Sanwar Hosain :
Though use of polythene bag is illegal in Bangladesh since 2002, still it is widely produced, used and dumped in the country due to its convenience, mobility and availability.
No other suitable alternative has been discovered and offered yet to the users so that they can avoid hazardous polythene bags to meet carrying needs.
The Department of Environment (DOE) has recently announced publicly again on polythene ban, but it is not enough for raising public awareness as there are few alternative there to meet carrying and preservation needs.
The nylon, cloth and jute bags are no longer to be considered as an alternative of polythene. Despite ban, still polythene bags are produced, exhibited, marketed and transported openly countrywide. Chairman of the Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Engineering of Dhaka University, Professor Dr Md Nurul Amin has suggested as we have failed to formulate suitable alternative of polythene we should focus on proper recycling of such threatening material and safeguard our environment.
“Despite ban, people are using it most often and dumping openly which generates various complexities of the environment and public health,” Dr Nurul Amin said.
“As no initiative against it has worked, we need to focus on sustainable recycling then,” he added.
Jebunnesa Begum, a house wife, came to shop groceries at Shantinagar Bazaar and said to the New Nation that almost every seller of different products gave her goods wrapping in a polythene bag taking it for tradition.
“We often do not carry shopping bags while shopping because convenient polythene shopping bags give us mobility and it is easy going,” She said.
“Polythene bags are water proof, light and widely available, we do not bother to use it for any purpose of storing and preserving foods,” she said.
Like her, many of users are not aware of health and environmental hazards of polythene due to its availability and popularity and an absence of cost effective environment friendly alternatives.
Insider said the major polythene bag wholesale markets are in Chawkbazar, Begumbazar and Moulvibazar in Dhaka. These markets also supply polythene bags country wide.
Bhairab Bazar in Kishoreganj district is the largest polythene bag market in the country. Also it is being manufactured illegally in other districts such as Chittagong, Munshiganj, Bogra and Shariatpur beside Lalbagh and Kamrangirchar in Dhaka.
Though the Department of Environment (DoE) conducts drives against the polythene bag manufacturers and sellers, it is not sufficient to stop their use permanently, said Chairman of Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) Abu Naser Khan.
According to DoE, storing foods in polythene bags can be toxic and cause many chronic diseases including cancer.
Not only health hazard, plastic bags clog drains and waterways, threatening urban environment and creating severe safety hazards. Drainage systems blocked by plastic bags have been identified as a major cause of urban flood, land and water pollution.
Besides, it is widely burned after dumping by the public and corporation cleaners which pollutes air by emitting toxic gas like Hydrogen Cyanide threatening for environment as well as public health.
Mobility promotes the use of polythene a bit more in the country. Children and adults are often found carrying liquids like hot tea, lemonades, oils, cooked pulse, hot rice and innovatively what they can carry.
According to health experts, it is unsafe for health and cause deadly diseases.
Abu Hossain, a factory worker at Shyampur industrial area who was carrying hot tea from a tea stall told the NN that it is very convenient for him and less accountable as he will not come again to dispose the tea carrier to the stall.
This is how, mobility, convenience and availability of polythene replaced other carriers though it is not eco-friendly.
Though use of polythene bag is illegal in Bangladesh since 2002, still it is widely produced, used and dumped in the country due to its convenience, mobility and availability.
No other suitable alternative has been discovered and offered yet to the users so that they can avoid hazardous polythene bags to meet carrying needs.
The Department of Environment (DOE) has recently announced publicly again on polythene ban, but it is not enough for raising public awareness as there are few alternative there to meet carrying and preservation needs.
The nylon, cloth and jute bags are no longer to be considered as an alternative of polythene. Despite ban, still polythene bags are produced, exhibited, marketed and transported openly countrywide. Chairman of the Department of Applied Chemistry & Chemical Engineering of Dhaka University, Professor Dr Md Nurul Amin has suggested as we have failed to formulate suitable alternative of polythene we should focus on proper recycling of such threatening material and safeguard our environment.
“Despite ban, people are using it most often and dumping openly which generates various complexities of the environment and public health,” Dr Nurul Amin said.
“As no initiative against it has worked, we need to focus on sustainable recycling then,” he added.
Jebunnesa Begum, a house wife, came to shop groceries at Shantinagar Bazaar and said to the New Nation that almost every seller of different products gave her goods wrapping in a polythene bag taking it for tradition.
“We often do not carry shopping bags while shopping because convenient polythene shopping bags give us mobility and it is easy going,” She said.
“Polythene bags are water proof, light and widely available, we do not bother to use it for any purpose of storing and preserving foods,” she said.
Like her, many of users are not aware of health and environmental hazards of polythene due to its availability and popularity and an absence of cost effective environment friendly alternatives.
Insider said the major polythene bag wholesale markets are in Chawkbazar, Begumbazar and Moulvibazar in Dhaka. These markets also supply polythene bags country wide.
Bhairab Bazar in Kishoreganj district is the largest polythene bag market in the country. Also it is being manufactured illegally in other districts such as Chittagong, Munshiganj, Bogra and Shariatpur beside Lalbagh and Kamrangirchar in Dhaka.
Though the Department of Environment (DoE) conducts drives against the polythene bag manufacturers and sellers, it is not sufficient to stop their use permanently, said Chairman of Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) Abu Naser Khan.
According to DoE, storing foods in polythene bags can be toxic and cause many chronic diseases including cancer.
Not only health hazard, plastic bags clog drains and waterways, threatening urban environment and creating severe safety hazards. Drainage systems blocked by plastic bags have been identified as a major cause of urban flood, land and water pollution.
Besides, it is widely burned after dumping by the public and corporation cleaners which pollutes air by emitting toxic gas like Hydrogen Cyanide threatening for environment as well as public health.
Mobility promotes the use of polythene a bit more in the country. Children and adults are often found carrying liquids like hot tea, lemonades, oils, cooked pulse, hot rice and innovatively what they can carry.
According to health experts, it is unsafe for health and cause deadly diseases.
Abu Hossain, a factory worker at Shyampur industrial area who was carrying hot tea from a tea stall told the NN that it is very convenient for him and less accountable as he will not come again to dispose the tea carrier to the stall.
This is how, mobility, convenience and availability of polythene replaced other carriers though it is not eco-friendly.
