We have to realize that the ways lands are polluted varies from urban to rural area, thus tackling this problem would require dynamic approaches, roughly speaking. Bangladesh could resort to solutions like this as well. Plastics have revolutionized the production process and added new value, allowing industrial firms to produce millions of tons of goods. The National Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management (NAP), which is aligned with the country's 8th Five-Year Plan, was based on needs collectively identified by the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change, Department of Environment, the private . He said, "Plastic pollution is an immense environmental problem that requires an immediate solution. Most of the industries are located in Dhaka (65 percent) and the remaining are in Chattogram (20 percent), Narayanganj (10 percent) Khulna, Comilla, Bogura and Rajshahi (BPGMEA). Recycling alone will not solve this massive problem, Enck said, but we should still do it . We must take a strong stance like them in fighting plastic waste if we hope to survive and make the mother earth greener and pollution-free again. Bangladesh is facing a serious waste management issue. Recyclable plastics should be dumped separately. These cannot be done single-handedly. Our main importers are the United States, Canada, India, China, and 68 other countries. Description: Waste volumes in Dhaka are rapidly growing. Our review finds plastic pollution studies in Bangladesh are very limited and skewed to overall observation/snapshot. If the people are made aware of the adverse effects plastic waste has on land and overall environment, and are given viable alternatives to one-time plastic products, we might just have a shot at saving the land from plastic wastes. Waste Concern, an award-winning Bangladeshi social business concern that promotes waste recycling, at a study released in February 2019 found that a total of 821,250 tonnes of plastic waste were generated in urban hubs of Bangladesh a year while some 207,685 tonnes were dumped in marine environment annually. Bangladesh banned the use of polythene bags back in 2002 but, despite strict laws, the government has not been able to implement them. Mineral water bottles are the most overused plastic products which are suggested for one- time use only. In Bangladesh, particularly in the large cities including Dhaka, poor women and children collect used plastic materials and sell those items to small business enterprises, who clean those plastics wastes and package those to sell to the small industries for recycling. These environmental disasters are threatening the lives and futures of more than 19 million children in Bangladesh. Landfills are most often found filled with single-use plastics, such as thin shopping bags. Hangers, packets, buttons, elastic, and other items manufactured of plastic have made a significant contribution to the readymade clothing sector. The annual population and urbanization growth rates are respectively 1.1 % and 3.0 % (Begum, 2021). After 19 years, still we cannot fix this single use plastic problem. "Going forward, sustainable plastic management -- from designing a product to minimising plastic use, to recycling -- will be critical to ensure green growth for the country. People ignoring this fact reuse the same plastic bottle over months. Dr Atiq Rahman is Executive Director, BCAS, Dhaka. The above discussions are just examples to show that we are in a plastic dominated world. Most used varieties of plastic can be divided into seven types. While Bangladesh has taken steps in curbing plastic pollution over the years, the outcomes were varied. The scattered plastics sometimes breaking into small plastics called micro-plastics make it almost impossible to extricate it from nature. 300 recycling factories throughout the country, recycle plastic waste and create PET flaks. Waste plastic materials from land mostly end up in the rivers and eventually in the Bay of Bengal contaminating water to an extreme level. Examples of how some countries are managing waste. In 2020, the country's annual per capita plastic consumption in urban areas stood at 9 kg, up from 3 kg in 2005, according to the report. Oil and gas drilling releases huge amounts of air pollutants which heavily contribute to air pollution. However, only nine percent of this nine billion tons of plastic has been recycled (UNEP, 2018). The recent fires underscored the need for safe and sustainable housing solutions in Cox's Bazar. Out of this plastic waste, approximately 10 percent is single used plastic which cannot be recycled. The government has halved the import levy on raw materials from 25% to 5% in fiscal year 2015 to 2016. A study released in February 2019 shows that a total of 821,250 tons of plastic waste were generated in urban hubs of Bangladesh a year while some 207,685 tons were dumped in a marine environment annually. According to the study, per capita annual consumption of plastic products in Dhaka was 5.56kg in 2005, which increased to 17.24kg in 2017. We never doubt that plastic market is a growing sector in Bangladesh. Circulating through different water bodies and lands throughout the entire world it exposes a greater threat to living organisms. 5. The hardware components of this phenomenon are backed by many new modes of development and growth in materials science, research and innovation. We are thinking of using economic tools to control the use of plastic by imposing high tax on plastic and incentive for eco-friendly alternative products, said Rafique. Plastic and plastic goods sector in Bangladesh began its journey in 1960s and has become an emerging sector. He pointed out that consumer goods producers recklessly use plastic in packaging, increasingly in mini packs and tubes, when they had alternatives. Officials of both city corporations in Dhaka have disclosed that they usually dump 5,000 tonnes of city wastes in two separate landfills at Amin Bazar and Matuail everyday. The leading brands in plastic sector in Bangladesh are KDS, DAF, RFL, Bengal, Partex, Talukdar, Unique and Anwar. Plastic, considered the best invention of all time, has proven to be a curse in recent times due to over production and consumption. Plastic is a substance that we contact frequently in our daily lives. Bangladesh is mostly producing low end products and technology adoption is also not very high. Mismanaged plastic wastes keep polluting the environment, enter humans through food chains, clog drains and rivers, causing flooding. Under Bangladesh Environmental Conservation Act (BECA), section 6(A) has a section entailing ban on polythene bags, which only curtail polythene bags less than 55 micron in thickness and the rest are free to be produced, consumed and disposed. Photo: Reuters. So the time of change is NOW. Menacing every kind of living beings and violating every pattern that nature should follow, we are letting plastic take over the environment. Air Pollution Prevention:Incineration of plastic waste in open fields and in general is a major source of air pollution. A significant portion of it roughly 8 million tonnes fall into the seas via 10 river basins including the Brahmaputra. 