Problem overview:

     Meeting information requirements: Modalities for Sectoral Environmental Assessment for Integrating Environmental considerations into Economic Policy Making in the Tea Sector

Background:

     What is Sectoral Environmental Assessment: Sectoral Environmental Assessment (SEA) examines the potential economic, social and environmental implications of several projects or programmes in the same sector and environmentally ranks them before pre-feasibility assessment in order to decide on the best alternative choice.

     SEA of the tea sector in Sri Lanka: In Sri Lanka SEA in regard to the tea sector has not been carried out strictly in the above sense. However, cultivation and processing activities of tea have been assessed separately from an environmental point of view, which may be construed as a form of Sector Environment Assessment (SEA) of the tea sector. The salient features of the above assessment are as follows:

• With regard to the replanting of tea: the broader issue of soil conservation and particularly soil degradation as a result of erosion has been addressed and replanting of tea in high elevations with steep slopes exceeding 45 degrees is not permitted.
  
  
• With regard to processing: low polluting processing activities are required to obtain an Environment Protection License (EPL) through which measures for the control of adverse impacts are introduced. Also prescribed projects (that is those projects which exceed certain minimum size and other configurations) are required to undergo an environmental impact assessment (EIA) prior to approval. This process enables the introduction of mitigatory measures to counter adverse impacts on the environment.
  
  
• With regard to the use of chemical substances: Use of fertilizers, fumigants, insecticides, pesticides and related chemicals which are toxic to soil, or which may have other adverse environmental impacts, is regulated.
  
  
• With regard to environmental standards: Measures to comply with environment related international conventions and agreements where Sri Lanka is a signatory have been introduced. Under this category alternatives to the use of methyl bromide which is used as a soil fumigant in the tea sector is being examined as it is known to be an ozone-depleting chemical.
  
  
• With regard to international standards: The Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) with the assistance of Sri Lanka Tea Research Board (SLTRB) carries out checks on tea shipments to ensure that products conform to international standards, although Sri Lanka Tea is reputed to be one of the cleanest in the world.