SRI LANKA

     Eco-Protect Engineering in collaboration with Messrs Coco Technologies Corporation- the leading erosion control specialists in the Philippines have joined hands to set-up Eco-friendly Soil Erosion Control Systems using coir products.
     Speaking at a seminar on "Erosion Control in Sri Lanka" using coir based Geo-textile, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, A.H. M. Fowzie said there was an urgent need for an eco-friendly system to control for erosion of road embankments, exposed slopes, stream or rivers and other slopes and to minimize silting of lake bunts and other reservoirs.
     As far as the environment is concerned, slope protection is very important as otherwise it could result in earth slips which may destabilize the business environment, the Minister said.
     "In this context I am happy that the private sector has come forward to introduce an Eco-friendly erosion control system", he added.
     Coir is a product which is locally available and is used in the cottage industry without generating chemical waste and green house gases. Coir erosion controlled products are made in Sri Lanka and exported for erosion control purposes in other countries, while our slopes are basically left unprotected, he said.
     This venture would not only ensure technology transfer but also value addition to the local coir products which is a prime requirement identified in our government budget, the Minister added.
     President- Coco Technologies Corporation, Philippines Dr. Justino Arboleda said a small concrete construction cost minimum 40 US Dollar while coir protection would cost 3 US Dollar. He said the demand for coir based products were increasing and since Sri Lanka had a strong agri-based economy, more emphasis should be given to develop this area.
     He also pointed out that no local company either in the public sector or the private sector used coir based products for soil erosion conservation and said that at the moment his company was exporting their products to Korea and Japan.
     Sri Lanka would accrue more benefits from coir product raw materials available, because that can reduce the cost of raw materials, Eco-friendly and products are cheap. Those coir products could be used for places especially in areas subjected to soil erosions.

Source: Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka Newspaper), December 12, 2004 Ed.


Click here to contact Eco-Protect....

back