50000 or one year of imprisonment. "The government wants to implement the 3R strategy through social inclusion. These challenges, coupled with awareness of the negative local and global impact of plastic pollution, inspired Giving Hope For Them (GHFT) staff in Bangladesh to look for solutions that also address the pressing problem of plastic pollution. Bangladesh daily generates 1700 tons of plastic waste and half of which is being recycled. Solid waste disposal is a big challenge for our country, since we have a large population confined within a smaller land area. Although they have developed vast industry of harvesting and reusing clean plastic products, the contaminated, non-recyclable portion of plastic waste still remain in question. Epidemiologists blamed plastic for spreading dengue because of plastic waste not managed properly. As Bangladesh's economy grows and the country becomes rapidly urbanized, plasticpollution has become an escalating problem, especially from single-use plastic (SUP)packaging material. Therefore plastics consumption has been increasing. The second issue is, the plastics those are not recycled. No matter how much one time plastic products are discourage, there would still be some plastic waste that needs to be taken care of. "The unmanaged plastic waste can seriously pollute the environment and have far-reaching consequences on human health," Abu Hasnat Md Maqsood Sinha, a consultant for the report and executive director of Waste Concern, told The Daily Star. We can take a page out of their book and implement legislations in our country that would make plastic-bag use less desirable. info@auritryfoundation.org, House - 699, Road - 11 Avenue - 2 , Mirpur DOHS Dhaka - 1216, Polyethylene (PE) has caused huge environmental problems in Bangladesh for the last 3 decades. Bangladesh's plastic consumption in urban areas tripled in the 15 years to 2020, found a World Bank study, in what can be viewed as a setback for the government's efforts to beat plastic pollution. In a country like Bangladesh we are in the early stages of this. Rahman, S. (2021). Plastic materials are preferred by allbecause ofnumerous desirable characteristics, along with chemical and environmental resistance, tunable optical properties, ease of shaping and molding, material and thermal property reliance on degree of cross linking, and temperature dependence of plasticity and flow properties (Flores, 2008). We could be heroes, the choice is ours to make. Micro plastic can also enter human and animal body through breathing. Bangladesh is the 89th largest plastics exporter in the world (Begum, 2021). Further, plastic producers are adding ultraviolet stabilisers in plastic to increase its life expectancy and is just intensifying the problem. Meanwhile, export of other plastic products has shown a significant growth over the years. ESDO Secretary General Shahriar Hossain told Dhaka Tribune that the government was solely responsible for the rampant use of polythene bags. Main reason for inefficient recycling is the unorganized way of dumping. The government should take proactive actions in this regard through positive engagement of actors and stakeholders. Out of Bangladesh's about 21,000 kilometers of roadways, roughly 30% are in poor condition due to cracks and potholes. Why it should concern us? Its key to ensuring greater access to clean water for the world. The best co-benefit of the solar home system for the poor has been a source of charging mobile phone batteries; these have increased access to mobile phones in the country, particularly for the poor families. The society must value the need for quality recycling and must be willing to pay the right commercial price. Plastic is environmentally adverse because most of the plastic polymer takes more than 500-600 years to damage, it is not decomposable into the environment at a rate comparable to other waste. About 36 percent of the total plastic waste generated is recycled, while 39 percent is landfilled, and the rest 25 percent is considered leakage or unattended and finds its way into marine environment (Waste Concern, 2019). 2011 - Worldwide, one million plastic bags are consumed every minute. Emission of such elements is known to cause respiratory ailments and stress the human immune system. A Rohingya refugee living in Bangladesh, he struggles to cope with the effects of extreme weather on his small bamboo shelter. All rights reserved. Finally, parts of these enter the human food chain, where the plastics are compounded by other metals and electronic components. The author acknowledges the valued contributions of Ferdaus Ara Begum and Md Tahmid Zami of BUILD and Khandker Tarin Tahsin and Sabrina Zaman of BCAS to the article. The use of these plastic bags is affecting the environment as well as clogging the drainage system. The overall marine pollution in Bangladesh is significantly larger as we are traversed by the three major river systems of Asia, namely the Ganges, the Brammaputra and the Meghna river system. He, however, viewed that it was not time to ban all types of plastic as it became an unavoidable part of our daily life but he suggested reducing the use of plastic where there were alternatives and managing plastic waste where no alternatives were still available. Bangladesh would need local and global solutions for these with investment, effective innovation and technology transfer. Bangladesh is one of the top 10 countries of the world which contributes to plastic pollution globally. 1. It is, however, a significant challenge. Bangladesh makes more than TK1000 crores yearly from the export of plastic products, as according industry sources, but only has a 0.5 percent share of the global market (Ahmed, 2021). Causes:Plastic is indeed an advantageous consumption matter, but it possesses toxic pollutants which pose a threat to the living organisms, and its durable trait for many years makes it non-biodegradable. This is giving rise to a newer waste management challenge of electronic wastes. Export Potential of Recycled Plastic: A study on Bangladesh. The leachate treatment plant in Matuali is unable to process a large amount of leachate and on the other hand, the landfills in Aminbazar do not even have any leachate plant. Adobe Stock. USAs plastic waste has become a global hot potato since China refused to receive their non-recyclable plastic waste in 2017. (2020, 2 12). 