Initiatives for ban, production of polythene in a maze

Noman Mosharef :

Despite the government’s strong commitments to stop use of polythene in our daily life and production in the factories, manufacturing and utility of this item remain in full scale in the country.

Though the authority announced ban on use of polythene and polypropylene bags will be banned in all supermarkets from October 1and in other markets from November 1, the real scenario is polythene and polypropylene bags are being used everywhere.

Initiatives for banning polythene’s use and production are not new in the country. Bangladesh ever first country in the world that had made announcement complete ban on use and production of polythene in the country which had got much-lauded from the citizen.

In 2002, former environment minister Shajahan Siraj, a lawmaker of the-then ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party, made the declaration on grounds that continuing the use of poly bags would pose severe risks to human health and the environment.

The move was initially accepted by most, leading to a steady decline in the pile up of associated plastic waste. However, this early momentum soon fizzled out as people started switching back to poly bags for a myriad of reasons.

Even though, during ousted Awami League (AL) regime the High Court (HC) order, issued in January 2020 in response to a writ petition filed by Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA), tasked the Department of Environment with enforcing the ban by 2021. But there was no significant development over the issue.

After August 5, the day of Hasina’s flee, BELA’s Syeda Rizwana Hasan has took the office of Environment, Forest and Climate Change as an adviser and committed to reduce the use and production of polythene and polypropylene bags in our daily life where there is no visible progress over the matter.

On the other hand, producers claim that even though the government has banned polythene, the demand for it in the market remains, compelling them to continue production activities.

However, owners of business associations involved in plastic production and imports argue: “Such an initiative to make the market polythene-free within a month is not feasible without providing any alternatives for businesses and consumers.

At least a year is needed, as alternatives have not yet entered the market. Once alternatives become available, the use of polythene will naturally decrease. We will also try to shift to producing alternatives then.”

On Friday and Saturday, visits to multiple polythene and plastic production factories in areas such as Chawkbazar, Old Dhaka’s Debidas Lane, Churihatta, Lalbagh, and Kamrangirchar revealed that production of polythene is still happening alongside other plastic products. Most of these small-scale factories operate without licenses.

According to sources from the Department of Environment (DoE), there are thousands of illegal polythene production factories in these areas. Although a few have licenses, they are expired. Employees and owners of these factories reported that they produce 4 to 6 tons of polythene daily.

The cost of producing polythene ranges from Tk1.5 to Tk2, while it sells for Tk150 to Tk180 per kilogram. A large polythene bag can contain about 120 items, a medium bag around 140-150 items, and a small bag approximately 180 to 200 items. Most of the customers for these polythene products are local markets, retailers, and street vendors.

Mohammad Nadim, a wholesale polythene trader in Lalbagh, said: “polythene is much more affordable and practical compared to any other bag. If polythene is banned, what will the common people use as an alternative, especially at such a low cost? It is impossible to produce alternatives at such a low price. Still, we want to stop using polythene and plastic to protect the environment. However, we need time. We still have to supply polythene to the markets.

Mohammad Rabbani Ali, owner of the plastic manufacturing company Rabbani Trading and Co Limited in Lalbagh, said: “They claim single-use plastics and polythene have been legally banned.

But there has been no enforcement of the law until now. The new initiative has not involved consultations with our associations, nor has it allowed us the opportunity to shift to alternative businesses. This is not just a one-day operation for us. We operate by paying taxes to the government. How can so many businesses find alternatives in just a month? Even if polythene is banned, they could have consulted us on this.

While plastic does contribute to environmental pollution, we also want to see it banned entirely. But there are no alternatives yet. When someone buys fish or meat, they can’t just use a cloth or shopping bag to carry it; polythene is necessary. It would have been better to find alternatives before imposing the ban. You can’t just ban polythene this way. Our business associations have already held press conferences on this matter because similar initiatives taken 25 years ago were ineffective.”

Meanwhile, according to the Bangladesh Plastic Association and the Bangladesh Plastic Products Manufacturing Association, approximately 2,500 establishments are involved in producing single-use plastic items like bowls, plates, cups, and polythene in Bangladesh. Many more factories exist, but they are not part of these associations.

The Department of Environment has already issued letters to stop the production of single-use plastics and polythene.

In response to this, Mohammad Nazir Hossain, general secretary of the Bangladesh Plastic Association, said: “We work with 62 products, including polymers. The Ministry of Environment has instructed us to stop the production of single-use plastics and polythene, and we have agreed to comply.”

“The Ministry acknowledges that single-use plastics and polythene are harmful to the environment, causing pollution. Therefore, we also do not want polythene to return to the market. However, without alternatives available, it is not feasible to remove polythene from the market.

We need at least a year to methodically introduce alternatives and encourage the public to use them. Only then will it be possible. Abrupt measures cannot be taken. Previous attempts have not yielded any results.”