Among many issues related to the burning concern of environmental pollution, toxic chemicals impacts are gradually drawing attention to the global and national policy. One such rising concern is the ramifications of the Lead Acid Batteries (LAB) and Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB). This category of batteries has long been used due to its efficiency of storing energy for sufficiently longer period, which is also capable of providing high amount of electricity for a very short period of time. Since the LABs are recycled and reused in several sectors being termed as ULAB, this associates a great deal of lead pollution in soil and water that ultimately causes harm to human health.
The project entitled ‘The Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) of Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULAB) in Bangladesh’ feeds into UNEP’s project 5.lll “Accelerating the implementation of the chemicals and waste multilateral environmental agreements and achieving the targets of related sustainable Development Goals for improved human health and a clean environment”. As part of the project output 2 “technical assistance and capacity building on lead”, this project will result in a national strategy on the ESM of ULAB in Bangladesh and ESDO has been selected as a lead partner for this pilot project based on its experience in addressing pollution problems in Bangladesh.
To introduce the project with the policy makers and the stakeholders, ESDO in collaboration with UN Environment and Pure Earth organized Project Inception Workshop and Multi-stakeholder Planning and Coordination Meeting on “Lead and Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) Recycling” on 13th October, 2020 via online platform Zoom.
The workshop was participated by Dr. A.K.M. Rafique Ahammed, Director General, Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of The People’s Republic of Bangladesh. Furthermore, Dr. Desiree Raquel Narvaez, Program Officer, Chemical and Health Branch, Economy Division, UN Environment; Andrew McCartor, Director of Global Policy and Planning and Regional Director for Southeast Asia, Pure Earth; Mr. Ishtiaq Uddin Ahmad, Former Chief Conservator of Forest and Country Director, IUCN and Advisor ESDO, Dr. Shahriar Hossain, Secretary General and Siddika Sultana, Executive Director of ESDO along with Govt., NGO and INGO’s officials, Journalists of Print and Electronic Media and other ESDO team members.
