Refused tea generated from black tea manufacturing process mainly at winnowing, color separation and fiber mat process steps. This is largely fiber component from mature tea leaves. During tea plucking if mature leaves picked that will add more fibre. Though it is from mature leaves it has contributed in good tea made
How the Waste is managed in Sri Lanka (Current Situation)
Refused teas are controlled by the SLTB which required recordings and accounting. Percenetage of refused tea is permitted to sell for approved buyers to use for reprocessing.
Balance is used for the land filling as manure
What we can do ?
REDUCE :
Should not pick mature leaves. It is a production waste as tea industry is a energy intensive industry. Cost per made tea is going up due to this.
Plantation level awarenss controls are required. To address this some extent of activites are implemented. But when
REUSE :
Waste can be used as fuel in the cooking and industry
Need to minimize the carbon emission to the atmosphere
