Dr. Atiur Rahman, Governor, Bangladesh Bank :
It is encouraging to see the representatives from the APF member countries gathering here not only to promote their products but also to find effective solutions to managing plastic waste. I believe this ’11th International Plastic Fair 2016′ will be an excellent opportunity for all the stakeholders to improve the quality of plastic businesses while also taking into account its negative impact on environmental sustainability, and therefore exploring the best possible ways to manage its disposal.
It is true that plastic has become an indispensible part of our economy, widely used in the production of household and business goods, construction, telecommunication, packaging, and so on. Around 5,000 plastic industries generate employment for more than a million people. Besides, many export-oriented factories meet the growing external demand for film plastic, garment accessories, and household plastic items. Each year Bangladesh imports more than 150 thousand metric tons of plastic raw materials.
However, the non-biodegradable nature of plastic gives rise to great environmental concern. According to a United Nations Enquiry Programme (UNEP) report, production of plastic materials has grown at the rate of 5 percent per annum over the past 20 years. In developing countries, the use of plastics is even higher due to economic growth, and changes in consumption and production pattern. Lack of efficient waste management system therefore poses serious threats to environment and human health when plastic wastes are not disposed of properly.
The negative impacts of plastic waste can be addressed by recognizing the fact that it has a great potential for resource conservation when converted into valuable resources. We therefore need to ensure 100 percent recycling of plastic wastes in the most innovative and cost effective ways. This will not only help protect environment but also will create massive employment in the recycling industry.
Plastic waste disposal is an emerging problem in Bangladesh, particularly in the urban areas. According to a survey, around 5 percent of the total waste generated in Dhaka City is plastic. A majority of population does not have access to proper waste disposal services, leading to a significant proportion of wastes dumped in open lands. Plastic waste also leads to blockage in the drainage system leading to flooding in the streets during rainy seasons.
We therefore need to adopt an integrated approach to improve the plastic waste management system with combination of different methods presently available in Bangladesh: formal system (municipalities/city corporations), community initiatives (CBOs and NGOs), and informal system (informal labor force involved in plastic waste recycling trade chain).We need to build up a strong partnership between these existing three systems to ensure an effective plastic waste management system.
Over the past few years since I took the responsibility of the central bank governor, Bangladesh Bank has been promoting financing of environment friendly green output options and practices through ensuring adequate financing for green products as well as providing timely guidelines for green banking. We have created Taka 2 billion refinance scheme for 50 green products of which 4 relate to solid waste management. Any plastic waste management initiative falling into these categories is therefore eligible to access this refinance line. I would highly encourage you to exploit this opportunity.
Rapid economic growth is of high urgency and priority but not at the cost of environmental instability. Rather, our development plans should highly consider environmental sustainability, social equity, and economic stability. As an advocate for sustainable growth, I would therefore request all of you present here today to contribute to the next decade of inclusive and sustainable growth in Bangladesh through ensuring a proper waste management system.
