STAR BUSINESS REPORT

Bangladesh is missing out on a potential $500 million economic opportunity every year due to the absence of a formal electronic waste (e-waste) management system, according to an expert.

“In Bangladesh, we generate 2.2 kilogrammes of e-waste per person, with a financial value of over $500 million if 100 percent is recycled formally,” Akter Ul Alam, general secretary of the WEEE Society Bangladesh, said yesterday, citing data from the Global E-waste Monitor 2024.

“Yet, we are not just failing to capture this economic value; the informal and unsafe processing of this waste is creating a public health hazard and polluting our ecosystem,” he added while speaking at a discussion in Dhaka on advancing the economy through formal e-waste management.

Bangladesh generates around 367 million kilogrammes of e-waste annually. A major hurdle in recycling that waste is the “absence of structured collection mechanisms” and a stark “lack of integration between formal and informal recycling sectors.”

Furthermore, Alam said recyclers face a huge red-tape barrier, requiring permission from 21 authorities annually, and are “yet to be recognised as an industry,” blocking vital investment.

The WEEE Society, a group of environmental professionals, advocates a circular approach focusing on maintenance, reuse, and refurbishment before certified recycling.

The society recommended unlocking the financial and environmental potential by implementing Extended Producer Responsibility laws to make manufacturers financially accountable for their products’ end of life, creating incentive programmes, and waiving taxes on spare parts to boost the repair industry.

“The necessity of stronger regulations, active collaboration with government agencies, and the fostering of public-private partnerships was emphasised,” Alam said.