A series of unique initiatives adopted to stop “Single-Use Plastic” in coastal areas, Bangladesh
The Department of Environment (Bangladesh) has taken unique initiatives to stop single-use (one-time) plastic in 40 Upazilas of 12 coastal districts and eight local areas of the Chattogram metropolis.
The use of single-use plastics in these areas will be stopping through the implementation of a three-year plan. Recently, the Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change have issued a manuscript of an action plan in this regard.
Areas planned to ban single-use plastics are:
- Mongla, Sharankhola, and Morelganj in Bagerhat district,
- Amtali, Sadar, Patharghata and Bamna in Barguna district,
- Sadar, Borhanuddin, Charfasne, Daulatkhan Lalmohan, Monpura and Tajumuddin in Bhola district
- Anwara, Banshkhali, Mirsarai, Sandwip and Sitakunda of Chittagong district and Port of Chittagong metropolis, Double Mooring, Pahartali, Panchlaish, Patenga, Halishahar, Kotwali, and Bayazid Bostami
- Chakaria, Sadar, Kutubdia, Maheshkhali, Ramu, and Teknaf of Cox’s Bazar district,
- Sonagazi of Feni district,
- Dakop and Koira of Khulna,
- Ramgoti of Laxmipur,
- Companiganj, Hatia and Sadar of Noakhali.
- Dasmoina, Rangabali, Galachipa, and Kalapara in Patuakhali district,
- Mathbaria in Pirojpur district,
- Asashuni and Shyamnagar in Satkhira district.
The action plan manuscript states that in three phases, the plan will implement by 2023. Single-use plastic products, including one-time glass plates and similar products, juice straws, lollipop covers, cassettes, cigarette filters, cotton buds, surgical gloves or masks, and non-recyclable products (multilayer packets), will be discontinuing.
According to the plan, the first phase will stop single-use plastic in passenger /cargo ships and domestic airports by 2021. The second phase will end single-use plastic in beach-adjacent hotel-motel restaurants by June 2021 and the beach-adjacent marketplace, bus stand, declared public place, governmental/ non-governmental departments, and educational institution of the Upazila December of the same year. Finally, in the third phase, single plastics use will be stopped in all the Upazilas adjacent to the beach by June 2023 and districts adjacent to the beach by December 2023.
As part of this plan, suggestions come to set up waste collection and disposal facilities in Cox’s Bazar and Patuakhali as an environmentally friendly pilot project in the coastal area.
