The government is working to finalise a sustainable plastic management plan as part of building a plastic pollution-free environment and to address the growing plastic waste pollution in the country.
Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md. Mostafa Kamal said the government will continue its initiative to build a plastic waste-free Bangladesh by implementing the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) policy currently being implemented with the cooperation of all concerned.
The Environment Secretary made the announcement while addressing a review meeting held at the conference room of the Ministry on Sunday afternoon titled "Toward a Multisectoral Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management in Bangladesh" prepared by the World Bank.
At the meeting, FBCCI President Jasim Uddin recommended banning the import of plastic waste from abroad. He said the country's policy of reuse, recycling, and reduction of plastic waste would not be effective if plastic waste is imported from abroad.
He also recommended that the Sonali Bag, invented through a special project under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute, be produced through the private sector.
He told the meeting that businessmen would invest in making it popular.
It was informed in the meeting that currently 37 per cent of plastic waste is recycled. The Plastics Action Plan sets a target of recycling 50 per cent of plastics by 2025 and 80 per cent by 2030, reducing plastic waste production by 30 per cent by 2030, and avoiding single-use plastics by 90 per cent by 2026.
It was decided to finalise the draft action plan by accepting the recommendations of the members present, according to a statement by the environment ministry.
Representatives of various ministries, City Corporations, WASA, RAJUK, FBCCI, plastic products manufacturers association, and World Bank were present at the meeting, it added.
nsrafsanju@gmail.com