Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2019-07-02

Amendments to the National Environment Act, No.47 of 1980

- Approval of the Cabinet has been granted previously to amend the National Environment Act, No.47 of 1980 enacted to suit the present trends, with a view to providing a wide Legal Framework required to coordinate all sectors involved in the environment of Sri Lanka at national level. Accordingly, the proposal made by H.E. the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahaweli Development and Environment, to amend the National Environment Act, No.47 of 1980 to incorporate further amendments such as the comprehensive responsibility of the manufacturer in respect of the items which generate hazardous waste material, making domestic laws to empower multi‑faceted environmental Agreements, focusing attention on environmental conditions at the preliminary environmental test and evaluation of environmental effects, prevention of environmental pollution by activities which do not require environmental protection permits, obtaining the authority to take into custody any implement prohibited by the existing Act and its destruction and the increase of the Members of the Environmental Committee etc., when making this amendment, was approved by the Cabinet.