Bangladesh’s rivers of ‘plastic’

The use of single-use plastic started in Bangladesh in the 1980s. In about half a century, the Buriganga, Dhaka’s lifeline, has become choked with plastic waste. The country generates around 3,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day, according to a 2022 study by the Environment and Social Development Organisation (ESDO). Experts say production has since increased significantly. Much of this waste ends up in the country’s river system, clogging waterways, endangering aquatic life and posing a public health risk through microplastics in food. Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), the polymer used in…