The Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan (WMSAP) for Negombo is a visionary document that aims to address the major challenges in the current waste management system in Negombo City and establish a transition towards a resource recycling, financially sustainable, and environmentally sound waste management system in the city. The strategy includes several actions, implementation plans, and targets under the established goals which were developed based on the city study and a series of meetings and workshops during the strategy formulation process. And Negombo City is committed to working hard in achieving the targets in the city strategy in cooperation with all the relevant stakeholders and citizens.  

Negombo City as one of the major growing economic and tourist hubs in Sri Lanka has been facing various challenges in the management of generated waste in the city due to inadequate waste management systems, lack of public awareness and facilities, and several other factors. The total waste generated in the city is about 158 MT per day, of which only about 50% (86 MT) is collected, with the remaining uncollected waste being illegally dumped into the surrounding environment. Over 80% (70 MT) of the collected waste is disposed of into the Ovitiyawatta landfill which is situated along the bank of the Maha Oya river-key source of freshwater for the country. Out of the remaining 20% of the collected waste, about 7% (6 MT) of degradable waste is used for compost production and remaining about 12% (10 MT) is being collected at the collection center in Negombo City. It is evident that the uncollected waste dumped into the environment and the collected waste dumped into the open dumpsite has a severe impact on environment and health of the people in Negombo City. In this regard, considering the request of the Ministry of Environment, Sri Lanka and Negombo Municipal Council (NMC), IGES Centre Collaborating with UNEP on Environmental Technologies (CCET) provided technical assistance in the development of a waste management strategy and action plan for Negombo City. This resulted in the development of “Waste Management Strategy and Action Plan (WMSAP) of Negombo 2020-2030”.