The government will reduce the use of single-use plastic by 90 per cent by 2026 to help protect the environment.
It is also planned to increase plastic waste recycling to 80 per cent by 2030 and reduce plastic waste generation to 30 per cent by that time.
In this regard, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin said following the sustainable plastic management action plan formulated by the government, efforts are being made to reduce the use of harmful plastic.
The government has formulated a three-year action plan to stop the use of single-use plastics in coastal areas, he said, adding that the use of eco-friendly and biodegradable materials will be increased.
The environment minister was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on solid waste management organised at a city hotel on Thursday.
Hazardous waste management rules were formulated in 2021 for the purpose of solid waste management, said the minister, adding that medical waste regulations are being updated.
The government's national 3R policy for waste management aims to completely eliminate waste disposal on open land, rivers, drains, canals and plains and encourage recycling of waste through mandatory segregation of waste at source and also create a market for recycled products, he added.
Deputy Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Habibun Nahar and Chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on the environment ministry Saber Hossain Chowdhury, among others, were present at the event, with Secretary to the ministry Dr Farhina Ahmed in the chair.
