Innovative solutions a must to manage waste: Minister

Innovative and smart solutions should be developed for managing waste in Bangladesh, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperative (LGRD) Minister Md Tajul Islam said today.

The minister was speaking at a seminar on "Enabling policy for sustainable plastic waste management" at the Westin Dhaka.

"Waste collection is currently not considered to be sustainable as it is still not viewed as a business proposition," the minister said.

An effective solution would be the circular system, which ensures the consumption of plastic does not increase and moves towards a sustainable waste management model, he said.

"We must also empower the value chain actors and provide holistic support to the informal sector, comprising the micro-entrepreneurs, scrap dealers and waste pickers. This informal yet important sector must be facilitated and a proper structure should be developed for our own sake."

Addressing the event, Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Md Shahab Uddin said waste management is a complex process as it has multiple industries and stakeholder involvement.

"Our focus is to co-create policies that are practical and effective, in consultation with stakeholders, including brand owners, to intervene in the value chain. We need to identify the mechanism and institutional arrangements are necessary to co-devise a circular plastic economy."

He said the implementation of the action plan also requires the allocation of budget and resources leveraging both public and private finance.

"We hope that this plan will help the government achieve its vision and become a role model for other countries."

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Unilever Bangladesh jointly organised the programme.

Senior Secretary of the Prime Minister's Office Md Tofazzal Hossain Miah and FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin also spoke.