The Central Environmental Authority (CEA) says that steps had been taken to permanently close down 41 factories which were found to be operating without renewing their Environmental Protection Licenses within the year 2025.
Director General of the CEA, Kapila Rajapaksha, disclosed this while explaining the recent deadly fire at a factory located in the Katuwana Industrial Zone in Homagama, which claimed the lives of five workers.
He revealed that the factory involved in the incident had failed to renew its Environmental Protection License (EPL) after 2024.
“We had informed the management of the factory in writing and verbally on several occasions to formally complete the relevant environmental criteria and obtain the environmental protection report. However, they did not pay due attention to it,” Rajapaksha said.
Providing further details, the Director General said that the CEA had also taken steps to temporarily close down 19 more factories that violated environmental laws and regulations in 2025.
He added that legal notices have been issued to five such factories.
Rajapaksha further explained that no immediate action is taken against institutions that violate the conditions of their Environmental Protection Licenses, as due legal process is followed.
According to him, factories are first given an opportunity to rectify any identified non-compliance and deficiencies and that if they fail to comply with the directives, official legal notices are issued following field inspections.
He added that if factories continue to operate without valid licenses despite these measures, the CEA is empowered to file cases before the relevant courts and take steps to close down the respective institutions.
