07/03/2023
Plastic pollution: Causes and possible solutions
PART-2
According to the president of Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) (2018), "Bangladesh imports more than 155,000 metric tons of raw plastic materials each year and the figure is growing continuously. Today, we have around 5,000 small, medium and large plastic goods manufacturing units, while the number was around 3,000 units a couple of years back, approximately, 1.2 million people are engaged in this sector.
Bangladeshi cities produced 821,250 tonnes of plastic wastes in 2019 and only 36 per cent of them were recycled. Plastic wastes have now become ubiquitous and a 2016 report warned that there will be more plastic in ocean than fish by 2050. Plastic remains intact in the soil, it causes problem for soil fertility which is a big concern in this food-producing country. Bangladesh is losing one per cent of arable land every year, in part due to erratic rains and land degradation, according to the UN World Food Program.
Drainage systems blocked by plastic bags have been identified as a major cause of flooding in Bangladesh during monsoon season. Bangladesh experienced floods in urban areas in1988, 1998 and 2008 where plastic and plastic materials were one of the major causes for the blockage of the drainage systems. In the year 1990, 9.3 million plastic bags were dumped in the city every day, with only 10-15 per cent put in dustbins. The rest goes into drainage and sewage lines.
As part of the global 'Planet or Plastic?' a team of National Geographic Society has made their way to Bangladesh for the second time to begin the second phase of the Padma River expedition to identify solutions to help tackle the global plastic crisis. The expedition titled 'Sea to Source: Ganges' will also focus on documenting how plastic waste travels from source to sea and filling the critical knowledge gaps around plastic flow, load, and composition, reports UNB.
The "Sea to Source: Ganges" river expedition is also supported by Tata Trusts in India. "Ocean plastic pollution is a global crisis. Every year, about 9 million metric tons of plastic are added, with rivers acting as major conveyor belts that move plastic debris into the ocean," said Heather Koldewey, National Geographic Fellow, Explorer and scientific co-lead of the "Sea to Source: Ganges" expedition.
"Our focus on this expedition is to understand how people and plastic connect with the Padma River and ultimately the ocean, using our data to raise awareness and identify solution," she added.
Following 10 rivers are carrying 90 per cent of the plastic entering the oceans, a study has found.
Yangtze River, China: This was the worst offender, according to research published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. It carries up to 1.5 million tonnes of plastic into the sea every year. In contrast, the Thames puts 18 tonnes of plastic into the ocean.
Hai he River, China: This waterway connects Beijing to Tianjin and the Bohai Sea. Its annual flow is only one-thirtieth the Yangtze's, and half that of the Yellow River.
Yellow River, China: After the Yangtze and the Yenisei, this is the third-longest river in Asia - and the sixth-longest river system in the world. It flows through nine provinces before emptying into the Bohai Sea.
Mekong River - various countries: This is the second-longest river in Asia, travelling through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Pearl River - China and Vietnam: Named after pearl-coloured shells that lie at the bottom of the river in the section that flows through the city of Guangzhou.
Indus River - China, India, Pakistan: Pakistan's longest river. Its basin covers about 384,000 square miles of open land, of which 204,000 lie in Pakistan.
Ganges River - India and Bangladesh: Despite millions of Indians depending on it for their daily needs, the Ganges is considered to be the fifth most polluted river in the world. It contains human waste and industrial contaminants, but provides water to about 40 per cent of India's population.
Amur River - Russia, China: This waterway forms the border between Russia and China, and has been an important part of Chinese-Russian relations.
Nile River - multiple countries: Commonly regarded as the longest river in the world, its basin covers 11 countries including Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Niger River - various countries: This is the principle river of western Africa, running through Guinea, Mali, Niger, Benin and Nigeria.
"It is necessary that we understand the extent to which toxic chemicals, plastics and global warming interact and damage human health", says Susan Shaw, Professor of Environmental Health Sciences at New York State University. "This is the front line of contemporary science. Here science can contribute to sustainable living in the future."
