Almost 77% people of Bangladesh
They said every year huge amount of hazardous and
electronic wastes is generated with the use of technologies increasing, but the
government is yet to formulate any policy and guidelines regarding those.
Environment and Social Development Organisation
(ESDO), a non-government research and advocacy organisation, arranged the
workshop titled “Toxic Chemicals Pollution in Bangladesh
According to a recent study of ESDO presented at
the workshop, more than 2.8 million tonnes of electronic and hazardous waste,
including toxic stuff produced at shipbreaking yards, is generated in Bangladesh
The IT sector has generated approximately 35,000
tonnes of e-waste in Bangladesh in the last 10 years, the study report says,
while around 5,985,000 sets of televisions become scraps generating
approximately 88,357 tonnes of e-waste annually. Shipbreaking yards waste
amounts to approximately 2.5 million tonnes per year, it adds.
The speakers said lead and mercury and some variety
of pesticides have hazardous impacts on physical and mental functions of human
being, including organ damages. Especially the children and elderly people are
more vulnerable to those, they added.
Indiscriminate use of toxic chemicals has already
affected the ecosystem and biodiversity of Bangladesh
ESDO executive director Siddika Sultana; director
Golam Qadir; Dr Shakil Akter, teacher, Bangladesh Medical Collage; Akter Mahal
Gulfam; Anamul Haque of North South University; and Harun-ur-Rashid,teacher,
Jahangirnagar University; also spoke at the workshop.
Source: The Daily Star. 25 October 2011
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=207837
No comments:
Post a Comment