amendments to the National Environmental Act (NEA) introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), legally shifting waste management from the public to manufacturers.

The framework requires producers to collect and recycle set targets of their packaging without legally collecting upfront fees from everyday consumers.

Producers must collect and recycle a specific portion of their plastic/polythene production each year. For example, under current proposals, targets may escalate to collect up to 50% in the first year, 60% in the second, and 80% in the third.

The legislation is modelled around the "polluter-pays principle". Producers...