REPORT

The SPOGOMI Sri Lanka Qualifier was successfully held on 2nd August 2025 in the scenic coastal city of Mount Lavinia. A total of 25 teams, selected from regional qualifiers held across all provinces since April, competed in this national final. Despite slightly overcast skies, the weather was ideal for this unique competition where teams collect and sort litter to earn points. Over 150 participants and spectators attended the event, including special invitees and guests. The Chief Guest was His Excellency Akio Isomata, Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka, joined by his wife. The competition saw an impressive 553.6 kg of waste collected by all teams combined. Team ECO Active emerged as the national winner, earning over 8,000 points and securing their place to represent Sri Lanka at the SPOGOMI World Cup. The event was fully organized by dedicated volunteers of the Zero Plastic Movement, with the valuable support of JICA volunteers from Japan.

COMMENT

We are Team Plastic Hunters from the Central Province, Kandy District, Sri Lanka, representing the University of Peradeniya, Faculty of Arts. Our team members — A.L. Nisan Madhusanka, J. Dilukshan, and B. Vithursigan — are passionate undergraduates dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability. We proudly won the SPOGOMI Sri Lanka National Qualifiers, organized by Zero Plastic Movement, earning the honour to represent Sri Lanka at the SPOGOMI World Cup 2025, hosted by the Nippon Foundation in Japan. Our mission is to create a cleaner, greener world by taking action against plastic pollution and inspiring communities to join the global effort for a sustainable planet.