Monday | 13 January 2025 | Reg No- 06
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Monday | 13 January 2025 | Epaper

Plastic pollution plaguing the Bay of Bengal

Published : Tuesday, 10 October, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 906
Alaul Alam
It is so alarming that our Bay of Bengal is bearing the heavy brunt of plastic pollution causing agrave concern for life, livelihoods and biodiversity. A recent study conducted by Enhanced Coastal Fisheries (ECOFISHBD) in Bangladesh has found that every year around 15 tons of non-biodegradable waste such as plastic bags, bottles, and polythene bags are dumped into sea by fishermen of Patuakhali only. The findings of another study conducted by ECOFISHBD revealed that on the Kuakata sea beach tourists and locals dumped around 22.77kg of non-biodegradable waste daily.

Again, sources estimate that around 73000 tons of plastic waste are dumped in the sea every day. The plastic waste thrown in the rivers such as the Padma, the Meghna and the Jamuna is deepening the plastic plague in the Bay of Bengal as they end up in the sea. The data revealed by the United Nations Environment Program(UNEP) claim that the world is producing 300 million tons of plastic waste every year.

Various quarters claim that the country would not face such a catastrophe of plastic plague in the Bay of Bengal if the authorities concerned implemented the decision taken to ban polythene bags. The decision of banning all sorts of single use polythene bags was taken in 2002 and again,in 2010 the country adopted the Jute Packaging Act to promote alternative packaging. Besides, the High Court ordered the government to ban on single-use plastic products by 2021. However, policy implementation is still confined to rhetoric. The question is pertinent to raise; how far we have been relieved of plastic pollution?

Studies have found the presence of microplastic in tape water, beer and salt from the samples collected in seas. It is evident that when plastic materials interfere with body's endocrine system, humans and wild life suffer from developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders. A recent study conducted by a group of researchers from the oceanography department and the environmental science department of Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU) found a surge in harmful microplastic in sea salt. The findings of the study have revealed 560 to 1,253 plastic particles per kilogram of raw salt from the samples collected from 12 salt-producing sites in Cox's Bazar and Chattogram.


The study found 9640 microplastic particles from 12 kgs of raw salt stating that offshore salt pans were more contaminated than onshore ones. However, this time the researchers have found the presence of microplastic much higher than that of another study jointly conducted by Bangladesh Oceanographic Research Institute (BORI) and the fisheries and marine science department of NSTU in 2021. The study found 78 to 137 microplastic particles per kg of raw salt the Maheshkhali Channel, Bangladesh.

Besides, a study conducted by the department of environmental sciences at Jahangirnagar University found the presence of microplastic in commercial salt.  The researchers collected the samples from the several packets of salt produced and marketed by ten different brands in the country which revealed the presence of microplastic between 370 and 7,400 per kg of salt. The study concluded that a person's intake of microplastic was 13,088 every year. Certainly, the alarming increase of plastic particles in the sea corresponds to severe threats of human existence and the life cycles of living beingswhich urgently need to be addressed.

Experts opine that the presence of microplastic in salt has increased alarmingly which may pose a threat to public health. They say the toiletries products such as soap, facewash, cleanser, and different kinds of packaging and single-use plastics end up in the sea causing the contamination of raw salt.

Public health experts say that the gradual intake of microplastic may pose a serious health hazard at multiple stages. It may cause digestive disorders in human body. Besides, it may lead to the dysfunction of the stomach. In many cases, it may prevent kidney and liver from functioning normally.

In all surroundings plastic pollution ravages human life and biodiversity all the year round and accelerates environmental plague severely. However, it does not indicate that we are sitting idly without taking any effort but it will not be irrational if we say most of ourarrangements to combat plastic pollution in many cases are confined in mere rhetoric.

How far we be able to stop plastic plague unless we put the jute package law into effect. It is very urgent to find out the substitute of plastic materials. Obviously, jute packages can be the best alternative for protecting environment and living beings on earth. There finds no alternative to run regular drives against the indiscriminate use and illegal production of polythene bags and single-use plastics. Raising awareness is a must among the people to prevent the dumping of non-biodegradable waste into water bodies. There should be no compromise to protect the Bay of Bengal which reaps abundant blessings for us.

To this end, in unlocking the potentials of the Bay of Bengal it is very urgent to combat man-made pollution which is greatly threatening its health. Our sea continuously blesses us protecting biodiversity and sustaining environment. Can we see any scope of sustainable use ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs unless we combat the plastic plague on the ocean?

The writer teaches at Prime University and a Research Scholar at the IBS


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