Programme Schedule

Full Day 01 & Day 02 schedules for ICPIES 2026 are now available.

Day 01 · Inauguration Ceremony

30th September 2026

King's Court – Cinnamon Lakeside, Colombo

  1. Registration & Morning Refreshments

    08:15 AM – 09:00 AM

  2. Procession for Inauguration of the Ceremony

    09:00 AM – 09:05 AM

  3. Lighting of Oil Lamp

    09:05 AM – 09:10 AM

  4. National Anthem

    09:10 AM – 09:20 AM

  5. Opening Remarks

    09:20 AM – 09:30 AM

    Prof. Bandunee Athapattu
    Joint Conference Chair · Professor in Environmental Engineering, The Open University of Sri Lanka

  6. Welcome Address

    09:30 AM – 09:40 AM

    Prof. Jagath Manatunge
    Joint Conference Chair · Dean – Faculty of Engineering, University of Moratuwa

  7. Recap of ICPIES Conference

    09:40 AM – 09:45 AM

  8. Address by Guest of Honour

    09:45 AM – 09:55 AM

    Snr. Prof. P.M.C. Thilakarathne
    Vice Chancellor, The Open University of Sri Lanka

  9. Video of Platinum Sponsor

    09:55 AM – 10:05 AM

  10. Launch of the Proceedings of ICPIES 2026

    10:05 AM – 10:15 AM

  11. Address by Chief Guest

    10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

    Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya
    Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

  12. Keynote Address 1

    10:30 AM – 11:00 AM

    Prof. Alex Lin
    Director, Global Entrepreneurship Network – Singapore · Director, Jirafe World (Family Office)

  13. Cultural Event

    11:00 AM – 11:15 AM

  14. Address by Ministry of Environment

    11:15 AM – 11:30 AM

    Hon. (Dr.) Dammika Patabendi
    Minister of Environment, Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

  15. Awards for Best Papers

    11:30 AM – 11:45 AM

  16. Address by Central Environmental Authority

    11:45 AM – 12:00 PM

    Mr. Kapila Rajapaksha
    Director General, Central Environmental Authority

  17. Closing Remarks of Inaugural Ceremony

    12:00 PM – 12:15 PM

    Prof. Uthpala Jayawardena
    Programme Chair

  18. Lunch

    12:15 PM – 01:30 PM

  19. Keynote Address 2

    01:30 PM – 02:00 PM

    Mr. Shigeo Honzu
    Chief Representative & Country Head – Sri Lanka, Japan International Cooperation Agency

  20. Panel Discussion

    02:00 PM – 03:30 PM

  21. Evening Refreshments

    03:30 PM – 03:45 PM

  22. Best Practices Presentations

    03:45 PM – 05:00 PM

  23. Closing Remarks

    05:00 PM – 05:10 PM
Day 02 · Technical Sessions

01st October 2026

The Open University of Sri Lanka, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Physical attendance of local participants is mandatory

Morning Programme

Registration

08:00 – 08:30 AM

Inauguration

Auditorium, Faculty of Health Sciences

08:30 – 09:00 AM

Plenary Talk 1

Eng. Buddhika Prabhaswin Batheegama · Mr. Janaka Wijesekera

09:00 – 09:25 AM

Plenary Talk 2 (Online)

Prof. Sunil Herat

09:25 – 09:50 AM

Morning Refreshments & Mobilizing to Technical Sessions

Faculty of Engineering Technology, Building No. 10

09:50 – 10:15 AM

Parallel Technical Sessions

10:15 AM – 12:30 PM · Faculty of Engineering Technology (Building No. 10). Tap a session to view its paper timetable.