1-5. Bangladesh plastics aim at global market pie. While managing plastic trash it should be brought under a light that most marine debris is consist of plastic. If I work for two days I am forced to stay in bed for three day for sicknesses, she said. All we care is to take action against an immediate consequence as opposed to something that renders long term processed consequences. Among them, few are relatively safer than the other types of plastic. In this, we have to incorporate seasonality and the high variation of water flows in the trans-boundary rivers round the year. The major export destinations of Bangladeshi plastics are China, the UK, EU countries, the USA, Canada, etc. So waste management system in coastal areas needs our attention more than ever. Khabir won the National Environment Award in 2014 for his contribution to saving environment from waste pollution. In 2020, a High Court directed concerned authorities to ban single-use plastic in coastal areas and all hotels and motels across the country. To view or add a comment, sign in Bangladesh needs to consider seriously developing a better understanding of the e-waste magnitude, processes, risks, management potential, recycling and recovery of precious components and management of the plastics in the electronic industry. In turn, these are entering into the human food chain. Like every year the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority is implementing . Since developing plastic industries have such a large impact on our economy, Bangladesh's government is prioritizing this industry, as well as the RMG sector. IEB, 17-20. water, land, air and soundpollution)?The modern world is the one which demands comfort over anything, and at those times of desperate needs plastic product turns out as an asset of convenience. These toxic pollutants also reach groundwater, unnoticed, remaining there for years to come. Starting from thin films, polythene-made disposable bags to bricks for roads and pillars and pipes for constructions, thick and large containers for holding water in households to chemicals in laboratories are made of plastics. Bangladesh is one of the top 10 countries of the world which contributes to plastic pollution globally. The circular economy, by contrast, aims to use resources for as long as possible, extracting as much value from them as is practicable, and then, when they do reach the end of their lives, to recover and regenerate products and materials. Plastic consumption should be reduced. Social awareness programs can be run around initiatives like this in order to motivate people to refrain from using single use plastic products and lean towards alternatives that are suitable for environmental health. Plastic production is projected to treble by 2040, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) (Begum, 2021). Since 2016, the government has been providing a 10% financial incentive to the plastic industry forexporting. As plastic waste flows downstream towards the ocean, this innovative project ensures its removal from the waterways, while creating local employment and better incomes at each stage of the recycling process. The mega-city currently produces about 5,000 tons of waste per day, of which only less than half is formally collected. According to a UNFPA report, Dhaka is one of the most polluted cities in the world. However, after some time, plastic pollution increased again. The first is the one-time use, non-biodegradable plastics such as the shopping bags, film materials which are thrown around and spread worldwide. Urban planners say that plastic dumped here and there contribute to waterlogging in Dhaka and Chattogram as plastic waste blockades drainage systems frequently. In an intensive care unit, the doctors, nurses, supply staff cover their heads, faces, hands with plastic and many of their instruments were mostly plastic. Since we are at the lower end and are the lower riparian of both China and India, the two major polluters of electronic industries, the country is facing trans-boundary river pollution including plastic waste pollution. © 2023 Media New Age Limited or its affiliated companies. Bangladesh exported USD 477 million in 2018-19, out of which direct export was USD 120 million and indirect export was USD 357 million. The latter is produced in huge amount in America, and they often find their way into landfills or the Pacific, while the rest are sent to some Asian countries like Hong Kong, Vietnam, Philippines or Bangladesh. Toxic plastic pollutants contribute highly tothe development of diseases like food poisoning, cancer, asthma, endocrine disruption and others. Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technologys chemical engineering professor Ijaz Hossain has mentioned that polythene is one of the nine derivative forms of plastic. We are surrounded by plastic in all its different forms. As we enter into greater use of computers, tablets, mobile phones, memory sticks etc., the life-span of products is getting shorter which need to be replaced by new products. Overall, access is increasing and costs are decreasing in the digital world. Sewage systems are reportedly inadequate in both urban and rural areas, the three R system undertaken by DNCC is failing miserably, DNCC and DSCCs waste-based power plant never made it out of papers due to shortage of fund, roadside mini bins gradually got stolen soon after the installation Bangladeshs waste management is challenged with tons of similar problems, faults and inadequacies. Traditionally plastic pollution has been tackled after it has happened, through clean-up efforts, but the only solution lies in addressing its root causes. Our lifestyle, our demandsarerapidly changing. Plastic's popularity stems from its versatility, durability, ." Rion Haider on Instagram: "Plastic surrounds from all sides. Is there any part of the planet we can rather be without being surrounded by the plastics? It is evident that the demands of plastic products will rise in the country in the coming years. We have to encourage people to reduce the use of plastics," he said. Lack of facilities . About 36% of the total waste is recycled, while 39% is landfilled, and the rest 25% is considered leakage (Rahman D. A., 2020). However, having no polyolefin industry of its own, the country is solely dependent on imported raw materials. They vary in their strengths, looks, hardness, colours, shape, flexibilities and capabilities