Indiscriminate burning of plastic is polluting the environment
Sanjay Kumar Bhowmik, Additional Secretary (Environment) of the Ministry of Forest, Environment and Climate Change (MoFECC), Bangladesh, has called not to burn plastic indiscriminately to prevent air pollution.
He said, “Microplastics spread in the atmosphere due to plastic burning cause various diseases including cancer. So, proper management of plastic is essential.” “Everyone concerned should come forward in this regard,” he opined.
Department of Environment (Bangladesh), organized a seminar under the project ‘Integrated Approach to World Sustainable Plastic Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh’ on January 08, 2024.
The call came on the heels of a review meeting of the 3rd Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3) to develop an international legally binding agreement on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.
Dr. Abdul Hamid, the Director General of the Department of Environment, Bangladesh, presided over the workshop, and Sanjay Kumar Bhowmick, Additional Secretary (Environment), MOFECC, was the chief guest.
Zaki Uz Zaman, country representative to Bangladesh of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Additional Director General of Department of Environment (Bangladesh), Kazi Abu Taher Joint Secretary (Environment) of MOFECC, Bangladesh, Mohammad Abdul Wadud Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Plastic Products Manufacturers and Exporters Association spoke at the event.
The main article was presented by Md. Majedul Islam, Deputy Director and INC Focal Point Officer of Bangladesh, and Abdullah Al Mamun, Deputy Secretary of the Environment Department, (Bangladesh).
Downstream countries continue to have to pay a high price through pollution of adjacent marine environments, the original presentation said. In this context,
Bangladesh proposed to include a definition of ‘downstream developing countries’ and to add a comprehensive list of downstream countries in the annex to the text of the upcoming internationally legally binding plastics agreement.
The seminar also suggested a dedicated funding flow for downstream developing countries, including Bangladesh, and also granted a significant grace period for those countries to meet waste management targets.
