Feb 13, 2019

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Waste Concern Presents the Keynote Presentation
In the National Workshop on Sustainable Management of Plastic to Leverage
Circular Economy and Achieve SDG in Bangladesh
Organized by Department of Environment (DOE), Government of Bangladesh and Supported by World Bank, Unilver & Other Partners
February 13, 2019, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A national workshop on Sustainable Management of Plastic to Leverage Circular Economy and Achieve SDG in Bangladesh  was held in Dhaka on February 13, 2019. This workshop was organized by the Department of Environment (DOE), Ministry of Environment and Forests Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of Bangladesh and supported by the World Bank, Unilver & Other Partners. More than 150 participants from government, private manufactures, business associations, research bodies, academics and media representative’s attended this workshop. During this workshop leading local and international brand companies like Unilever, Nesle, Pran, RFL, Square, Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers & Export Association, BPGMEA, BUET, Dhaka University, BPCL, BCSIR made positive suggestions  to improve the plastic situation.

Mr. Quazi Sarwar Imtiaz Hashmi, Additional Director General of DOE gave the welcome note. The workshop was graced by Mr. Mohammad Shahab Uddin, MoEFCC as Chief Guest, Mrs. Habibun Nahar, Deputy minister, MoEFCC as Special Guest, Mr. Abdullah Al Mohsen Chowdhury, Secretary, MoEFCC  and Ms. Magda Lovei, Practice Manager, South Asia Region Environment and Natural Resources, Global Practice, World Bank, Washington DC were invited as Guests of Honor. Dr. Sultan Ahmed, Director General & Additional Secretary DOE, MoEFCC was the Chair of the workshop. Mr. Abu Hasnat Md. Maqsood Sinha &  Mr. Iftekhar Enayetullah, Co-founders of Waste Concern made a key note presentation entitled `Circular Economy & Plastic Waste Recycling in Bangladesh: Problems & Prospects’. According to Waste Concern’s findings show that 36% of the total generated plastic waste is recycled while 39% is landfilled and rest 25% is leakage or unattended and finds its way into marine environment.

Plastic Waste Situation of Urban Areas of Bangladesh

Waste Concern’s findings show that 36% of the total generated plastic waste is recycled while
39% is landfilled and rest 25% is leakage or unattended and finds its way into marine environment.
Source: Waste Concern (2019)

The main objective of this workshop was the following:

• Bring relevant stakeholders linked with plastic manufacturing, consumption, waste management, disposal, recycling and policy making in a common platform to improve the present situation.
• Share innovative ideas and best practices being implemented nationally and internationally and also identify problems and prospects.
• Share government’s existing policy initiatives with the relevant stakeholders to develop a policy recommendations for scaling-up and replicating appropriate models for plastic management, enhancing urban resource efficiency, low carbon emission, circular economy, resilience and SDGs.
• Develop a road map and way forward towards a sustainable plastic waste management which will ultimately help reducing marine plastic pollution.

During the workshop a number of presentations were made on plastic policy, marine debris, biodegradable jute based bio-polymer for packaging materials, overview of plastic market and plastic recycling opportunities, experience of recycling PET bottles, UNILEVER’s experience of sustainable living plan etc. The moderator of the concluding session was Dr. S. M. Munjurul Hannan Khan, Additional Secretary (Environment), MoEFCC.