of bending. The pollutants like cans, paper, and plastic bags are harmful as these solids float over water and block the rays of the sun disordering the cycle of conversion of carbon dioxide/oxygen, which is a critical mechanism for the food chain of aquatic life. In this regard, this challenge for Bangladesh is immense, considering the gigantic amount of plastic waste produced every day by the huge population restricted in a limited living area. Along with so many benefits of plastic materials there are also negative externalities that may concern people day by day. 2017-2018, Bangladesh exported around US D 1 billion worth of plastic products, which m akes plastic the 12th high est export earning sector in the country . Among these, PVC is the most toxic and most harmful form of plastic. Plastic and plastic goods sector in Bangladesh began its journey in the 1960s and has become an emerging sector that exported USD 477 million in 2018-19. It is a sacred river for Hindus, and believed to have cleansing and spiritual properties. The Jute Packaging Act 2010 for six essential items (paddy, rice, wheat, maize, fertiliser, sugar) promoted an alternative to plastic packaging. Use and waste of plastic have increased simultaneously. This is a particularly important problem . It revealed that plastic wastes increased 17.52 times in 2014, compared to 1992. About 5,000 companies, mostly SMEs, operate in the sector providing employment of 1.2 million people. PABX: +8802-9632245-48. The government at the World Environment Day in 2018 made a commitment to beating plastic pollution but is yet to take any pragmatic action in this regard. DoE director general AKM Rafique Ahammed told New Age that the government banned polythene in 2002 but could not stop its use as the common people were yet to realise the danger from the material. The 'Towards a Multisectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh' report provides a blueprint for managing plastic pollution over the short term (2022-2023), medium-term . The world is at the peril of its destruction and little do we realize that our actions are what taking us close to this uncontrollable situation every passing day. Plastic waste management: Proper dumping of any kind of waste is the foremost part to build an eco-friendly environment. When burned, plastic releases dangerous chemicals such as hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, dioxins, furans and heavy metals as well as particulates. Chinas initial approach towards plastic waste management had been incineration and energy production, but that is severely harmful towards the ecosystem. Plastic recycling factories do not use recycled plastic flakes, they directly export them but it is a great potential for them to start a new industry with PET flakes and scraps as it is on demand worldwide (Shams, 2020). 2002 - Bangladesh is the first country in the world to implement a ban on thin plastic bags, after it was found they played a key role in clogging drainage systems during disastrous flooding. Further the High Court has ordered the executive body to ensure proper ban on single use plastic products particularly those which are regular in use. I fall sick frequently. JU professor and immediate past director of Wazed Miah Science Research Centre Khabir Uddin said that plastic use was increasing as it was cheap, convenient and easy to produce. There is a huge demand for plastic packaging and containers all over the world. The country saved USD 600 million import of virgin plastic in the year 2010 by recycling 60 percent of the post use plastics (Bangladesh Waste Database, 2014). For example:one time water bottles can be replaced by installing drinking water points in grocery shops and subscribers would have to carry a reusable water bottle in order to avail the service. This would need technological and local innovation, positive engagement of actors and investment in the sector. Many countries in the world are reproducing plastic granules, fuel, refused derived fuel and road-construction material from plastic waste, he said. Talking about plastic product alternatives, our government can increase their interest towards biodegradable one time products, like the jute polythene bags titles Sonali Bag. Bangladesh progressively took steps in curbing plastic pollution, with varied outcomes: in 2002, Bangladesh was the world's first country to ban plastic shopping bags. | Updated: 00:52, Sep 01,2019, A woman and her son clean discarded plastic bottles for recycling at Islambagh of Lalbagh in Dhaka for a meager sum, Tk 100 each a day. Plastic industry represents a significant sub sector of the Bangladesh economy contributing to income generation and employment. The use of plastic is only going to increase with the increasing computer and digital revolution rapidly entering the fourth and fifth digital technology revolution. Since 2015 the DoE has conducted 1,949 mobile courts, filed 4,462 cases, realised Tk 4.83 crore fines and jailed six people for different durations on charges of offences related to production, marketing, sale and use of polythene. You can update your choices at any time in your settings. My watch and the belt of the watch were two types of plastics. During this pandemic, the use of single-use plastic products like as masks, medical equipment, and personal protection equipment (MPPE) has expanded significantly, resulting in rapid plastic growth. 1-5. Currently, plastic consumption consists of imported polymers and local recycled plastic waste of about 750,000 tons. A survey in 2015, found that Bangladesh is ranked 10th of mismanaged plastic waste in the world. Apart from having a separate section of plastic, concerns about plastic pollution does not get reflected in other environmental laws. The actual quantity of plastic waste cannot be accurately ascertained as the information on trans-boundary pollution of single used plastics flowing from India to Bangladesh is not available. Waste Concern, an award-winning Bangladeshi social business concern that promotes waste recycling, at a study released in February 2019 found that a total of 821,250 tonnes of plastic waste were generated in urban hubs of Bangladesh a year while some 207,685 tonnes were dumped in marine environment annually. DHAKA, May 5, 2021 The World Bank today awarded the four winning teams of the competition titled Plastic Circularity Innovation Challenge. If Bangladesh can grab 1% of the world market, we can export goods worth more than TK6,000 crore every year, he added (Ahmed, 2021). The domestic market size of this sector is BDT 300 billion. According to the World Economic Forum, we dump the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic