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Damages of plastic outweigh benefits: experts

Star Business Report
The plastic sector may contribute more than 1 percent to the economy, but it also produces 8 percent of Bangladesh's waste, which is alarming for the environment, experts said yesterday.
Only raising awareness among people on the usage of plastic, especially polythene bags, can save the country from the devastating threat of environment pollution, Md Ziaul Haque, director of the environment department, said at a seminar at Ban Bhaban in the capital's Agargaon.
Bangladesh ranks 10th among countries, which are the responsible for most of the plastic pollution. Plastic comprises 8 percent of the country's waste generated every year, weighing some 800,000 tonnes.
Of the waste, 200,000 tonnes end up in the ocean and rivers, said Haque while presenting a keynote paper.
According to Haque, roughly 14 million pieces of poly bags are used every day in Dhaka city, often ending up in rivers and the ocean and posing a hazard to marine life.
Bangladesh experienced floods in 1998 and 2008 when plastic bags were one of the major causes for blockages in drainage systems, he said.
Anisul Islam Mahmud, environment, forest and climate change minister, said the environment would have to be protected for future generations through raising awareness about the negative impacts of the use of plastic and poly bags.
He said the use of plastic and poly bags would bring devastating consequences for the environment if they were not recycled.
"We will not be able to avoid plastic and poly bags in our daily life. But we should find out alternative products and cooperate with plastic producers in collecting used plastic products and poly bags to ensure recycling," he said.
Jashim Uddin, president of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said initiatives are being taken globally to stop single use of plasticto mitigate environmental hazards.
"If we can put in place a proper plastic waste management system, it will help protect the environment. It is already happening in Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands," he added.
He said plastic manufacturers recycle about 70 percent of used plastic products and export them to China as scrap. Billal Hossain, additional secretary to the ministry, said although the government banned poly bags in 2002, they are still in use.
Sultan Ahmed, director general of the environment department; Ram Sharma, forest specialist of the United Nations Development Programme, and Arif M Faisal, a programme specialist of the UNDP, also addressed the programme.
The department of environment handed over crests as awards to three participants of an environment fair based on their contribution to environment protection.
The Clean and Sustainable Environment Project secured the first position, KPC Industries Ltd came second, and Craft and Kraft third.