Environment justice group moves CA to stop import of harmful organic fertiliser from China

An environmental advocacy organization filed a petition in the Court of Appeal on Friday, seeking an injunction against the importation of polluted organic fertiliser from China, even after tests on preliminary samples showed they contained harmful microorganisms.

The Center for Environmental Justice (CEJ) filed the petition against attempts to go ahead with the import of 96,000 metric tonnes (MT) of organic fertiliser at the cost of USD 63 million from China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd.

The Chinese company is expected to supply Sri Lanka with seaweed organic granular fertiliser. However, laboratory tests carried out by the National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS) on samples proved they contain harmful microorganisms, pathogens and diseases harmful to the soil, plants and humans, the petition noted.

According to the NPQS laboratory test reports, two bacterial genera, Erwinia and Bacillus, are present in the sample provided by the Chinese company.

The CEJ alleged that contaminated fertiliser would pose a threat to minerals in the country’s soil and cited past instances of endangering ecosystems due to the spread of invasive plants and disease-causing organisms introduced from other countries.

Demanding that importing such contaminated fertiliser should not be allowed under the existing laws, the CEJ urged court to prosecute state officials involved in the importation of organic fertiliser in violation of the existing laws such as Sections 261, 262, 263, 277 and 289 of the Penal Code, Section 23(N) of the National Environmental Act and other relevant laws.

Apart from the CEJ, its Director and Senior Advisor Hemantha Withanage and Executive Director Dilena Pathragoda are the co-petitioners.

Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, State Minister of Promoting the Production & Regulating the Supply of Organic Fertiliser Shasheendra Rajapaksha, Agriculture Director General Dr Ajantha de Silva, National Fertiliser Secretariat Director (Acting) Champika D. Dharmasena and National Plant Quarantine Service Additional Director Dr W.A.R.T. Wickramaarachchi are among the respondents.