Parallel Session 1

Plastic Pollution and Health Impacts: Microplastics in Terrestrial & Marine Ecosystems

A – Seminar Room 1, Faculty of Natural Science

Chair: Prof. A.G.B. Aruggoda

Co-Chairs: Dr. W.A.L. Niwanthi, Dr. Nandika Miguntanna

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10:30–10:45 AM ID 64 Household Plastic Waste and the Degradation of the Negombo Lagoon Seabed: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study
10:45–11:00 AM ID 9 Macro and Micro-Litter Pollution at Crow Island Beach: Abundance and Composition
11:00–11:15 AM ID 10 Design and Evaluation of a Biochar-Integrated Supramolecular Fibrous Framework for Efficient Microplastics Removal from Aqueous Environments
11:15–11:30 AM ID 11 Persulfate Activation for Bisphenol A Degradation Using Nitrogen-Doped Biochar Produced from Municipal Solid Waste Compost Residue Biomass
11:30–11:45 AM ID 18 Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Kelani & Gin River Drinking Water Intake Points in Sri Lanka
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 25 The Plastic Poverty Premium: A Market Price Analysis of Small-Format Packaging in Sri Lanka
12:00–12:15 PM ID 28 Microplastic Pollution in Sri Lankan Mangrove-Associated Ecosystems: Occurrence, Ecological Implications, and Research Gaps (2015–2025)
12:15–12:30 PM ID 37 Optimizing Conventional Treatment with Biochar and Sand Filtration for Microplastic Removal
Parallel Session 2

Circular Economy Approaches, Challenges, and Opportunities

B – Seminar Room 2, Faculty of Natural Science

Chair: Prof. Chathura Herath

Co-Chairs: Dr. Dilini Wijerathne, Dr. Thushara Priyadarshana

Join Zoom Meeting  ·  Meeting ID: 991 4978 6853  ·  Passcode: 7@iH.6@Z

10:30–10:45 AM ID 5 Plastic Subtype Recognition System Using a Tiny ML Based Lightweight CNN on ESP32 CAM Smart Bin
10:45–11:00 AM ID 13 Circular Economy Potential of Construction and Agricultural Waste Streams in Sri Lanka: A PRISMA-Based Systematic Review
11:00–11:15 AM ID 43 Preventing Defect-Driven Garment Waste at Source: Elastane Feeding Angle in Knitted Tights Manufacturing
11:15–11:30 AM ID 47 Extraction and Characterization of Sri Lankan Habarala (Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don) Fibre for Potential Composite Applications
11:30–11:45 AM ID 48 Development of Nutmeg Shell (Myristica fragrans) Powder-Reinforced Starch Bioplastic Films
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 49 Valorization of Eichhornia crassipes for Biodegradable Food Packaging
12:00–12:15 PM ID 58 Azolla pinnata and Lemna minor for Monitoring Aquatic Pollution
Parallel Session 3

Technological Innovations for Environment Sustainability

C – Seminar Room, Department of Agricultural & Plantation Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Technology

Chair: Prof. T.M. Pallewatta

Co-Chairs: Dr. K.A.C. Udayakumar, Dr. Rukshima Dabare

Join Zoom Meeting  ·  Meeting ID: 942 1699 8041  ·  Passcode: KdZws7+q

10:30–10:45 AM ID 3 Echo-Window Sensitivity of Spectral Features in Ultrasonic Backscatter Characterization of PE and PMMA Microplastics
10:45–11:00 AM ID 8 Development and Thermal Performance Evaluation of PCM-Enhanced Cooling Pavement for Urban Heat Island Mitigation
11:00–11:15 AM ID 12 Sustainable Natural Feed Optimization and Low-Cost Automated Feeding Systems for Small-Scale Dairy Farms in Sri Lanka
11:15–11:30 AM ID 17 A Low-Cost IoT-Enabled Buoy System for Real-Time Detection and Ultrasonication-Based Mitigation of Harmful Algal Blooms in Sri Lankan Freshwater Bodies
11:30–11:45 AM ID 23 Materializing Sustainability 3D Printing for Innovative Ready-to-Wear Garment Design
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 34 Designing a Statable Safari Wear Collection for Young Female Tourists in Sri Lanka
12:00–12:15 PM ID 35 Develop an optimum mix design of fabric waste reinforced concrete for enhance thermal comfort

