'Govt hasn't banned it, but is discouraging use'

The environment adviser on Wednesday clarified that her ministry has not banned single-use plastic items; rather it is discouraging their use.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advisor to the ministries of environment, forest and climate change, and water resources, emphasised the urgent need for taking effective actions against plastic pollution.

She noted that the government is working to discourage use of single-use plastic items and encourage development of their safer alternatives by local entrepreneurs.

"Thus, we can gradually move away from use of single-use plastic items, for which we do not have a proper waste management system."

She also condemned the false claim that the government has prohibited all single-use plastic items, calling it a "blatant lie" that has created unnecessary tension among the plastic manufacturers.

The environment adviser said these while speaking as the chief guest at a conference - "From Policy to Action: Integrated Approaches for Combating Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter in Bangladesh" - held at the Department of Environment (DoE) in the city.

Highlighting the severity of plastic pollution, she remarked, "Plastic waste does not disappear. It breaks down into microplastics, which are then consumed by fish, and thus ultimately enter our food system. This (combating plastic pollution) is a choice we all must make - as individuals, as businesses, and as the government."

Rizwana also criticised the hazardous working condition in the illegal plastic production facilities in Old Dhaka, and emphasised the need for a structured phase-out plan for these units.

"An integrated approach is needed. Banning is just one aspect, but phasing out, recycling and reuse are equally crucial."

She further urged the businesses to collaborate on a time-bound action-plan to eliminate single-use plastic items well before 2030.

DoE Director General Md Quamruzzaman chaired the conference, where Ambassador of Norway Hakon Arald Gulbrandsen, UNIDO Vienna-Austria Unit Chief Jerome Stucki, and DoE Director Dr Abdullah Al Mamun also spoke.

The conference brought together a number of policymakers, environmental experts, and stakeholders from various sectors to discuss and devise actionable strategies for reducing plastic pollution and marine litter in Bangladesh.

nsrafsanju@gmail.com