The imperative of plastic waste management

The fact that one of the main reasons for environmental pollution in the country is plastic need not be over-emphasised. A recent study by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO) titled "Environmental Impact of Single-use Plastic Bottles: Pollution and Health Risks" reveals alarming data on the country's use and disposal of plastic. Bangladesh annually consumes approximately 3.15 to 3.84 billion single-use plastic bottles, of which only 21.4 per cent are recycled, says the study. The remaining 78.6 per cent find their way into rivers, seas, and landfills, posing severe environmental and health risks.

The study highlights that single-use plastic bottles can persist in the environment for up to 450 years, releasing microplastics and toxic chemicals into ecosystems and food chains. Urban areas in Bangladesh primarily use water bottles, while rural regions lean towards soft drink bottles. However, awareness of the associated health and environmental risks remains dismally low. Only 18.4 per cent of urban consumers and 5.5 per cent of rural consumers understand the health risks posed by these plastics, while a mere 3.4 per cent are aware of their environmental impact. Alarmingly, 51 per cent of urban consumers and 42 per cent of rural consumers discard plastic bottles after a single use. Chemicals such as Bisphenol A (BPA), commonly found in these plastics, pose significant health risks, including hormonal disruption and chronic diseases like cancer.

Although pollution, for the most part, is manmade let loose by poor waste management and inadequate application of recycling methods, the fact remains that plastic pollution is a catastrophe on a scale that is difficult to grasp. Across the world, humans are exposed to harmful plastic through consumption of particles in fish, swallowing it with drinking water and even breathing it in from the air.

ESDO in its study report has recommended for promoting environment-friendly and sustainable alternatives, encouraging the use of reusable bottles, reducing the production and consumption of single-use plastic bottles, developing and enforcing comprehensive policies and regulatory guidelines, supporting manufacture of alternative materials, ensuring environmentally responsible recycling practices, imposing a ban on the reuse of harmful chemicals and preventing the trade of hazardous plastic waste.

High volume of waste, not properly disposed or recycled, deprives the country of substantial earnings which could be well over Tk 60 billion annually, according to another study by a private research body, Waste Concern. The yearly production of the country's plastic factories, from more than 5,000 units, is approximately 4.0 million tonnes, of which more than 1.0 million tonne turns into waste. But the volume of waste recycled, according to the study, is only around 28 per cent. Although the government is providing tax exemption for initiatives for recycling, and reduced bank loans are also being availed of by enterprises for the purpose, recycling is appallingly low.

This, no doubt, explains the urgency of collaborative efforts of the government and the private sector towards working on an effective waste recycling and management policy. Experts believe that effective waste management is the key to flourishing the prospects of the country's plastic industry. While improvements in infrastructure, product development are integral to the growth of the industry to desired levels, waste management and recycling are critical areas in need of immediate attention. It has been found that of all the waste accumulated on a daily basis in the country, the share of plastic is more than 60 per cent. However, doing away with the waste is relatively easier compared with various types from other sources due to the user-friendly recycling technology. But in the absence of systematic methods of collecting waste and recycling facilities, the bulk of the refuse is left to pollute the environment.

One of the main benefits that most countries derive from recycled plastic waste is substantial saving on procuring raw materials and increased earnings from recycled products. Findings of the study by the research body--Waste Concern say that if the refuse of plastic factories in and around Dhaka alone are recycled with appropriate technology, 75 per cent of it could be tuned into fresh products, which would amount to around Tk 7.0 billion in foreign exchange. This indeed explains that an added focus on recycling and growth of the country's plastic sector are mutually inclusive and reinforcing.

An important point that needs to be mentioned here is that not all grades of plastic are recyclable. So, the problem associated with recycling lies in the various grades of plastic that are in use. This is a problem all over the world, including in the advanced countries. There are thus talks of banning use of those grades of plastic that cannot be recycled. An alternative suggestion forwarded by experts is to allow only a few (preferably one or two) recyclable grades for manufacturing plastic products. Given the dangers looming not too far, it is likely that most countries will agree to work on such a common agenda-to cut pollution on the one hand, and benefit from the immense possibilities of plastic, on the other.

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