Sri Lanka banned plastic bags and other disposable products on Friday after the collapse of the island's biggest dump led to a rubbish disposal crisis.

Rotting garbage piled up in many parts of the capital after the giant rubbish tip collapsed in April, crushing dozens of homes and killing 32 people.

Many blamed the haphazard use of plastic, which was also cited in flash flooding in the capital after storm water drains became clogged.

In response, President Maithripala Sirisena banned the sale of plastic bags, cups and plates, as well as the burning of refuse containing plastic.

"Any person who fails to comply with the regulations... shall be liable to an offence and punishable under the National Environmental Act," the president said.

Offenders could be fined 10,000 rupees ($66) and jailed for up to two years.

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Phnom Penh (AFP) July 13, 2017
Cambodia has outlawed sand exports from a coastal region where it has been primarily funnelled in huge quantities to Singapore, a move met with scepticism from activists who said previous bans on the destructive industry had failed to take root. Environmental groups have long accused Cambodia of running damaging and corrupt sand dredging operations along the southwest coast and the Mekong ri ... read more

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