Afternoon Continuation · 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM

Chair: Prof. A.R. Dolage

Co-Chairs: Dr. Eric Perera, Dr. R.L.K. Lokuliyana

01:00–01:15 PM ID 40 Integrating Technology and Sustainable Practices: Developing an Eco-Friendly Framework for Sri Lanka's Traditional Brass Craft Industry
01:15–01:30 PM ID 41 Mordant Selection in Natural Dyeing of Cotton with Cinnamomum verum Bark Extract: Colour Strength against Rubbing Fastness
01:30–01:45 PM ID 44 Timeless Versatility: A Sustainable Reversible Necklace Crafted from Scrap Wood and Embellished Materials for Dual Fashion Needs Inspired by the Peacock
01:45–02:00 PM ID 56 Timeless Heritage – Fusing Sri Lankan Traditional Culture with Modern Streetwear: Contemporary Streetwear Collection for Spring & Summer 2026/27, Inspired By 'SESATH'
Parallel Session 4

Climate Change, Computational Modelling and Ecosystem-based Resilience to Natural Hazards

D – Faculty Board Room, Faculty of Engineering Technology

Chair: Prof. Kumari Fernando

Co-Chairs: Dr. Nadira Gunathilaka, Dr. Uthpala Premaratne

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10:30–10:45 AM ID 19 A Review of Dam Break Risk Assessment and Hydraulic Modelling for Climate-Resilient Reservoir Management: A Review with Application to Basnagoda Reservoir, Sri Lanka
10:45–11:00 AM ID 20 Machine Learning Framework for Urban Domestic Water Demand Forecasting
11:00–11:15 AM ID 38 Estimating Flow Inefficiencies in The Kaddumurivu Irrigation System Through Integrated Hydrodynamic Modeling and Real-Time On-Site Measurements
11:15–11:30 AM ID 42 Atmospheric Low-Level Disturbances, Rainfall, and Downstream Flood Risk in the Gal Oya River Basin, Sri Lanka: A Review
11:30–11:45 AM ID 52 Data Science for Soil and Paddy Productivity Monitoring in Sri Lanka: A Multi-Source Public Dataset Analysis
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 53 Design And Development of An IoT-Based Smart Soil NPK Monitoring System for Real-Time Nutrient Assessment in Precision Agriculture
12:00–12:15 PM ID 61 Numerical Simulation of Plastic Pollution Dispersion and Accumulation in Urban Water Bodies: A Case Study of Beira Lake, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Parallel Session 5

AI and Smart Technologies for Monitoring and Restoring Planetary Health

E – Faculty Board Room, Faculty of Natural Science

Chair: Prof. Uditha Ratnayake

Co-Chairs: Dr. I.S.K. Wijewardena, Prof. Aruna Shantha

Join Zoom Meeting  ·  Meeting ID: 991 7500 6703  ·  Passcode: 0wJaNF*S

10:30–10:45 AM ID 33 A Review of Flood Hazard Assessment and Risk Zone Identification Using Conventional Physical Models and Machine Learning Algorithms: A Study of the Kalu River Basin
10:45–11:00 AM ID 36 Sri Lankan Tamil Sign Language Recognition Using Machine Learning and Computer Vision: A Systematic Literature Review
11:00–11:15 AM ID 39 MyAiPlate: A Mobile Application for Personalized Nutrition Using YOLOv8 Food Recognition and a Hybrid LSTM-DQN Model for Real-Time Meal Plan Adaptation
11:15–11:30 AM ID 45 Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Satellite Telemetry into Coastal Conservation and Marine Pollution Legislation: A Legislative Amendment Model for Sri Lanka
11:30–11:45 AM ID 50 Graph-Theoretic Diffusion Modelling of Soil Organic Carbon Propagation in Paddy Field Networks
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 54 Graph-Based Analysis of Flood-Driven Plastic-Leakage Pathways for Ecosystem Resilience: A Case Study of Tangalle, Sri Lanka

