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Urgent Action required against catastrophe of Single Use Plastic

The excessive use of Single Use of Plastic may bring a catastrophic scenario in Bangladesh very soon. With a view to encouraging mass people to quit single-use plastic, Environment and Social Development Organization-ESDO has organized a day-long mobile Campaign on 2nd March in different important places in Dhaka. The campaigner took the stand in front of the National Assembly, Dhaka University Teacher-students Center (TSC), Gulshan DNCC market, and Gulshan Circle 2.

Single-use plastics or disposable plastics are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Single-use plastic includes drinking straws, Plastic cotton buds, Sachets, food packaging, coffee stirrers, water bottles, plastic bags, etc. The main problem with these single-use plastics is they are non-recyclable and non-biodegradable. They slowly break down into smaller fragments known as microplastics. In the process of breaking down, it releases toxic chemicals which enter our food chain and water supply. These toxic chemicals are now being found in our bloodstream. And the latest research has linked them to cancer, infertility, birth defects, impaired immunity, and many other ailments.

ESDO Team started their campaign from TSC, Dhaka University in the morning. Concerned students from Dhaka University and mass people join the campaign. Tamjid Ahmed, a student at Dhaka University said, “Single-use plastic is a curse for our environment. They have severe effects on our respiratory, nervous system and also in reproductive systems. To protect our environment Govt. should take immediate action against it.” The campaign moved towards the Gulshan DNCC market at noon. Abdul Jabbar, a fruit seller in the DNCC market said, “We don’t want to use Single Use of Plastic, due to its cost efficiency we are using it. But we urge to the Govt. to introduce its alternatives to protect public health and the environment.” The Evening Campaign moved in front of the National Parliament. Mr. Raihan Ali, an engineer who came to visit along with his family said, “The initiative of ESDO to create awareness against Single Use Plastic is highly appreciable. Even over here, you can see sachets, wrappers, straws, etc here and there all around. Our Govt. should introduce a law against Single Use Plastic to save our future generation.”

From the initial survey conducted by ESDO, it is estimated that only from the old town in Dhaka, around 250 tons of single-use straws and plastic cutleries are being sold per month, in different parts of Bangladesh. It is estimated from the ESDO study that with other sources around 312 tons of single-use plastics are being sold per month all over Bangladesh. The amount was calculated through a questionnaire survey which was done both for wholesale manufacturers and retailers. Only from 5 straw and cutleries manufacturer companies, around 9 core 75 lakh pieces of single-use plastics are selling each month in the form of straws and cutleries which weigh equivalence to 195 tons per month. On the other hand, from the 25 retailers, around 50 tons of single-use plastics are produced in the same way in the Chokbazar area. Among these single-use plastics, approximately 80 to 85% are discarded waste which endpoint is in the drain, river, or ocean and this is creating massive pollution in the nearby rivers and at the end in the Bay of Bengal. In Bangladesh, Chakbazar’s old town is the only area where they are whole sells plastic straws and cutleries all over Bangladesh.

Single-use plastic contains various polymers in food packaging film contains Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Cutlery, plates, and cups contain polystyrene (PS), Hot drink cups, insulated food packaging contains Expanded polystyrene (EPS), a Microwave dishes, ice cream tubs, potato chip bags, and bottle caps containing Polycarbonate polypropylene (PP). Foamed plastic contains styrene and Benzene which are toxic and carcinogenic.

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