EDITORIAL

INSIDE STORIES

* UNDP and HELP-O collaboration to climate change mitigation and

adaptation through the bio gas

technology. 03 05

*Bio Gas Technology for household section... 06-07

* PET Plastic Bottles Recycle in Galle Fort08

*Go Green Project at the Welikada Prison. 09

* Womans endeavor of HOLDE Womens Co-operative Ltd in

Walawwaththa Branch 10

*Information Panel 11

The news letter of the organization shows good efforts that we are

implementing. HELP- O would able to take creative steps within very

short time and make a good discussion from top- level to grass root level

and we introduced much things and developed technology too.

HELP-O initiated a new as project climate change mitigation in Sri

Lanka through bio gas technology and project is implemented under

small Grants Project (SGP/GEF) of UNDP. Beginning in last month

constructed a bio gas plant in Nellikulam Navy Camp.

HELP O Eco Green Ltd is started a new bio gas program in private

sectors and government sectors in Sri Lanka. We have introduced bio gas

technology to the Welikada Prison.

The community network of the people has provided financial support to

the people who need to develop their self- employments. Many waste

management programs have been started in various places in Sri Lanka

by the company. Social movements also implement many other social

programs for the grass root level people. Micro finance is one of main

service that provide by the HELP-O. We have implemented other social

activity by providing the scholarship to enhance the children education.

UNDP and HELP-O Collaboration to Climate Change

Mitigation and Adaptation through the Bio Gas

Technology

Vulnerable to the climate change, climate change mitigation and adaptation have become

worldwide controversial topics. Bio gas can do considerable effects to the climate change

mitigation.

Naturally occurring GHGs include water vapor, ozone, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous

oxide. While these gases are what make life on the earth possible, a serious concern today is the

enhanced effect on the climate system of increased levels of the gases in the atmosphere due mainly

to human actions. GHGs whose increase is directly associated with human activities are carbon

dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Carbon dioxide is released to the

atmosphere when solid waste, fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) or wood and wooden

products are burned. Carbon dioxide is also released in non-energy-related manufacturing

processes and in decomposition of an organic matter. Methane is emitted during the production

and transport of fossil fuels. Methane emissions also result from the decomposition of organic

wastes in an oxygen-deprived environment.

In Sri Lankan situation, municipal solid waste and other organic waste disposal in industrial

and institutional level have become a critical problem. Municipal solid waste, mainly disposed as

open dumping and institutional, industrial and domestic levels solid wastes, is also mainly open

dumped or burned by most of the people. Components of municipal solid waste in Sri Lanka are

organics in nature including food waste and garden wastes, which are degradable in nature

(Visvanathan, 2006 and Perera, 2003). At the same time, these different wastes come from various

places such as institutions (government or private owned), factories, and residences.

The most common practices in almost all municipalities in Sri Lanka are open burning, land

filling (not technical). These methods are not considered as environmental friendly since they

create serious environmental problems. About 85 % of collected waste in Sri Lanka is subjected to

open dumping (Visvanathan, 2006). This situation is one of the major factors which has effected to

greenhouse gas emission and climate change effects in Sri Lanka because GHGs are emitted directly

to the atmosphere through the open dumping of solid waste.

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Biogas is produced by anaerobic digestion with

anaerobic bacteria or fermentation of biodegradable

materials such as manure, sewage, municipal

waste, green waste, plant material, and crops. It is

primarily methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) and

may have small amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), moisture. Biogas has

become an efficient waste management system by reducing GHGs to the

atmosphere.

HELP-O has become a leading NGO in Sri Lanka that working with

the bio gas technology. Our organization has taken an initiative to

implement a project under the bio gas technology and climate change mitigation as Assess the

capacity of the bio gas to mitigate the climate change and adaptation and introduce the most

effective standards bio gas plant with quality parameters. Project is implemented under Small

Grant Project (SGP) of UNDP. Project consists with research approach and bio gas plant

construction in selected areas which are vulnerable to the climate change.

A sample survey is conducted to measure GHG emission in selected bio gas plants which are

constructed by HELP-O. Sample of the survey is selected based on the capacity and input waste

categories of bio gas plants. Analysis of the survey is done with the support of University of Ruhuna.

Expected output of the survey is measure GHG emission level of different waste categories and

come up with quality parameters of GHG emission reduction through the bio gas technology. Install

a portable model of bio gas plant is a major project activity of this project. Sample model of this

portable bio gas plant developed with the support of university of Ruhuna. Portable model is

developed with the aim of popularizing of bio gas technology in Sri Lanka.

Survey result will be published at the national level and national level work shop will be

organized to this purpose. Awareness programmes are done through media documentaries and

releasing a booklet.

The project has specially focused on areas which are vulnerable to the climate change.

