Plastic Pollution in Water

Minimize the use of Plastic

Plastics have become a part of our everyday life. In Dhaka city, about 14 million pieces of poly bags are thrown out every day which often ending up in rivers and oceans and cause hazards to aquatic life. These poly bags block the drains and this blocking even may result in serious floods. Bangladesh experienced floods in urban areas in 1998 and 2008 where polythene and plastic materials were one of the major causes for the blockage of the drainage systems. According to a recent report published by Earth Day Network, Bangladesh ranked 10th out of the top 20 plastic polluting countries in the whole world. Plastic contributes eight percent of the country's waste which is equivalent to 800,000 tons and among which 200,000 is dump into the rivers or oceans.

Our three major cities Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are particularly at great risk. In last few years, production and consumption of plastic products have been extended from households to industrial purposes.  Dr. Khondaker Golam Moazzem, additional research director at the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD), says, “Bangladesh is perhaps one of the countries with fastest growth in consumption of plastic products during the last decade”. In Asia, among 20 most polluted rivers, Buriganga is at second position.

According to a report produced by the World Economic Forum found that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the world's oceans because 13 million tons of plastic ending up in the ocean in every year. Generally plastic materials are non-biodegradable and this is why managing plastic waste is increasingly becoming a global environmental and economic challenge. Plastic waste is a risk to public health since it enters our food chain, causes flooding, ends up in river beds and oceans and depletes ecosystems and marine biodiversity. Besides the production process for plastic can further induce the production of greenhouse gases.

In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban polythene bags. Though Bangladesh was the first country to ban plastic bags, there are no specific laws, rules or guidelines for plastic waste management. Also, the operation of the supply chain of recycling the plastic waste is absent.  The arable soil is becoming barren and crops and fruits are becoming contaminated, local water bodies, rivers and marine life in the Bangladesh coast are in danger and local and sea fishes are becoming toxic.

We need to rethink our behaviors relating to the consumption and production of plastic. It is time for research and investment to lead to suitable, environmentally-friendly and affordable alternatives to plastic.

As individuals, we can reduce our plastic pollution by avoiding single-use plastics and packaging materials. Rather we can use jute bags, glass bottles or jars, steel or ceramic cutleries and utensils. We need to change our behaviors relating to the use of plastics. In our offices and workplaces, we should ban the use of plastics. We can serve tea or coffee in ceramic cups, and water in pitchers and glasses instead of plastic water bottles. We can make our offices green and minimize our plastic pollution.

If we do not check the plastic pollution, Bangladesh will be a land of plastic. Let’s reduce the use of plastic from now.