Sri Lanka will soon impose a new tax on all imported plastic products to protect the environment and wildlife, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said on Monday.

The decision was taken after plastic was recently found in the elephant and deer carcasses and also the effect plastic has on the environment, reports Xinhua news agency.

The tax will also be included on imported polythene products, the Minister said.

"We are planning to impose a heavy tax on these products to discourage imports," Amaraweera said.

"The government will also halt manufacturing plastic and polythene in the country, but that will not be immediate," he added.

Local media reported that according to a report from the Auditor General's Department, almost 70 per cent of plastic imported to Sri Lanka is disposed directly to the environment.
(IANS)