into the ocean each minute, it further indicates to the dilemma that by 2050, undoubtedly, there will be more plastic than fish in oceans by weight. Plastic pollution is generally termed as when plastics after being huddled on for a long time in a place begins to have a catastrophic effect on the environment and risks the lives of humans and animals. In 2020, the per capita plastic consumption in Dhaka stood at 24 kg, up from 9.2 kg in 2005. DHAKA, December 20, 2021 Sustainable management of plastic will be crucial for Bangladesh to tackle the increasing plastic pollution and ensure green growth, says a new World Bank Report.. Also read- Dhaka sees 646 tons of plastic waste per day. Waste Concern co-founder and executive director Abu Hasnat Md Maqsood Sinha emphasised on expended producer responsibility by a reverse supply chain to reduce such hazardous waste. Since plastics cannot be exterminated wholly, it excessively hampers the natural life causing pollution in every sector of environments like soil, air, and water bodies. The key problem facing the plastic industry underSMEs,is to make themglobal-minded by upgrading their creative technology, product diversity, and operation expenses (Islam, 2011). Dhaka: Business Inspection. Saying "no" to plastic cutlery is one way to limit your use of single-use plastic. For example, one can carry jute made bag, or bag made ofcloth while grocery shopping. 60-year-old Fulmeher is one of them who has been collecting recyclable plastic from the Matuail landfill for the last 30 years. Incineration is not a feasible solution for plastic pollution and it is harmful. code 3923) and Plastic Waste (H.S. Plastic are complex sets of substances. Countries like Chile put a ban on retail use of plastic bags across the country. If plastic pollutants are decomposed properly in the waste bin, it will solve most of the problem. A key hazard of untreated plastic waste is that plastic packages disintegrate into microplastic. Lack of facilities, infrastructure development and inadequate budget are the main constraints of waste management of Bangladesh (Islam, 2011). At the end of life, the huge ever-growing pile of plastic waste (PW) causes serious concerns for our environment, including agricultural farmlands, groundwater quality, marine and land ecosystems, food toxicity and human health hazards. Further, digital revolution has created huge opportunity for Bangladesh and at the same time poses serious threat of e-waste management and plastic pollution reduction. The government should take proactive actions in plastic pollution management instead of reactive measures (banning polythene use in early 2000, which failed) with alternative options for trade, business and employment. Investment made in this industry is anticipated to be around TK20,550 crores according to the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Ahmed, 2021). Through compare and contrast, we might be able to find a viable, eco-friendly and effective way of managing plastic waste in our country. Export has grown (including deemed export) at more than 21.8 percent every year between 2013 and 2017 (pwc, 2018). Some recycling facilities have, meanwhile, been developed in informal sector where several hundred people work in an unhealthy environment. The problem is worse in Dhaka city, where plastic usage is significantly higher than the national average. If a habit can be created through proper education andcampaign, it will simplify the problem at many levels. It has been reported that by the year 2050, the ocean of the world will have more pollutants, mostly plastics components larger than the total weight of fish in the oceans. Rainwater management: It is necessary to avoid contaminating the rainwater with plastic contaminants, and to allow more effective use of water. Where does Bangladesh stand?Plastic waste management is a challenging task for quite a lot of country in the world, as improper means of waste disposal contributes to the disruption of the ecosystem that eventually leads to calamities like global warming. Therefore entrepreneurs and policy makers should take more caution about plastic waste management and create public awareness about single use plastic. Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association general secretary KM Iqbal Hossain said that plastic was not a banned product and waste management was not manufacturers responsibility. "The average per capita plastic consumption in European countries is more than 100 kg -- much higher than in Bangladesh. Rahman, D. A. It's past time to deal with plastic garbage and educate the public about its dangers. DoE officials have said that they found plastic waste even under 10 feet of the Buriganga river bed, which has reduced its navigability. Bangladesh. Major amount of this waste is produced in Asia whereas America, Japan and European Union represent the highest producers of per capita plastic waste. So, to protect the environment and to keep the air less polluted, alternate ways should be applied and raw materials should be used which will not harm the air and air cycle. The fact does not conclude with the pollution, because as much as it pollutes it leaves us wondering how we are to get rid of this toxicity while it is consuming every place available in every second. Mozambique and Bangladesh. Plastic's popularity stems from its versatility, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Thus, e-waste is becoming an important industry as it is highly polluting in nature with metals, and strong and durable plastic. Despite the fact that plastic is bad for the environment, we can't avoid it forever. Countries like China and Malaysia are taking a stand against importing foreign plastic waste and are investing in processing their own waste along with finding viable alternatives. The Daily Star, pp. I soon realised that the frame of any spectacle and the end of the holder of the frame was soft cover of plastic. For the global population who are fortunate enough to have electricity, access to mobile phone and computers probably spend more time with these machines per day than almost any other activity except for sleeping. According to another source, the world produces 6.3 billion tons of plastic waste since 1950, with 91% of it never being recycled (Begum, 2021). Of them, 20 percent of the imported materials go into plastic packaging. Large-scale plastic industry has a world-class standard of capability in terms of technology, quality, and pricing. But, after some time, plastic use and mismanagement increased again. Bangladesh generates about 1700 tons of plastic wastes everyday according to Department of Environment (DOE) and only half of it is recycled [3]. They earn around $1500-2000 million in a year. The greatest threat is from single use plastic that are thrown away, and the different shapes and sizes of un-recycled plastic materials. 