1. Dr. Ijaz Hossain Prof., Chemical Engg. Dept., BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Strategies to Improve Plastic Recycling in Bangladesh and International Experience
Dr. Ijaz Hossain
Prof., Chemical Engg. Dept., BUET, Dhaka, Bangladesh

2. Benefits of Plastics It is inert and can last a long time
It is a by-product of the oil industry
It can substitute many materials from steel to wood
It is cheaper than all renewable and non- renewable material
It can be recycled, and at the end of its recycling life, it can be converted into a fuel (RDF) or chemically recovered

3. Plastics is a wonder material
Saves huge quantities of natural resources
WOOD
METALS
GLASS
CARDBOARD

4. Then what is the problem?

8. Post Consumption
If 100% could be collected then a combination of Recycling + Landfill + Chemical Recovery + Gasification + Incineration could greatly minimize pollution
In principle, if 100% recycling was possible, then the environmental impact would be zero
Bangladesh has all the natural advantages to achieve this goal

9. Recycling – Bangladesh Context
Manpower is readily available
Labour is cheap
Huge recycling industry already exists for Metals, Paper and Plastics
Bangladesh has all the natural advantages to achieve high recycling

10. Recycling – Developed Countries Context
Manpower shortage
(people do not want to do this kind of work)
Labour is expensive
No market for inferior recycled products
As a result Recycled resins more expensive than Virgin resins

15. BASELINE INFORMATION (Non Bond)
Item
Quantity
(Tons)
(%)
Total Resin Demand in 2017
1.5 Million
100
Virgin Resin Import
0.9 Million 60
US$ 810 Million
Recycled Resin
0.6 Million 40
Import Value of Recycled Resin
US$ 540 Million

16. Present Status of Plastics Recycling
50-60% plastics waste recycled
40-50% cannot be recycled because material is too soiled
Collection process hazardous and unhealthy; Sorting in cramped conditions
Work environment unhealthy
Crude machinery used

17. INDUSTRY STRUCTURE
Recycling industry dominated by numerous small-scale factories
Very little access to bank financing
Recycling industry not directly connected to either the plastics waste collection industry or to the virgin products manufacturing industry
Totally unregulated recycling business. Not sustainable in the long run

18. Towards More Sustainability…. (I)
Increase recycling to 75%
Seek alternative to Landfilling – RDF
Prevent soiling of plastics through a good incentive and awareness based consumer- collector program
Improve collection process both in terms of logistics and safety/health of collectors

19. Towards More Sustainability…. (II)
Improve technology
Presently using extremely crude equipment in the mechanical recycling process
Facilitate low interest bank financing for plastics recycling factories
Facilitate the construction of large recycling units to take advantage of economies of scale
Permit setting up Recycling Washing Plants on riverside

20. Towards More Sustainability…. (III)
TAX RELIEF for the full chain of recycling Collection and Sorting Recycled Resin industry Plastics Industry that use Recycled Resins

21. Extended Producer Responsibility
Has moved producer’s traditional responsibility for its product beyond the factory gates
Responsible for the proper disposal of the products they sell
It holds manufacturers responsible for the
take-back or buy back
recycling and disposal
of the products that consumers no longer want

22. Extended Producer Responsibility

24. Target the most problematic single-use plastics by conducting a baseline assessment
Consider the best actions to tackle the problem (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions)
Assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed instruments/actions
Identify and engage key stakeholder groups – retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, tourism associations

25. Raise public awareness about the harm caused by single-used plastics
Raise public awareness about the harm caused by single-used plastics. Clearly explain the decision and any punitive measures that will follow.
Promote alternatives. Before the ban or levy comes into force, assess the availability of alternatives.
Provide incentives to industry by introducing tax rebates or other conditions to support its transition.
Use revenues collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to maximize the public good.

26. Enforce the measure chosen effectively, by making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.
Monitor and adjust the chosen measure if necessary and update the public on progress.

28. Singapore Plastics Waste Management

31. WHAT ARE WE LOSING ?
Plastics are imported – every bit that goes to a landfill, is a big loss for the nation
Landfilling is expensive and uses scarce land resources
Plastics do not degrade easily – landfill quality is badly affected by plastics
Plastics are derived from oil – these can give as much ENERGY as oil when burnt

32. FUTURE ISSUES
Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) – An Alternative to Landfilling
RDF is nothing more than a compacted mass produced from MSW after removing inert and compostable material
RDF affords a good way of dealing with portions of the MSW because it constitutes resource recovery

33. Potential of RDF in Bangladesh
RDF is a mixture of three items of the MSW
Paper and paper products – 6.64%
Rags – 1.71%
Soiled plastics waste – 4.15%
800,000 tons available for RDF
Dhaka waste is approximately 15% of total Bangladesh waste. Therefore, 120,000 tons available in Dhaka alone

34. Potential of RDF in Bangladesh
Brickkiln 700 tons of coal (20 tons per 1 lakh bricks)
Therefore, 700t*25GJ/t/12.5GJ/t = 1400 tons of RDF would be required
800,000 tons/1400 tons = 570 brickkiln coal can be replaced
At US$ 100/t coal, savings by using RDF of total Bangladesh = US$ 40 million (Dhaka alone US$ 6 million)

35. New thinking on Packaging

36. Recommendations I Awareness Development
Like Singapore the Government should set up a COMMITTEE to oversee plastics waste management
Suggested Committee composition –
DoE and LGED /Municipality
NGOs and BPGMEA
Experts and other relevant stakeholders

37. Recommendations II
Formulate waste disposal laws for apartment blocks, commercial buildings and institutions
Implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Formulate packaging laws and strictly enforce law
Promote recycling from EPR levies and RDF for soiled plastic waste

38. Thank You!