Villagers in a Sri Lankan town are calling for improvements to a rubbish dump after at least six wild elephants died from eating toxic plastic waste. <br /><br />Residents of Deegawapi in the Amparai region are also concerned the giant creatures are encroaching on their farmland and making families feel unsafe.<br /><br />Drone footage shows a heard of elephants eating the man-made mixture at the dump, which lacks fencing or walls. <br /><br />Video from the ground also shows elephants picking up food from the vast tip.<br /><br />It is believed six elephants have so far died from ingesting polyethylene – the main compound in disposable plastics – while searching for food scraps, according to Veterinary surgeon Dr. Nihal Pushpakumara from the Department of Wildlife Conservation in Amparai.<br /><br />The waste is brought from the nearby areas of Akkaraipattu, Sammanthurai and Kalmunai and is simply covered with soil once dumped. <br /><br />Residents of the surrounding areas have also said they feel unable to leave their homes in the late afternoon once the elephants arrive at the dump.<br /><br />The Pradeshiya Sabha municipality has now vowed to build a fence to keep the elephants away from the landfill after complaints from villagers.<br /><br />The footage was filmed on April 24.
