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The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has called for reducing plastic consumption, phasing out unnecessary single-use plastics and improving waste management to tackle pollution, stressing that individual behaviour changes must be accompanied by reforms in industrial production.
The UNIDO organised a daylong workshop at a hotel in Dhaka on Saturday to discuss environmentally responsible plastic use, marine litter prevention and sustainable waste management.
More than 50 journalists and university students involved in project implementation attended the workshop, which highlighted UNIDO’s experiences in Bangladesh and the role of the media in raising public awareness of environmental pollution.
The discussions covered the use of environmentally friendly plastics in toy exports, plans to reduce medical waste in Sirajganj, and projects in Narayanganj, Barishal, Dhaka University and Jahangirnagar University.
Presenting at the workshop, Tony Michael emphasised the four principles of plastic waste reduction: refuse unnecessary single-use products, reuse items, reduce consumption and recycle waste properly. Speakers called for turning these practices into a broader social movement, starting at the individual level.
In a special session, physician, television presenter, writer and social activist Dr Abdun Noor Tushar urged journalists to broaden their coverage of plastic pollution by examining production, marketing, recycling businesses and waste disposal practices.
He said environmental reporting should consider not only the resources required to manufacture products but also their durability and patterns of use. For example, producing a pair of jeans may require around 200 litres of water, but its environmental impact must also be assessed in light of how long it is used.
Tushar called for greater scrutiny of the health risks associated with plastic, including concerns about microplastics and their potential effects on children. He said further discussion and research were needed into possible links between plastic exposure and health problems, including thyroid disorders and infertility.
He also highlighted the environmental consequences of electronic waste, questioning what happens to discarded displays and other components after valuable materials are recovered from circuit boards.
He urged greater public awareness of food storage practices, the safe use of household appliances and the potential health risks associated with plastic containers exposed to sunlight. He also called for a more comprehensive assessment of the environmental costs of digital technologies rather than focusing on selected technologies alone.
On medical waste, Tushar stressed the need for coordinated government action and suggested establishing common effluent treatment facilities to manage waste from different institutions. He cautioned that recycling alone could not solve the problem unless waste was also reduced and properly managed at its source.
National Expert Mahbub Islam highlighted the difficulties of managing waste from chocolate and potato-chip packaging. Such packaging often contains multiple layers, including aluminium, while bright printing colours can create additional challenges for recycling and disposal.
He said these design choices, although intended to make products more attractive, could complicate environmentally sound waste management.
UNIDO Bangladesh Country Representative Alamgir Hossain described journalists as important agents of change who can translate complex technical issues into accessible language for the public.
He said media coverage should explore why people have become accustomed to using plastic and encourage changes in everyday behaviour.
Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, project director at the Department of Environment, said government agencies were increasingly cooperating on environmental issues and sharing data with the media. He expressed hope that journalists would continue working to protect the country’s environmental interests.
UNIDO Senior Officer Satya Ranjan Bhattacharya outlined the organisation’s activities in Bangladesh, referring to its 25 projects in the country.
UNIDO Technical Expert SM Arafat said average annual plastic consumption in Bangladesh had risen from an estimated three to nine kilogrammes per person about a decade ago to 22 kilogrammes at present.
He noted that plastic had become integral to numerous industries, including mobile phone manufacturing and the garment sector, making its complete elimination impractical.
Rather than abandoning plastic altogether, Bangladesh should focus on sustainable production, responsible consumption and effective waste management, he said, adding that around 31 per cent of plastic used in the country was already being recycled.
Arafat recommended using three separate bins in households to segregate waste and urged consumers to reduce plastic use in products that cannot be recycled, adopt reusable alternatives and ensure proper disposal.
The workshop concluded with calls for coordinated action by consumers, industries, government agencies and the media to reduce plastic pollution and promote sustainable waste management across Bangladesh.