Three large scale bio gas plants are constructed in Nellikulam Navy camp, Mahawa Navy camp and

Kalpitiya Navy camp. Works of the Nellikulam Navy camp are in progress .75% of bio gas plant

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constructions works are completed in Nellikulam Navy camp. Technological improvements and

innovations of bio gas are done by using these bio gas plants. Bio energy village concept is also

developed through this project. Bio energy village concept is promoted to fulfill energy needs and

fertilizer needs of people. Popularizing this concept in vulnerable areas to the climate change will

be a better solution to climate change mitigation.

The project can take an initiative to climate change mitigation in Sri Lanka. Survey results

will emphasize capacity of bio gas to reduce GHG emission to the environment. Construction of

biogas plants in vulnerable areas to climate change, introducing portable bio gas plants,

popularizing portable bio gas plants and popularizing bio energy village concepts can do

significance change to climate change mitigation in Sri Lanka.

References

Wijetunga,S,Community Views and Attitudes for Waste Management Improvement in a Higher

Education Institute: Case Study

Jane H.,Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Associated with Livestock Waste Management

Systems: A Case Study for the Langerwerf Dairy Waste Management System

Visvanathan, C. (2006). Domestic solid waste management in South Asia,3 R South Asia Expert

Workshop, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Waterfalls are common when a river is young. At these times the

channel is often narrow and deep. Beautiful waterfall cascading down

the mountain slopes enhance the beauty of the hill country. The

geographycal formation of the island with tha central highly sloping

down to the coastal plains has resulted in several rivers and streams

startling from the central region flowing down the hilly slopes in a

radial patterns, creating beautiful waterfalls inseveral place in the hill

country.

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Thamali Anuradha

The developing countries are increasinghly facing problems

with energy supply. Their access to traditional cooking fuels such as

wood, agricultural wastes, cow dung, while commercial fuels are

expensive and their availability unreliable for the installation waste

treatment plants in all the households where there are bio wastes such as remants of food items,

cattle dung, waste water and etc available.

Technology

Domestic bio gas plants convert animal dung and human excrement at household level into

a combustible. This bio gas can be effectively used in simple gas stove for cooking and in lamps

for lighting. The residue of the process, slurry can be easily collected and used as a potent organic

fertilizer to enhance agricultural productivities.

Benefits

Bio gas plants give multiple benefits at the household,national level and global level.

Specially, women express great satisfacation, paticulary with the instant cooking aspects allowed by

bio gas which gives Financial and Economic, health, Environmental Benefits and etc.

Financial and Economic Benefits:

Also the bio gas gives financial and economic benefits. The primary impact of bio gas plants

on poverty alleviation is to reduce the economic and the financial costs expended on fuel for

cooking and lighting and to improve food security through increasing agricultural yields.

Environmental Benefits:

In addition to the improvement of the environment at household level, bio gas plants help to

reduce deforestration. Bio gas, which is produced on a susutainable basis as the carbon dioxide

associated with its combustion,is reabsorbed in the process of the growth of the fodder and food

for the animals and men.

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Bio Gas Technology for household Section

Nadeesha Dilhani

Project Details

Title Mr.Themiya Home

Location Dangedara-Galle

Project date 2012

Plant Capacity 08m3

Production 360kg/yr

Waste reduction 8500kg/yr

Methane reduction 720m3/yr

Saving 60,000 LKR/yr

Contact No. 0759489785

07 Exaple for the Domestic Level Bio Gas Plant

Gonika Gonica tree is valuable tree among

herbal trees and it is enriched with a

great herbal value. Scientific name is

Hoya Ovalifolia. Leaves of the tree

are used as herbal drink after the

hacking of the leaves of the tree.

Enriched herbal value of this tree is

the treatment for Rheumatic diseases

and this tree has a herbal value for

blood purification. Leaves of the tree

have taken circular shape and small

scale leaves can be seen in the tree.

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Gonika Plant Gonika Leaves

In1973 the scientist in the U.S. invented a PET plastic bottle. It has 3 specific characters:

light, durable, and flexible. Thanks to the invention, it is easier to bring beverages, as a result of

which it has been used all over the world.

After consumers finished drinking contents in a PET plastic bottle, it has 3 possible fates: it

may be reused, recycled, or thrown away. The best way is to be reused, but if a PET plastic bottle is

used many times, it might cause a health risk for people who drink from it since it can be very

hospitable for bacteria. On the contrary, recycling rate in most of the countries and cities is low, as a

PET plastic bottle can be made easily and cheaply. Some programs have tried to accelerate the rate,

but not worked well. Therefore, a lot of PET plastic bottles have been burned to ash or dumped on

the roadside or in the sea.

A PET plastic bottle consists of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and petroleum. Above all,

petroleum is limited resources. According to the survey, petroleum will dry up in 52 years.

Someone might say it should be burned with other waste so as to make it easy to burn other waste.

To tell the truth, the ratio of petroleum is low, which means that it does not help burning other

waste much. Moreover, carbon dioxide is emitted, when PET plastic bottles are burned, so it is

better to recycle them.