6. Dhaka city corporationsregulations for solid waste dictate that local staff would collect daily garbage from house to house, the collected garbage is to be brought back to a local hub and sorted scientifically. There is an urgent need to develop a tripartite understanding and agreement on how to reduce marine plastic and electronic pollution along with other types of pollution in the three key river systems and subsequent pollution in Bay of Bengal. To reduce the amount of plastic entering our ocean, we need to both reduce our use of plastic globally and to improve plastic waste management. Water conservation: Without water conservation, we wont go very far. The competition sought innovative solutions to combat plastic pollution in Bangladesh. Experts said that in 2019 plastic in production, transportation and incineration would contribute greenhouse gases equivalent to 850 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. Prospect And Challenges of Plastic Industries in Bangladesh. For Bangladesh, the plastic industry and innovation should be taken as an opportunity with all the challenges it poses. Plastic industry and recycling of plastic should be modernised and formalised in the country through public-private partnership (PPP) approach. Bangladesh has been exporting plastic products including plastic waste since 2015-16. This was not well received by many developing countries. Challenges and opportunities of plastic pollution management. Black carbon (soot) is also released by burning plastic which contributes to climate change and air pollution and harms the environment immensely. All these end up through landfill to water bodies, and through canals and rivers finally in the seas. There is no second planet to escape. Plastic pollution in Bangladesh: A review on current status emphasizing the impacts on environment and public health Shafiul Hossain1, *, Md Anisur Rahman1, , *, Myisha Ahmed Chowdhury1, Sajib Kumar Mohonta2 1Department of Chemical Engineering and Polymer Science, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet-3114, Bangladesh Around 0.4 million tons of plastic raw materials are annually imported to Bangladesh. Disposal cans for plastic waste can be placed at frequent distances and throwing them anywhere but the designated places should be deemed as punishable crime. This means being mindful that wateris a scarce resource, taking care of it and using it wisely, appropriately. To view or add a comment, sign in. Plastic bags are often swallowed by marine creatures. The sole of my shoes were made of plastic. Bangladesh particularly has a great usage of cell phone even by the underprivileged people. But once used the plastic bottles should go into the trash. Bangladesh's plastic industry has tremendous potential. CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR TACKLING PLASTIC POLLUTION. According to the United Nations Environment Programme the world is currently producing 300 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, which is nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population. Plastic pollution in the diverse aquatic systems of Bangladesh is an emerging issue. The government tries to support the industry by offering 10 percent cash incentive on plastic export. This is just a small fact regarding the huge underlying problem of municipal waste management. Bangladesh imports around 0.4 million tons of plastic raw materials annually which includes HDPE, LDPE, PP, PET, PVC, PC and PS. Plastic-made products and materials for many other businesses are the two primary types of main exports (Rahman S., 2021). There is need for further study on circular economy and management of plastic pollution in Bangladesh. This list of products banned by high court include, drinking straws, cotton buds, cigarette butts, food packaging, food containers, bottles, plates, plastic cutlery and plastic bags. Appropriate metal products, rare-earths materials and various forms of plastic used in devices, containers and supporting electrical components, packaging and transportation are most important. A study released in February 2019 shows that a total of 821,250 tons of plastic waste were generated in urban hubs of Bangladesh a year while some 207,685 tons were dumped in a marine environment annually. An estimate shows that we produce 0.8 million tons of plastic waste per year (Rahman D. A., 2020). The River Ganges contributes the second largest amount of . Shams, M. H. (2020). Micro plastic leachate produced in photo degradation process and mixed with edible items causes cancer, said Khabir, suggesting not to use PET bottles more than a month. It has been learned from an interview of BBC with small traders of plastic goods from Dhaka that they export the semi-processed plastic wastes to China and in the USA. The workshop revealed present scenario of using single use plastic in Bangladesh. These knowledge systems in all aspects are to be integrated in different levels of education. But in order for that to properly operate, there are a number of steps that needs to be undertaken with utmost urgency. Plastic disposal generates environmental hazards which afterward causes damage to marine life, reduction of soil fertility, water pollution, waterlogging, various diseases, air pollution by incineration etc. These wastes from the hub, including plastic, are transported and dumped in the landfills like the ones in Aminbazar and Matuali, that have been reportedly producing a huge quantity of leachates (liquid drained from landfills that is harmful to both arable soil and water). As home delivery, electronics shopping, global imports and exports keep increasing rapidly, the use of plastic is going to be expanding rapidly and in higher volumes. Most plastics are non-biodegradable and break down into tiny fragments known as micro plastics. Firstly, plastic waste recycle plants must be installed and be efficient to process the amount of plastic waste produced everyday. The amount of e-waste is increasing and along with it plastics are being dumped without any processing or recovery for potential future use. To implement the action plan, the report identified policy reforms, technologies, infrastructure, investment and institutional capacity-building needs. Bangladesh ranks 10th globally in terms of the levels of mismanaged plastic waste. Thereare 5,030 plastic companies in Bangladesh, over 98 percent of them belonging to the SME sector, with significant demand for