We must protect environment from plastic goods -The Asian Age

We have recently published a news report about an unprecedented, but an innovative symbolic protest on plastic pollution. As a part of the symbolic protest against global plastic pollution, a group of Bangladeshi researchers have installed a coral fish and a turtle mural made of plastic waste in our Saint Martin Island. The two murals have reportedly generated some degree of awareness among visiting tourists while reducing environmental pollution in the island.

The tail, fins and head of the coral fish were made by chips and biscuit wrapping paper while water bottles were used to build rest of the body of the fish. The turtle which is made from abandoned water bottles and fishing nets is displayed next to the coral fish. As a responsible and conscious print media outlet, we encourage such innovative techniques in creating wider awareness on plastic as well as environmental pollution.

Currently, the Faculty of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Science is conducting a study at Saint Martin with the support of the Krishi Gobeshona Foundation (KGF) and Channel 24. And according to KGF sources it was revealed that a person on an average consumes at least 18 kg of plastic in different ways throughout his life.

Fishes are also suffering due to plastic waste in river and sea. It is severely affecting the aquatic life besides human beings. The message is clear, unless we humans reduce our excessive dependence on plastic usage, plastic pollution would only keep shooting up. What is distressing, despite a global drive to discourage and reduce plastic use - the scenario is the exact opposite in Bangladesh.

In a period of 15 years, from 2005 to 2020, plastic usages in our urban areas have tripled. And according to a World Bank study Of the 977,000 tons of plastic consumed in 2020, only 31 percent were recycled--the rest ended up in landfills, rivers, canals, drains - ultimately a chunk of it being washed out in to the Bay of Bengal.

Reportedly, some 200,000 tons of plastic flows into the Bay of Bengal from Bangladesh, having far-reaching consequences since micro-plastics are seeping into our ecosystem. Our drains and water ways are manifestly choking because of thousands and thousands of tons of plastic and polythene bags. No short of an irony, such indiscriminate plastic pollution is taking place in a country which is at the forefront in global climate diplomacy.

To finish with, drawing inspiration from the novel symbolic technique used at the St Martin Island protesting on plastic pollution - we call for more voluntary participation in displaying such creative initiatives in our urban areas. Once public awareness gets a boost through such innovative techniques, usage of plastic products is likely to come down.