Since 2018, every year this Brand Audit has been carried out by the Environment and Social Development Organization – ESDO as a part of an attempt to identify the plastic polluters in Bangladesh. This is the sixth time ESDO conducted its 6th Brand Audit in collaboration with Break Free from Plastic focusing on raising public awareness and providing producers with vital information for safeguarding the environment against the harmful impacts of single-use plastics. This comprehensive audit occurred in two major divisional cities in Bangladesh, namely Dhaka and Rangpur.
This involved the active participation of about 100 volunteers. In Dhaka, the audit was carried out by 50 volunteers from Lalmatia Girls High School, Lalmatia Housing Society School, and St. Joseph Higher Secondary School, along with Girl Guides and ESDO team members. The audit route began at Asad Gate and continued through Lalmatia area, Mohammadpur area, Sangsad Bhaban area, Dhanmondi Govt Boys School, Dhanmondi 27, and ended at Lalmatia Housing Society School.
Simultaneously, in Rangpur, 50 volunteers from Rangpur Zilla School and Rangpur Govt. Girls High School conducted the brand audit, covering significant locations such as DC Mor, Kachari Bazar, DC office, Shikkha Office, Townhall, and Shurovi Udyan.
To collect the plastic waste the volunteers were divided into groups. Each group is assigned to a specific location to collect. They collected single-use plastics from their designated locations and noted the brand of the packaging material. This information is important to identify the sources of plastic pollution. Following the waste collection, they recorded the brand name and detailed description in the data sheet.
Through this brand audit initiative, ESDO successfully identified several national and multinational brands that contribute to single-use plastic pollution. Around 158 kilograms of plastic waste were collected from these two major divisional cities.
This brand audit has played a crucial role in shedding light on the magnitude of plastic pollution and the responsible brands involved. By engaging schools, volunteers, and girl guides, this brand audit has created an opportunity to involve the community in environmental conservation efforts and promote sustainable practices.