plastic in a variety of applications such as furniture, domestic plastic equipment, plastic hardware, toys, and industrial packaging (Rahman S, 2021). Plastic acts as a source of chain pollutions all over the world. Bangladesh has been undergoing industrializationand we can sense it. (2021, 9 11). Photo: Md Rakibul Hasan /UNB Plastic is choking Bangladesh's drains, canals, and rivers. Plastic demand has risen at a 20% yearly growth since 2007, according to government statistics (Ahmed, 2021). Regarding this, in depth awareness programs can be run in educational institutions through demonstrating how implementing this method would eventually reduce the chances of pollution and also showing the devastating blow we would receive should we choose to ignore this problem. Shahab Uddin, minister of forest, environment and climate change, stressed the enforcement of the law to reduce plastic pollution. Bangladesh's plastic use would increase thrice due to increasing population and . DIGITISATION REVOLUTION AND CHALLENGES OF ELECTRONICS, PLASTICS AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT. Plastic pollution in Bangladeshs environment continues unabated raising serious threats to human and animal health as the government is yet to move for reducing its production and safe management. We have demonstrated to the Bangladeshi government how to be effective. The Ganges River runs through India and Bangladesh. However, the optimistic judiciary body of the country recently expressed its concern on single-use plastic products in coastal areas, hotels, motels and restaurants across and the associated health and environmental hazards. This will require a multistakeholder, multisectoral approach that focuses on a circular economy. Bangladesh being the first country on sanctioning a law on polythene bags, has failed to implement and control polythene pollution over the years. Hence, it needs to stop. As specified in the BECA 2002, anyone who violates the law on polythene bag and consumes, produces, or markets polythene will be held guilty and given penalty of Tk. The government of Bangladesh should encourage the plastic industry and the sectoral actors for recycling, regeneration and reuse toward better pollution reduction. Their utilities and options of use are ever expanding. They have mentioned that Bangladesh dumps plastic waste worth Tk several crore daily for the lack of recycling facilities. Some advanced countries have attempted to dump these used computers in developing country schools, basically as a hidden way of exporting their e- wastes. When I was planning to write this article for The Daily Star, I had requested input from my colleagues, just to clarify what plastic is and how many types are there and who are using it? NGO Environment and Social Development Organisations founding member Shahriar Hossain said that the quantity of plastic waste in the country continued to sharply go up for its indiscriminate and unplanned use for packaging, particularly of polythene, and for lack of a policy on plastic goods production. Speaking as chief guest, Md. This discrepancy is known as the 'missing plastic problem' and is discussed h e re. So in order to process solid waste, specially plastic waste, we must follow the rule of three Rs Reduce, Reuse and Recycle reduce the waste we throw away, lean towards reusing objects and try to use or purchase items that can be recycled. Most of the plastic materials have attributes to be used only once, therefore plastic packaging materials constitutes half of the world plastic waste (UNEP, 2018). The lands are immediately pollutedaffecting the wildlife as well. Stopping pollution is linked to achieving seven of the 17 SDG goals set by the United Nations. I suggested that we just have a look around. Ahmed, A. U. The answer is negative. Thus, the collection, processing and trading of plastic wastes have created employment for the poor and small traders. She said that she earned Tk 6,000-7,000 monthly by selling garbage to local businessmen. Plastic products including tools, furniture, containers and other accessories are popular in Bangladesh like other third world countries for being cheap. Effective implementation of this law could not be implemented fully due to lack of manpower in the Department of Environment (DOE). These figures represent total plastic waste generation and do not account for differences in waste management . Better science-based policies, strategies and action plans, education and social mobilisation, attribution of responsibilities to appropriates agencies are urgent steps that we must take. Compared to the rapid rate at which plastics have penetrated into millions of uses in all cultures hardly any effort has been made to mobilise the society for limiting their harmful uses, increasing recycling and enhancing awareness of types of plastic, their capacity to harm the society, health of humans and other species. The declining export of plastic waste (shown in Table 1) will result in increased plastic pollution in the country. Recycled plastic used in food packaging may cause cancer, he further warned. Full Import duties on machinery are exempt for export-oriented industries, but the other industries must incur 2.5% to 6% tariff on machinery imports. Littering is a most common practice of our country. In Dhaka city alone, plastic waste has gone up more than 3.5 times from 178 tons per day in 2005 to 646 tons per day in 2020 . Recently the export of these products declined owing to, inter alia, the ban on import of plastic wastes by Chinese government in 2018, since China is the main export destination of Bangladeshi plastics. Secondly, plastic waste must be sorted properly for this to work out the way its supposed to. Plastic is used to comprise the majority of garment factory raw materials, accounting for 80% of total exports (Rahman S., 2021). And the pandemic has worsened plastic pollution, especially from single-use plastic used in masks, gloves and personal protective equipment, she said. 4. Plastic is considered one of the most indispensable commodities in our daily life. Rashad Ahamad | This opens up a new door towards inventing new technologies regarding plastic waste classification system and management that would complement the environment and restore the ecological balance. Fire fighters said that huge quantities of plastic furniture and of plastic used in interior decoration in buildings have considerably increased the casualties and damage in fire incidents as it was an inflammable item. The government in January 2002 banned the production, sales, use, import, distribution and storage of polythene bags with thickness of less than 55 microns by way