Call for recycling thrown-away plastic waste to improve ecosystem
Staff Reporter :
Speakers at a seminar said that the global best practices on plastic circularity, which focus on collecting and recycling the thrown-away plastic waste so that the environment is unharmed and highlighted the critical role that the private sector can play to holistically improve the ecosystem.
The smartest way to keep plastic in a loop that does not impact the planet is to ensure the collection and recycling of plastic waste.
They also discussed the importance of relevant and practical policy approaches from the Government like facilitating the recycling industry and regulating non-recyclable plastic use to improve the situation.
To mark the ‘World Environment Day 2023’, a joint seminar was organised by the Department of Environment (DoE), Unilever Bangladesh Ltd. (UBL), World Bank, UNIDO and Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA), titled ‘Adopting Circular Economy for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh’, in the city’s DoE Auditorium.
The seminar focused on sustainable plastic waste management, which was also the focus of this year’s World Environment Day.
Among others, Minister for the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ministry Md Shahab Uddin, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Jashim Uddin, Director General of DoE Dr. Abdul Hamid, President of BPGMEA Shamim Ahmed, UNIDO Country Representative Bangladesh Dr. Zaki Uz Zaman, UNIDO Representative and Head of Regional Office in India Dr. Rene Van Berkel, Programme Specialist (Nature, Climate & Energy) of UNDP in Bangladesh
Arif M. Faisal, Chairman and Founder of Policy Exchange Bangladesh M Masrur Reaz and Director, Corporate Affairs, Partnerships and Communications of UBL Shamima Akhter also spoke at the event.
Md Shahab Uddin said that the government has taken measures to protect the country’s environment through progressive policies and regulations.
Bangladesh developed the solid waste management rule 2021, which is a holistic document to manage all sorts of waste, he said. Apart from it, it included circularity into our 8th 5-year plan, which will help improve waste management and support the green industry holistically, the Environment Minister added.
Md. Jashim Uddin, said, ”The plastic industry is growing exponentially growing in Bangladesh. Compared to global average of around 9%, almost 40% of the plastic is recycled in Bangladesh. The informal sector is key player in this contribution, and the situation could be improved significantly if we all come forward and invest smartly to provide better value for waste. Hence, we need cross sectoral collaboration, learn from best practices and have an enabling policy that will formalise the informal sector, and support and grow the plastic waste management ecosystem.”
