Small recycling ventures take on bangladesh’s plastic crisis in protected coastal areas

Bangladesh faces a mounting plastic pollution crisis, with recycling rates for single-use plastics remaining dismally low. However, a growing network of approximately 300 small-scale ventures is working to turn the tide, focusing on recycling plastic bottles and heavier plastics beyond the ubiquitous polybags that flood grocery stores and markets before ending up as waste.

The breakthrough comes as Bangladesh begins tackling its most challenging plastic waste stream: untreated single-use plastics, primarily polybags. Leading this effort is BRAC, an international development organization, which has launched an innovative project to transform plastic waste into raw materials for new products. The initiative strategically targets Cox’s Bazar sea beach, one of Bangladesh’s 13 Ecologically Critical Areas (ECAs) – biodiversity hotspots protected under strict environmental laws.

Cox’s Bazar was chosen for its unique position where rivers meet the ocean, making it both vulnerable to plastic pollution and ideal for testing solutions. BRAC’s approach combines waste collection with community engagement, working to shift the behavior of both locals and tourists through awareness campaigns. The project operates under the broader Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) initiative, coordinated by the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme, which represents all eight South Asian nations.

The ultimate goal extends beyond cleanup – BRAC plans to establish a processing plant specifically designed to handle the most neglected plastic waste streams, demonstrating how environmental protection and economic opportunity can work hand in hand in one of Bangladesh’s most ecologically sensitive areas.