DUMURIA, KHULNA, Feb 13: Polythene and plastic pollution is posing a severe threat to the environment and biodiversity in Dumuria.
These pollutants contaminate soil, water, and air, kill thousands of species-including aquatic life and birds through ingestion or entanglement-and increase health risks for humans. They also contribute to water-logging and flooding. Reducing plastic use, promoting recycling, enforcing strict government regulations, and raising public awareness are essential to addressing the crisis.
In Dumuria Upazila, polythene and plastic waste is accumulating in canals and rivers. Tourists further contribute by discarding plastic bottles, polythene, chips packets, and other single-use items. Microplastics are entering the food chain, affecting wildlife reproduction and feeding habits, reducing soil and water quality, and ultimately threatening human health.
Major rivers in Bangladesh carry significant amounts of plastic and micro-plastics to the Bay of Bengal. Plastic waste from tourists often ends up in forests, harming both natural beauty and biodiversity. Following natural disasters like cyclones, relief materials containing plastic also accumulate in forests. Industrial and urban plastic waste flows into rivers, eventually reaching forest areas.
The forests' ecosystem is under threat. Turtles, monkeys, fish, and other wildlife die from ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic. Microplastics have now been detected in soil, water, and even fish, posing risks to humans who consume contaminated seafood. Plastic waste reduces the density and height of mangrove trees, damaging soil fertility and forest growth. Plastics in rivers affect fish breeding and reduce water quality, particularly during tides.
Mangrove trees in the Sundarban-such as Sundari, Gewa, and Keora-absorb oxygen through aerial roots or pneumatophores. Plastic waste covers these roots, preventing sufficient oxygen absorption and killing trees. Wildlife, including deer, turtles, and fish, inadvertently consume plastic, leading to premature death. Soil fertility declines, obstructing forest regeneration, and microplastics enter human food chains through fish and crabs.
Raising awareness is crucial for mitigating the problem. Tourists should avoid single-use plastics, and effective waste collection and management must be ensured both inside and around the forest. Monitoring plastic pollution and evaluating its risks through coordinated efforts are essential.
AZM Hassanur Rahman, Deputy Forest Officer (DFO) of the Sundarban's Western Division, emphasised the need to protect the forest from plastic pollution and other threats while promoting tourist awareness.
According to him, plastic pollution is currently the most serious threat to the Sundarban.
During the peak tourist season, visitors bring chips, biscuits, water bottles, polythene, and disposable plates and glasses. Much of this waste is discarded in rivers and carried 10-15 kilometers into forest areas by tides. It accumulates around the mangrove trees' aerial roots, obstructing oxygen absorption and eventually killing the trees.
The invasion of polythene and plastic in the Sundarbans endangers the environment, wildlife, and human livelihoods. Immediate measures are required, including government and private initiatives, increased public awareness, and strict legal enforcement. Protecting the Sundarbans will require tourists' cooperation and decisive action by authorities to stop plastic pollution.
