Turning the Tide on Festival Waste: The Plastic Free Task Force at Seenigama

The Seenigama Devol Devala Pageant is a cherished annual celebration that draws throngs of devotees from the local area and beyond. However, with the thousands who come to participate in this religious and cultural event, there is an unfortunate downside: an alarming amount of plastic and polythene waste. To address this growing environmental issue, the Foundation of Goodness launched the ‘Plastic Free Task Force’—an initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the pageant.

The task force, comprised of 100 volunteers and staff over five days, took on the monumental challenge of cleaning up the post-pageant routes. Covering Seenigama, Thotagamuwa, Hikkaduwa, Thelwaththa, and Malawanna, they collected an astounding 66,590 pieces of trash. This included 5,154 pieces of plastic waste, such as bottles and plastic cups, and a staggering 61,590 items made of polythene, like ice cream wrappers and bags. In total, the volunteers and staff filled 62 trash bags, a sobering testament to the scale of pollution that large public gatherings can produce.

Globally, plastic waste is one of the most pressing environmental crises of our time. The United Nations estimates that about 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the oceans each year. Closer to home, Sri Lanka ranks among the top five countries responsible for mismanaged plastic waste, with the island nation generating approximately 1.59 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. A significant portion of this waste comes from single-use plastics, which are prevalent at festivals, public events, and gatherings.

Polythene, a less discussed but equally harmful pollutant, also poses a severe threat. The Sri Lankan government’sefforts to ban polythene have been a step in the right direction, but enforcement remains challenging in rural areas where single-use plastics continue to thrive.

The Foundation of Goodness’ Plastic Free Task Force is more than just a clean-up crew—it’s a movement towards creating awareness and inspiring change. Every bottle and wrapper collected during this initiative is a step towards reducing the impact of plastic pollution on our environment and marine ecosystems. By working alongside local authorities, the task force is setting a powerful example of how communities can come together to tackle waste management.

This post-pageant clean-up is a reminder that even small actions, when combined, can make a big difference. The success of this initiative marks yet another stride in the Foundation’s ongoing mission to foster a cleaner, greener future for Sri Lanka and bridge the urban-rural divide.