Experts put emphasis on circular solutions, public-private collaborations for reducing plastic waste

Industry experts and relevant stakeholders have underscored the need to introduce circular solutions for reducing plastic waste in Bangladesh in a recent webinar held on Tuesday (5 December).

They also opined that bigger and more meaningful collaborations among stakeholders will play a significant role in addressing this problem, said a press release. 

Bopinc in partnership with Arla Foods Bangladesh organised a webinar titled "Circular Solutions for Plastic Waste in Bangladesh".

The webinar was moderated by Rolph Droste, Lead, Circularity and Regeneration, Bopinc. Environment specialists, industry experts, sector specialists from development agencies and other stakeholders took part in the webinar.

Representatives and stakeholders from USAID, Oxfam Bangladesh, Embassy of Denmark, Arla Foods Bangladesh, Coca-Cola Bangladesh Beverages Ltd, International School Dhaka (ISD), Square Group, ACI, Arbab Group, PRAN RFL Group, Bangladesh Sustainability Alliance and Nestle Bangladesh Ltd delivered speeches and shared their recommendations at the webinar.

1,700 tonnes of plastic waste are dumped every day in Bangladesh while the amount of single-use plastic dumped annually in the country is 87,000 tonnes.

Managing such volumes of plastic waste is a big challenge for the country. Additionally, there are other challenges with regard to plastic waste management that are hindering the process of building a sustainable future.

Speakers at the webinar focused on key challenges related to plastic waste management while citing environmental degradation, health risks, and resource depletion as major byproducts of inefficient plastic waste management.

Experts emphasized the importance of early waste management education in schools to teach young people about the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and environmental care activities. Integrating environmental education in school curriculums is crucial to mitigate the negative impact on the ecosystem.

The stakeholders agreed on the need for a cultural shift to eliminate plastic waste, introducing practical alternatives, curbing pollution and wastage and a holistic approach to both waste collection and recycling. Additionally, they stressed the need for rural citizens to participate in reducing plastic pollution, emphasising the importance of waste segregation and behaviour change, and incentivising recycling.

Rolph Droste, Lead, Circularity and Regeneration, Bopinc, said at the webinar, "We are glad to host this webinar at a time when we are all working towards a better global environment. By forging partnerships, we can explore strategies, coping mechanisms, challenges, and potential solutions for a better planet. We are eager to implement new practices for plastic waste management."

To address the problems and encourage sustainable alternatives, speakers put emphasis on the importance of a circular economy and solutions including sustainable product design, collection points in urban and rural areas and sustainable packaging.