Environmental activists and experts have urged the government to frame regulations on recycling of used lead acid batteries in an environmentally safer and sound management both in the formal and informal sectors.
Among many burning issues, environmental pollution and toxic chemicals are gradually drawing attention towards the global and national policies. And one such growing concern is the ramification of Lead Acid Batteries (LAB) and Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB), they said.
Experts made the observations in a virtual workshop and multi-stakeholder planning meeting organized by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) in association with Pure Earth and UNEP on Tuesday.
ULAB has long been used due to its efficiency of storing energy for the longer period, which is also capable of providing a high amount of electricity for a long time, they added.
Since LABs are recycled and reused in several sectors, this associates a serious lead pollution in soil and water which ultimately causes harm to human health and environment.
A study has showed a large number of contaminated sites where ULAB recycling continues both in formal and informal sectors.
A recent study also spotted 59 lead-contaminated locations out of 147 battery recycling zones in six divisions of the country--Dhaka, Rajshahi, Khulna, Chattogram, Rangpur and Mymensingh.
Executive Director of ESDO Siddika Sultana Said, "We're urging the government for an environmentally safe management in recycling used lead acid batteries both in the formal and informal sectors. And thus it reduces child labour in this sector because young children are at great risk of lead poisoning as it causes irreversible neurological damage. According to WHO, there is no safe level of lead exposure in human body."
A.K.M. Rafique Ahammed, Director General at Department of Environment, said, "The government is working seriously on ULAB issue. We have requested ESDO, Pure Earth and UNEP to help build a roadmap so that we can execute it."
Dr. Desiree Raquel Narvaez, Program Officer, Chemical and Health Branch, Economy Division, UN Environment; Andrew Mc Cartor, Director of Global Policy and Planning and Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Pure Earth; Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, Former Chief Conservator of Forest and Country Director, IUCN also addressed the event.
ESDO in collaboration with UN Environment and Pure Earth will channel these efforts and develop a coordinated plan to implement an ESM of ULAB in the country.
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