Staff Reporter :
The government is formulating a sustainable plastic management plan to build plastic waste free Bangladesh.
Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Md. Mostafa Kamal said the government has stressed on creating a pollution-free Bangladesh.
He said the government will continue its initiative to build a plastic waste free country by implementing the 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) policy currently being implemented with the cooperation of all concerned.
Environment Secretary said this 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 Jashim Uddin recommended banning the import of plastic waste from abroad.
He also recommended that Sonali Bag invented through a special project under the Ministry of Textiles and Jute should be produced through the private sector.
FBCCI President told the meeting that businessmen would invest for making it popular. It was informed in the meeting that currently 37 per cent of plastic waste is being recycled.
Apart from Md. Moniruzzaman, Additional Secretary (Environmental Pollution Control), representatives of various Ministries, City Corporations, WASA, RAJUK, FBCCI, Plastic Products Manufacturers Association and World Bank were present at the meeting.
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.
