Single Use Plastic Pollution is an emerging environmental concern. Every year more than 87000 tons of Single Use Plastic is discarded in Bangladesh according to a study report by Environment and Social Development Organization – ESDO in 2019. Considering the serious health threats posed by plastic, the manufacture and use of single-use plastic should be banned immediately in order to discuss the issue, an open forum entitled “Single-Use Plastic: Hidden Costs of Health and Environment ” was organized by – ESDO in association with Mymensingh City Corporation at Mymensingh City Corporation Auditorium on Saturday, 15th February 2020. Upon the revelation of the detrimental impacts of single-use plastic on health and the environment, the participants urged for immediate preventive actions in this regard for the sake of
public health and welfare.
Considering the existing scenario of single-use plastic usage in Bangladesh, experts and activists present in the open forum, highlighted the urgency of banning single-use plastic in Bangladesh. In this regard, the implementation of the recent High Court rulings to ban single-use plastic by 2021 was greatly emphasized by all. Former Secretary of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Chairperson of ESDO Syed Marghub Murshed graced the event as the Chief Guest. He solicited the authority to take rigorous initiatives in outlawing single-use plastic in Bangladesh. He said that “Single-use plastics represent the epitome of today’s throwaway culture. Most of our plastic ends up in landfills, oceans, waterways, and in the environment causing massive environmental pollution. The government should take immediate action to implement the high court order to ban single-use plastic by 2021.”
Single Use Plastic Pollution is a growing threat to human health and the environment. Plastic pollution can afflict land, waterways, and oceans. However, the chemical structure of plastics makes them resistant to natural degradation processes upon disposal. Billions upon billions of non-biodegradable single-use plastic items are choking our oceans, lakes, and rivers and piling up on land resulting in infertility and degradation. This greatly impacts our environment and poses potential threats to the
the health of humans and other living beings.