of the Bangladesh Environment Conservation Act 1995. If we look at our capital, we will be able to learn where we stand in terms of global standards. Other countries begin to follow suit. What is plastic pollution? However, pollution has received attention during the last 10 years, after polluting ecosystems and ruining the aesthetics of seas and negative impacts on marine species. We cant imagine how plastic has decayed our health and environment gradually. The 'Towards a Multisectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh' report provides a blueprint for managing plastic pollution over the short term (2022-2023), medium-term (2024 . As we dump various types of plastic together, it is difficult and time consuming to sort out for recycling (Shams, 2020). Select Accept to consent or Reject to decline non-essential cookies for this use. , Tue Dec 21, 2021 12:00 AM Last update on: Tue Dec 21, 2021 02:51 AM, , - - : . The plastic industry represents a significant sub-sector in the Bangladesh economy. This can be done through vigorous regulatory regime, encouraging segregation of plastic waste among the users and increasing the capacity of municipalities to collect the maximum possible quantity of solid waste compared to the real generation of solid waste. We've shown to the Bangladesh government how helpful this burgeoning industry can be (Rahman S. , 2021). Bangladesh has significant plastic pollution despite the ban on plastic bags in 2002. . These are to be taken seriously from the initial stage. Mass production of such products would create job opportunities for many as well, while on the other hand it would provide the people with more biodegradables than plastic, which can tremendously reduce plastic waste in our country. Huge quantities of plastic waste was seen at drains, canals, rivers, roads and even in crop fields around the country, mostly used for packaging different goods including food items, medicine and furniture. The ever-increasing plastic production, consumption and waste generation are escalating the threat to marine and terrestrial ecosystem and has transformed its most attractive features into a curse. Flores, M. C. (2008). Such innovative practices include promoting "reduce, reuse, and recycle" plastics through material engineering and product design, shifting consumer use and behaviour, and developing sound approaches to waste collection and management. Municipal services can collect the plastic waste from households separately. It aims to design out waste and hazardous materials in favour of such restoration and regeneration. It is now known the gyres of the ocean current in the north central Pacific Ocean has created a floating island of plastic particles that is of the size of the State of Taxes in the USA, and more than six times larger than Bangladesh in terms of area. Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University hepatology professor Mamun Al Mahtab has also said that if plastic enters human body in any form it might cause deadly diseases like cancer, critical lunch complications and food poisoning. Well, lets take a look around. He demanded that the government should finalise the solid waste management rules drafted in 2005. Most elements of our society including the global population, communication, business, education, science and researchall are going through a major electronic and digital revolution. Approximately 10% of total plastic are single use plastic bags (Polyethylene), which is inapt to recycle consequently those end up in landfill and water bodies(Rahman D. A., 2020). Hence, the overuse and unplanneddumping of the materials. But Bangladesh is one of the top plastic polluted countries due to mismanagement of plastic waste," said Bushra Nishat, environmental specialist of the World Bank, while presenting the report at the event. Indrajit Kumer Ghosh. It is difficult and challenging to have a truly green and clean plastic industry, but Bangladesh can surely create a system for greener and cleaner production of plastics, which can support its ambition of achieving SDG 12. These two world powers are engaged in expansive electronic industries. Whats more, since a part our communication system is built up based on waterways transportation like launch, steamboats or ships need proper wastedecomposition system to avoid water pollution. He has warned that use of recycled plastic in food packaging is highly dangerous as producers use some additive chemicals for easy manufacturing of plastic containers or packets in suitable shapes. Leadership is in the hands of the rich and elite group and they must act now to stop the menace. LEGAL ASPECTS OF PLASTICS PRODUCTION AND USES. Thus, immediate and appropriate actions will have to be taken by all, including our responsibility as Bangladeshi citizens and government and non-government agencies. The High Court recently directed the authorities concerned to ban single-use plastic products in coastal areas, hotels, motels and restaurants across the country as they are health and environmental hazards. Plastic waste has also been found in most of the countrys rivers, which has increased the flood risk, too. But in the process, mismanagement and failure to sort properly suspends the recycling process and ends up damaging the environment. These non-biodegradable plastics have an extremely long life and enter the marine chain through rivers and the seas. The World Bank has suggested a comprehensive three-phase plan to tackle the spiralling plastic waste problem in Bangladesh. Lack of proper infrastructure, financial backup, and technological . We must start discussion with neighbouring countries for proper management and pollution reduction from plastic in an integrated way urgently. The population generates around 800,000 tons of plastic waste per year, along with . A circular economy is an emerging and innovative approach for tackling plastic pollution through technological improvement, local innovation, trade, business and employment generation. By 2050 this could rise to 2.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year - or 615 coal plants' worth. We commend the government's commitment to implement a National Action Plan to beat plastic pollution," Chen said. Its usage per capita in the United States, China, and India is 109kg, 38kg, and 11kg, respectively. The economic cost of the deaths and disabilities in terms of labour output has been estimated at $1.4 billion in all urban areas of Bangladesh and at 310 million in Dhaka city alone, which were equivalent to 0.6 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively of the countrys GDP in 2015.

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