A new recycling centre at Somerset Estate in Radella is bringing renewable energy, plastic recovery and local livelihoods together under one waste management model.
The Somerset Eco Material Collection and Processing Centre (MCPC) operates entirely on hydropower, making it the first facility of its kind in the plantation sector in Sri Lanka, according to the initiative’s organisers.
The centre forms part of the Strengthening Women and Youth Engagement in Informal Waste Management in Sri Lanka (SWYFT) Project.
The Coca-Cola Foundation funds the project, while Janathakshan implements it. Neptune Recyclers serves as the recycling partner and Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC as the plantation-sector partner.
Hydropower supports collection and recycling
The centre gets its electricity from a small hydropower plant near the Nanu Oya River.
The renewable power runs the centre’s operations. It also charges electric three-wheelers and bicycles used to collect recyclable waste from nearby communities.
As a result, the same energy source supports both waste collection and processing.
The centre receives plastic waste from Nuwara Eliya, Nanu Oya, Agrapatana, Talawakelle, Ramboda and Hatton.
It can process around three metric tonnes of plastic bottles each month. The facility also supports the livelihoods of more than 10 informal waste collectors.
The organisers said the waste recovery work can help keep plastic away from waterways and the upper watershed in the Nuwara Eliya highlands.
Women and youth at the centre of the model
The Somerset facility is operated by women and builds on the wider SWYFT initiative.
Under the project, five women- and youth-led Material Collection and Processing Centres have been established across Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale and Kurunegala.
The initiative also provides training, equipment and lower-emission waste collection systems.
Mario Perera, Country Head, Sri Lanka and Maldives, The Coca-Cola Company, said the Somerset Eco MCPC brings communities and waste collectors together around sustainability.
Dr. Roshan Rajadurai, Managing Director of Talawakelle Tea Estates PLC, said the initiative connects renewable energy, waste management and community empowerment while protecting the upper watershed.
For Janathakshan, the centre adds to its work on community-led waste management and livelihoods.
Dr. Janaka Hemathilaka, CEO/Executive Director of Janathakshan, leads the organisation’s work on resilient and inclusive development.
The Somerset Eco MCPC extends the SWYFT model beyond waste collection by using renewable energy to power resource recovery while creating income opportunities for local communities.
More:
Colombo Port Climbs To 20th Globally As Container Volumes Rise 11.9%
Corporate Social Responsibility
Last modified: August 29, 2026