Galle in Sri Lanka is also one of the cities where PET plastic bottles are not recycled. The

city is famous for its Galle Fort, which is built by Dutch in the 17th century. Many tourists visit Galle

every year. Annual average temperature in Galle is 26.7 degrees Celsius, because of which tourists

drink water in PET plastic bottles a lot when they walk around Galle Fort. After they finish drinking,

they throw away empty PET plastic bottles into trash boxes which are only one type. Now in Galle

PET bottles are burned to ash, which means they become just litter. However, PET bottles are not

waste but resources. They have a possibility to change into other products such as clothing, bags,

and business cards. They can be recycled.

To accelerate PET plastic bottles recycle in Galle, firstly it is necessary to collect PET

plastic bottles effectively. To collect them, there are mainly 2 solutions. First solution is to set PET

plastic bottles dust boxes. Second solution is to cooperate with restaurants and hotels. These 2

solutions can lead to recycle PET plastic bottles.

There will be no petroleum on the earth in the near future. However, when people make

an effort to reduce the use of petroleum and recycle products made from it. Petroleum can be still

used for a long time. Now is the time to recycle PET plastic bottles.

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PET Plastic Bottles Recycle in Galle Fort

Keisai Nakashima University of KEIO

Most of the people and institutions try to search

for renewable energy sources and sustainable

solutions to protect the environment and

natural resources in the world, which we believe is a good

step toward sustainable solutions. HELP O Eco Green

Company could reach many various sector with biogas plant

in Sri Lanka. We contacted Mr.Gamini Jayasinghe, Snr.

Superintendent of Prisons, Welikada Prison to get about

existing Bio Gas Plant.

This is actually a great opportunity to HELP O Eco Green Company to take hand with the

government sector to conserve the environment. The Welikada Prison is the largest prison in Sri

Lanka and the prison is administrated by the Department of prisons. In their eco-friendly way the

HELP O Eco Green was invited to implement a Bio Gas plant for organic waste in the Welikada

Prison with our technical supports. 22m3 capacity and also 500kg of waste can be dumped to this

bio gas plant and sponsored by Waste Management Authority.

The prison main problem was waste management. Also, fire woods and LP gas were other

problems because their cooking purpose. Now prison have a good waste management system. They

get many benefits from the bio gas. Also they can get organic fertilizer from the bio gas system,

which is another benefit from this program.

Moreover, some hotels cultivate vegetables. They use liquid fertilizer as manure for their

cultivation, which is a good step for that Government Industries taken to recycle waste in a

profitable way. This program is a great conservation for the earth care. Global warming, methane

gas emission, environment pollution can be reduced through this better

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GO-Green Project at the Welikada Prison

Nadeesha Dilhani

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solutions.

Ms. M.Hemanthi is a mother of three

children. Mr. Wasantha is her husband and he is

working as a mason. She is one of the early

members of Walawwaththa HOLDE Womens Co-

operative. She is an active member in its branch and

she has participated in a lot of social works for her

village with other branches members. Always, she is

a competent woman for her own work. One of our

reporters shared her ideas in this month.

Reporter: Why did you engage with our Co-operative branch?

Hemathi: I engaged HOLDE Womens Co-operative 07 years ago when Tsunami disaster

occurred. I was totally disappointed with that Tsunami disaster, because of which I lost my

job. I didnt have a stable livelihood at that time, for which was destroyed by Tsunami

disaster. Thats why I participated in the committee. We connected all small groups

together as a branch and I have engaged Pubudu group.

Reporter: Whats your present situation?

Hemathi: Im living happily with my family now. I participated in physiological programs

conducted by HELP-O to rebuild strong mind. After Tsunami disaster, my family didnt have

large sum of money, so I got the loan, Rs.35, 000.00 and I got many loans again and again,

which helped us rebuild our house. The loans were great helps for me. My family was

gradually well off and, I improved my business step by step with using the loans. I got a

loan, Rs.150, 000.00 at last month to rebuild the house and toilet. On the contrary, three

families are living in our house, which is a burden for on my family.

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Womans endeavor of HOLDE Womens Co-operative Ltd in Walawuwaththa

Branch

Contributions for the Newsletter News/Views/ Letters/ and etc. are welcomed. Please email to editors

(info@helpo-srilanka.org) with documents attached (word formatted for windows) or post. If posting, if

possible, please send articles for the Newsletter both on disk and hard copy.

Chief Advisor

Mr. Chathura Welivitiya

Editors

Nadeesha Dilhani

Thamali Anuradha

Kesai Nakashima

Photographs By

Janaka Chandrajith

Arosh Prabuddh

Sampath Athukorala

HELP-O Newsletter

To subscribe to HELP O Newsletter or to send comments regarding the publication, contact

HELP-O,

No.364/18A, Samagi Mw, Dangedara, Galle,

Sri Lanka. T.P/Fax-

(++94)91 4380121/ (++94)91 2226818

E-mail- helpogn@wow.lk / helpoecogreen@sltnet.lk

Web -

www.helposrilanka.org / www.helpoecogreen.com

We are welcome to your suggestions and Valuable ideas

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Thank you to all who contributed to this Newsletter

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Information Delivery Smarter and Easier for the End User