Menacing plastic pollution

THROUGH UNABATED USE OF PLASTIC SOIL, WATER, AIR, AND THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT OF BANGLADESH IS SEVERELY POLLUTED, AND WE ARE ALREADY FEELING THE EFFECTS

According to media reports plastic pollution is becoming a serious threat for the present and future generations. Plastic pollution is a growing problem in Bangladesh. The major cities are particularly at great risk. In last few years, production and consumption of diversified plastic products have been extended from households to industrial purposes. That means, the range of plastic waste has also increased. Bangladesh is perhaps one of the countries with fastest growth in consumption of plastic products during the last decade. Plastic consumption in urban areas of the country has increased significantly which is even higher compared to other countries and regions such as North America and Europe.

Through unabated use of plastic soil, water, air, and the overall environment of Bangladesh is severely polluted, and we are already feeling the effects. Infested by plastic particles, arable soil is becoming barren and crops and fruits are becoming contaminated; local water bodies and marine life in the Bangladesh coast are in danger and local and sea fishes are becoming toxic; the air is riddled with dangerous chemicals that lead to respiratory problems. Children are the most vulnerable group to such pollutions.  

One of the major impacts of plastic pollution is its threat to public health as toxic chemicals find their way, through air, water, and food,  into the bloodstream and cause respiratory diseases, cancer, hormone disruption, early puberty, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity, to name just a few problems. The last few years have shown an alarming rise in the rate of such medical complaints.  Furthermore, plastic wastes clogging drainage systems create water stagnation and proliferates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, giving rise to an increase in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria.

Though Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags, there are no specific laws, rules or guidelines for plastic waste management. Also, proper management and operation of the supply chain of recycling the plastic waste are absent. Approximately 50 per cent of all plastic waste like lightweight, single-use plastic products and packaging materials are not properly deposited for subsequent removal to particular landfills, recycling centres, or burners. A pervasive culture for littering continues to add to the problem. And, to make matters worse, water channels such as rivers, are used for dumping industrial and domestic wastes that contain a huge amount of plastic and ultimately end up in the sea.

 

Menacing plastic pollution

THROUGH UNABATED USE OF PLASTIC SOIL, WATER, AIR, AND THE OVERALL ENVIRONMENT OF BANGLADESH IS SEVERELY POLLUTED, AND WE ARE ALREADY FEELING THE EFFECTS

According to media reports plastic pollution is becoming a serious threat for the present and future generations. Plastic pollution is a growing problem in Bangladesh. The major cities are particularly at great risk. In last few years, production and consumption of diversified plastic products have been extended from households to industrial purposes. That means, the range of plastic waste has also increased. Bangladesh is perhaps one of the countries with fastest growth in consumption of plastic products during the last decade. Plastic consumption in urban areas of the country has increased significantly which is even higher compared to other countries and regions such as North America and Europe. Through unabated use of plastic soil, water, air, and the overall environment of Bangladesh is severely polluted, and we are already feeling the effects. Infested by plastic particles, arable soil is becoming barren and crops and fruits are becoming contaminated; local water bodies and marine life in the Bangladesh coast are in danger and local and sea fishes are becoming toxic; the air is riddled with dangerous chemicals that lead to respiratory problems. Children are the most vulnerable group to such pollutions. One of the major impacts of plastic pollution is its threat to public health as toxic chemicals find their way, through air, water, and food, into the bloodstream and cause respiratory diseases, cancer, hormone disruption, early puberty, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity, to name just a few problems. The last few years have shown an alarming rise in the rate of such medical complaints. Furthermore, plastic wastes clogging drainage systems create water stagnation and proliferates breeding grounds for mosquitoes, giving rise to an increase in the incidence of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and malaria. Though Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags, there are no specific laws, rules or guidelines for plastic waste management. Also, proper management and operation of the supply chain of recycling the plastic waste are absent. Approximately 50 per cent of all plastic waste like lightweight, single-use plastic products and packaging materials are not properly deposited for subsequent removal to particular landfills, recycling centres, or burners. A pervasive culture for littering continues to add to the problem. And, to make matters worse, water channels such as rivers, are used for dumping industrial and domestic wastes that contain a huge amount of plastic and ultimately end up in the sea.