DHAKA, Nov 28, 2024 (BSS) - Speakers at a roundtable underscored the need for raising public awareness and media engagement in combating plastic pollution through collective action.

Policy Exchange Bangladesh, a private sector economic and investment advisory platform, organised the event titled "Policy for Progress: Building a Sustainable Bangladesh" at a city hotel, focusing on plastic waste management challenges and opportunities in Bangladesh.

Dr. M Masrur Reaz, Chairman and CEO of Policy Exchange Bangladesh, said in 2005, per capita plastic usage was 3 kg, which rose to 9 kg by 2020. The rate is even higher in Dhaka, where residents consume 24 kg annually, he said.

The Ministry of Environment is working on an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy under the 2021 Solid Waste Management Rules, which are steps in the right direction, he said, adding that a list of single-use plastic (SUP) items is being prepared for a planned ban.

He stressed addressing the associated environmental and economic challenges, assessing the impact, and understanding the capacity and alternatives necessary to make the policies successful.

Shamim Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BPGMEA), stated that identifying what SUP actually entails and conducting research to understand the impact of phasing out of these plastics will be crucial to policymaking; additionally, prioritizing implementable EPR policies can be considered a route to manage the threat posed by SUPs.

Local governments must lead these efforts, as they are pivotal in developing grassroots infrastructure and services, he said.

Emphasizing the need for long-term and community-driven initiatives, Debabrata Roy Chouwdhury, Company Secretary and Head of Legal and Taxation, Nestle Bangladesh, noted that strong waste management systems require more than legal and policy measures.

In developed nations, public training and awareness initiatives play a vital role, he said, adding that a culture of recycling and reuse must be fostered, with all citizens included under the EPR framework along with the necessary infrastructure and capacity development.

Waste Concern Co-founder Maqsood Sinha, Chief Sustainability Officer of DBL Group Zahid Ullah, former member of NBR Farid Uddin, former Acting Chair of BIDA Mohsena Yasmin, journalists Zakir Hossain of Samakl, Daulat Akhter Mala of Financial Express, Masud Rumee of Kaler Kantho, Marjan Nur of UK FCDO, Rabiul Islam from Asian Development Bank, and Mumit Hasan from Reverse Resources spoke, among others.