While commuting through Dhaka alleyways amid the drizzle at noon today (30 July), excessive run-off and numerous plastic wastes were found overflowing from some open manholes.
Parallel to severe water-logging in every monsoon, such a scene is common in Bangladesh’s overpopulated and unplanned urban areas.
It is frustrating that people may prefer to embrace clogged drainage systems but seldom pay heed to better waste management, especially of plastic residues. Hence, there is no alternative to repeated alarms: “Plastic pollution is leading Bangladesh to an environmental catastrophe.”
The memory of water-logging on 12 July in parts of Dhaka might be unfaded in the dwellers’ minds. On that day, 130 mm of rainfall in six hours flooded streets and homes across the capital.
The downpour began in the early hours and continued till noon, and rainwater did not recede from many places even in the evening.
"Dhaka city's drainage system cannot drain out the water quickly. The surface drains on the roadside are clogged by waste in many cases,” said Professor Md Akter Mahmud, at the Department of Urban and Regional Planning under Jahangirnagar University, also a member of the advisory council of the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP), told a newspaper.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bangladesh generates approximately 821,250 tonnes of plastic waste annually. Alarmingly, only about 40%—roughly 228,000 tonnes—are recycled or repurposed.
The composition of this waste includes a wide array of products: beverage bottles, polythene bags, cosmetic containers, and various household items.
Most of the plastic waste often ends up in drains or landfills.
Over 30% of Bangladesh's total plastic waste originates in the capital, Dhaka. The city generates nearly 250,000 tonnes of waste per year, averaging around 681 tonnes per day.
While the national average stands at 9 kilograms of waste per capita annually, Dhaka's figure is a staggering 18 kilograms. Disturbingly, 80% of the capital's plastic waste consists of single-use products.
This prevalent issue poses the most significant challenge to urban waste management.
During the monsoon season, clogged drains exacerbate flooding in cities, with plastic waste transforming into microplastics over time.
Several studies have traced that these plastic particles infiltrate the ecosystem, disrupting food chains as they find their way into both marine and freshwater fish, ultimately entering the human food supply.
Research from the Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) indicates that approximately 15,345 tonnes of plastic end up in these waterways daily, ultimately accumulating in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangladesh ranks among the top 10 countries worldwide for plastic and polythene usage. Between 2005 and 2022, plastic consumption surged by over threefold.
Projections suggest that by 2025, urban centers will produce nearly 50,000 tonnes of waste daily. Yet, plastic waste management continues to languish without prioritisation from policymakers.
Mohammad Azaz, Chairman of the River and Delta Research Center (RDRC), recommends an effective management of plastic waste.
“The time has come for Bangladesh to confront its plastic pollution crisis head-on. A multi-faceted approach involving regulation, public awareness, and innovative recycling initiatives is essential to safeguard the environment and protect public health for future generations,” Azaz says.
