Lack of recycling causes 60pc plastic waste to end up on land and in reservoirs in Bangladesh
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A maximum of 40 per cent plastic waste is recycled in Bangladesh while the remaining 60 per cent falls on land and in reservoirs, including rivers, canals and sea, causing environmental pollution and health hazard.
Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md Shahab Uddin made the remark as the chief guest at an event titled ‘Current Status of Circular Economy in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospects', held at the FBCCI Auditorium in the capital on Sunday.
“The government is working on four new projects to be opened soon aimed at ensuring sustainable waste management. Waste reduction, reuse and recycling (Three R) strategies for management have been formulated for environment-friendly waste management,” the minister said at the programme.
We have to strive for conservation of environment and biodiversity and tackling climate change, he said, adding the Department of Environment has adopted a 10-year action plan for plastic management and a three-year special programme to stop the use of single-use plastics in coastal areas.
The government is also working hard to manage e-waste and solid waste in the country. A notification has been issued for ‘E-Waste Management Rules, 2021’ and ‘Solid Waste Management Rules, 2021’ in this regard, he mentioned.
The environment minister also said implementing circular economy in Bangladesh would reduce the extraction of underground and surface resources, ensure sustainable use of raw materials, and reduce wastage of resources, waste generation and emission of greenhouse gasses responsible for climate change.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun was present as the chief guest at the seminar presided over by FBCCI President Md. Jasim Uddin.
The panellists were Dr Mizan R. Khan, Professor, Independent University; Eun Joo Allison, Senior Environmental Specialist, Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice; Dr AK Enamul Haque, Panel Adviser, FBCCI and Md. Mossarraf Hossain, Professor, Institute of Forestry and Environmental Science, Chittagong University.