As part of our outreach programme for 2017, the NRC, together with the Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Science, Technology and Research, Ministry of Sustainable Development and Wildlife and the Central Environmental Authority will launch a programme for sustainable management of polythene.

The programme will be initiated in the North Central Province, and an initial discussion was held with officials of the North Central Province on 24^th of March 2017, at the Provincial Secretariat in Anuradhapura. More than 120 officials participated. Introductory speeches were delivered by the resource persons, Mr. H.M.P. Bandara, Chief Secretary, North Central Province, Prof. Janaka de Silva, Chairman NRC, Mr. K.H. Muthukudaarachchi, Director General, Central Environment Authority, Dr. Wimal Wimaladasa, Project Director of Re-resource Project, Mrs. E.M.N.W. Ekanayake, Provincial Director of Education, North Central Province and Ms .M. Kodippili Arachchi, Local Government Commissioner, North Central Province. An open discussion followed.

The programme will include an awareness programme for school children in the province on minimizing the usage of polythene. This component will be funded by the NRC.