Punish violators: Greens

Environmentalists yesterday demanded exemplary punishment for the people who are violating the law banning production and use of polythene.

They also demanded a proper action from the government to stop import of raw materials of polythene and tissue bags, and take steps to encourage people to use environment-friendly alternatives.

They made the demands at a seminar marking Earth Day, to be observed today.

Poribesh Bachao Andolon (Poba) organised the event at its Kalabagan office in the capital with its Chairperson Abu Naser Khan in the chair.

Engineer Abdus Sobhan, general secretary of the organisation, said although production of polythene is banned by law, it has been increasing day by day.

On January 1, 2002, the government banned manufacturing, marketing and using polythene shopping bags in the capital. A nationwide ban was made effective from March 31 of the same year.

Analysing different researches and information, Sobhan said use of plastic was 15,000 tonnes in 1990 which increased to 7.5 lakh tonnes in 2010, meaning there was a 50 times increment in 20 years.

Sobhan, also a former additional director general of the Department of Environment, said currently some 5,000 industries -- big and small -- are producing 12 lakh tonnes of plastic yearly.

Currently, 7.5kg plastic items are used by a person in the country annually, he said.

Sobhan said a single family uses four polythene bags everyday in Dhaka and around 2 crore polythene bags are being used in the capital on a daily basis, many of which are being dumped in drains and water bodies causing waterlogging.

“We were praised worldwide when we banned its production but the law is not being executed properly,” he said. Around 1,200 factories are now producing polythene.

In his keynote paper, Prof Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, chairman of the environment science department of Stamford University Bangladesh, said use of polythene in Bangladesh is less compared to the neighbouring countries.

“But it is more harmful for our country mainly because of a poor waste management.”

Besides, Kamruzzaman, also a secretary of Poba, said around 30 lakh tissue bags, which is harmful for health and environment, is being produced in the country daily.

He called for coordination among the authorities concerned and a proper step from the environment and forests ministry to execute the ban.

Lelin Chowhdury, joint secretary of Poba, said use of polythene is causing different types of disease including cancer. “So, the government should work towards encouraging people to use jute and other environment-friendly alternatives.

Since 1970, Earth Day has been celebrated to demonstrate support for environmental protection. This year, Earth Day will be observed with the slogan -- “End Plastic Pollution”.