The Department of Environment (DoE) last year launched a project to stop the use of single-use plastic in 12 coastal districts. It has so far held just one meeting with hotel and motel owners in Cox’s Bazar. Since then, no step is taken to contain single-use plastic. Concerns are growing worldwide about plastic pollution, especially in oceans, where nearly half of the single-use plastic products end up, causing deaths to marine life. Plastic also enters the human food chain.
At least 14 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean every year. Plastic debris is currently the most abundant type of litter in the ocean, making up 80 per cent of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Plastic is found on the shorelines of every continent, with more plastic waste found near popular tourist destinations and densely populated areas. Bangladesh has been seeing a steep rise in plastic usage over the years. As per research conducted by World Bank in 2020, per capita, plastic usage in the country was 3kg in 2005 and the figure went up to 9kg in 2020. Bangladesh produces 821,250 tonnes of plastic annually and of the amount around 30 per cent is recycled each year.
Single-use plastic includes single-use cups and plates, lollipop sticks, wrappers, sachets, extruded polystyrene, plastic cutlery, cigarette filters, cotton swabs, coffee stirrers, small water and juice bottles, plastic bags and multilayer plastic packaging. Microplastics have been found in tap water, salt and are present in all samples collected in the world’s oceans. Several chemicals used in the production of plastic materials are known to be carcinogenic and to interfere with the body’s endocrine system, causing developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders in both humans and wildlife. Recently, microplastics were found in human placentas.
We want the government must end plastic pollution to save humanity, agriculture, tourism, marine and biodiversity. Excessive use of plastic is catastrophic for humankind.