Afternoon Continuation · 01:00 PM – 02:00 PM

Chair: Prof. Uthpala Jayawardena

Co-Chairs: Dr. Jeeva Ekanayake, Dr. Achintha Madushanka

01:00–01:15 PM ID 57 A GAN Based Inpainting Framework for Smoke Removal in Critical Safety Imagery
01:15–01:30 PM ID 60 Analyzing The Relationship Between Cloud-Native Architectural Patterns and Software Quality in AI-Assisted Development
01:30–01:45 PM ID 62 An AI-Driven Framework for Personalized Nutrition Planning Based on Oral Mucositis Severity in Head and Neck Cancer Patients
01:45–02:00 PM ID 63 Bridging Monitoring and Mindset: A Retrieval-Augmented LLM Chatbot Framework for Real-Time Environmental Education
Parallel Session 6

1. Policy, Governance, and Regulatory Frameworks for Waste Management  ·  2. Community Engagement, Mass Communication, and Educational Initiatives for Social Wellbeing and a Plastic-Free Society

F – Seminar Room, Department of Mathematics & Philosophy of Engineering

Chair: Prof. G.T. Madhubhashini Hewage

Co-Chairs: Dr. Nandika Miguntanna, Dr. M.K.G. Jeewanthi

Join Zoom Meeting  ·  Meeting ID: 966 8365 7735  ·  Passcode: d+6FzTk6

10:30–10:45 AM ID 2 Reforming Plastic Waste Governance in Sri Lanka: A Critical Legal Analysis through Comparative Environmental Law and the Right to Life
10:45–11:00 AM ID 14 Mapping the Dark-Store Economy: A Ground-Level Census of Quick-Commerce Infrastructure in India
11:00–11:15 AM ID 24 Harmonizing Domestic Law with Global Commitments: Preparing a National Legal Framework for the Legally Binding UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution
11:15–11:30 AM ID 32 Sri Lanka's Energy Transition: Progress, Emerging Risks, and Pathways to Sustainability
11:30–11:45 AM ID 7 From Likes to Lifestyle: Exploring the Gap Between Online Environmental Advocacy and Offline Sustainable Practices
11:45 AM–12:00 PM ID 59 Closing the Implementation Gap: A Roadmap for Extended Producer Responsibility for Plastics in Sri Lanka through Lessons from the European Union
12:00–12:15 PM ID 65 Nexus between Indigenous Knowledge and Environmental Sustainability: A Systematic Literature Review

Special Session · Undergraduate Project Showcase

01:00 PM – 02:00 PM · Seminar Room 1, Faculty of Natural Science

Join Zoom Meeting  ·  Meeting ID: 985 7407 0306  ·  Passcode: cLqK$&t0

01:00–01:10 PM Biodegradable Sugarcane Bagasse Packaging, Plates etc. — W.S.T. Jayarathna
01:10–01:20 PM Bioplastic Production from Guinea Grass — B.D.A. Navodha
01:20–01:30 PM Grab & Go — Wishmi Rweesha
01:30–01:40 PM Biodegradable Replantable Spice Package — U.H. Jananie Thilakshi
01:40–01:50 PM Compartmentalized Anti-stick Biodegradable Sausage Packaging — Anjalla Ponnambalam
01:50–02:00 PM Folded Oil Pocket Base — K.A.V.S. Kodikara

Closing Programme

Lunch

Faculty of Health Sciences

12:30 – 01:00 PM

Evening Refreshments

Faculty of Health Sciences

03:00 – 03:30 PM

Certificate Awarding & Closing Ceremony

Auditorium, Faculty of Health Sciences

03:30 – 04:00 PM

Conference at a Glance

2

Days

30 Sept – 01 Oct 2026

07

Research Tracks

Specialised thematic sessions

Hybrid Mode

Format

Physical & virtual attendance