Home ›› 07 Jul 2022 ›› Editorial
Plastic is one of the most commonly used items globally and it has crosscutting uses. In Bangladesh there are more than three thousand plastic factories. Dhaka is the host of a maximum number of plastic factories followed by Chattogram, Narayangong, Khulna, Cumilla, Bogura, Rajshahi and Sylhet. The plastic sector in Bangladesh mostly consists of small-scale industries. There are several medium and large-scale industries as well. The domestic market is worth about Taka forty billion.
Plastic is used in every sphere of our life – encompassing household products, furniture, flexible packaging, building materials, engineering and industrial parts, electric components, automobile spare parts, pharmaceutical packaging, health care products, bottle and containers, toys, melamine and tableware, travel luggage, office stationeries, water sewage pipes, garments accessories, shoes and sandals, battery casings, PVC compounding, etc.
The use of plastic is still not that big, in global terms, in the country at 9.0 kg/per head (2020) up from 3.0 kg in 2005 according to the World Bank. Dhaka’s annual per capita consumption of plastic is of course much higher at 24 kg comprising about 2.35 per cent of the total. Comparative scenario of use of plastic per person is much higher in other countries such as; USA(150 kg), UK( 99 kg), South Korea(88 kg), Germany( 81 kg), Thailand(70 kg), Malaysia( 67 kg), Argentina(61 kg), Russia( 59 kg).
Experts have repeatedly stated that the use of plastic in a sustainable manner is important without harming nature. It is estimated that Singapore generated 76 kilograms of single-use plastic waste per person in 2019, making it the leading single-use plastic waste polluter on a per capita basis worldwide. This was followed by Australia, where an estimated 59 kilograms of single-use plastic waste is generated per capita. Bangladesh is a small but densely populated country. Whatever the amount of plastic per person in use; it must be managed properly. Otherwise, it will prove to be a serious problem in the future. And we are already facing the adverse impact of the indiscriminate use of plastic.
The Bangladesh government has been trying to discourage single-use plastic. Despite government directives, the situation is getting worse. There is a need for generating awareness so that pollution can be contained at the source. There is a need for awareness among consumers at all levels– household users, shopkeepers, industries, retailers, wholesalers – so that an integrated approach can be created. Somehow we need to frame strategies to protect the environment through increased efficiency in the use of plastic.
Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) as proposed and pursued by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) can contribute as an integrated preventive environmental strategy to process products and services to increase efficiency and reduce risks to humans and the environment. The system establishes a relation between product output and resource input, and how resources are used to add economic value. Definitely, this is a proactive environmental strategy, a step beyond waste handling and management. RECP is being used nowadays in several countries in different ways and plastic use can be an example.
It is observed from the available information that globally about 2 billion tonnes of municipal waste is generated in Bangladesh which needs to be converted into resources, of which a huge quantity is plastic. SDG-9 encompassing inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) can be ensured through circular and low carbon economy, manufacturing excellence, innovation and digitalisation.
Plastic has become an integral and important part of our life due to its low costs, versatility and high strength-to-weight ratio. Single-use plastic– which includes packaging and products– is of particular concern. We need to explore innovative solutions, using alternative products and materials, 4R technologies and their applications.
So far we have been familiar with 3R however there are technologies up to 12 R and right in the middle, there is 6R. While by 3R we mean, reduce, reuse and recycle, 6R means Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle. With some additional attributes, 12R is to include Refurbish/ Reconditions, Remanufacture, Repurpose, Redesign, Record/development, Re-skill, Revenue(Logistics), and Revision(Production). It is difficult to go up to that level. However, we need to establish practices so that gradually we can switch over from 3R to 6R.
There are technologies available and learning from the best practices will help us. In the industrial sector, we need to practice a circular economy which is to return products and parts and materials into use several times along value chains provided products are designed to last, value is maintained for long as possible, and waste and pollution generation is minimized, renewable energy is used as much as possible, resource efficiencies is one of the primary targets for the circular economy.
Sustainable plastic use can contribute to reducing environmental impact, improving productivity and fostering clean tech with innovation through an integrated approach. There is a need for a policy framework for capacity building for sustainable plastic use, collection sources segregated waste and minimization of waste, waste generated during manufacturing to reduce through preventive techniques and finally collection, recycling resource recovery and environmentally sound disposal of plastics.
Resource efficiency is the core issue. Resource efficiency means the use of the limited resource of the earth in a sustainable manner minimizing impacts on the environment. It allows the creation of more with fewer inputs. The ecological footprint of Bangladesh is 0.75 (global hectares per capita) against 1.06 in India , 1.43 in Sri Lanka and 4.61 in Bhutan. On the other hand bio-capacity(global hectares per capita) is 0.37 in Bangladesh against 0.44 of India , 0.48 of Sri Lanka and 5.14 of Bhutan. Global footprint is 2.84. Due to low per capita income available land ecological footprint is still limited in the country.
A presentation by a UNIDO country representative has shown that Myanmar was using two plastic strips in the electrical manufacturing company for packaging of products in a cardboard cartoon, they reduced the packing just from two strips to one strip, which has allowed them to reduce packing material up to 50 per cent, without any investment, allow saving USD 2000/year for a single packet.
India has initiated a 7-layred waste elimination project UDAYPRIDE-an automotive component supplier development program supported by UNIDO has redefined its pattern by bringing change in quality through the work system. They have been able to save 60 per cent time with product shifts (additional 403 hours of production machine time) saving about one lac USD.
Thailand is implementing a project and supporting 502 MSMEs in the automobile components industry. In collaboration with Switch Asia, they have been able to save water, waste, energy, GHG and work-related accidents.
The implementation of RECP lies in input change, good housekeeping, product modifications, production of useful by-products, on-site reuse and recycling, technology change, equipment modification, better process control, etc.
An ecological deficit occurs when the ecological footprint of production exceeds the bio-capacity of the area available to that population. A national ecological deficit means that the nation is importing bio-capacity through trade, liquidity, national ecological assets or emitting carbon dioxide waste into the atmosphere. An ecological reserve exists when the bio-capacity of a region exceeds its population’s ecological footprint.
Plastic is one of the biggest sectors in the country driven by SMEs. It has a huge domestic contribution as plastic is an essential item and has cross-sector use. The number of plastic factories is increasing of which about 98 per cent are SMEs. The sector is contributing significantly in creating jobs. In the case of direct export, it ranks 12th and in the case of indirect export, the position is 8th.
Proper waste management is one of the biggest challenges in the sector. Waste collection is being done by the local marginal people. The sector is concerned that waste recycling will reduce further with the increase of per capita income which is interrelated because more the people coming out of the poverty level less is the collection. They are interested for an alternative to the use plastic waste, say; for power generation, establishing an energy plant etc, which needs sophisticated technology and investment.
The plastic association has taken up a project for industrial symbiosis and is cooperating with a consulting firm Maxwell Stamp Ltd, funded by the UK government. The joint study could be able to support the sector to produce more environment-friendly products and ensure a sustainable and triving plastic sector.
The writer is CEO, BUILD-a Public Private Dialogue Platform which works for private sector development. She can be contacted at ceo@buildbd.org
