Bangladesh is taking significant steps towards industrial waste management by welcoming efforts to establish its first hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal (TSDF) facilities. This facility, planned in the Mirsharai Economic Zone, is designed for the safe treatment and disposal of industrial hazardous waste, including waste generated from ship recycling.
Support from Bangladeshi Ministers
In a high-level inter-ministerial meeting organized by the SENSREC project in Dhaka, Sheikh Faridul Islam, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Khondaker Abdul Muktadir, Minister of Industries of Bangladesh, expressed their strong support for this facility. They emphasized the importance of safe and standards-compliant hazardous waste management for a rapidly growing industrial economy.
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This facility will serve as a critical infrastructure for various industries in the Mirsharai area, beyond the ship recycling industry. Without this facility, the ship recycling industry in Bangladesh cannot fully comply with its commitments under the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention, which pertain to the safe and environmentally sound management of hazardous waste and ship recycling.
Feasibility Study Results
The feasibility study presented by a team of experts led by Sumi Yuki Otsuki was prepared based on nearly a year of technical analysis, stakeholder consultations, and engagement with relevant ministries and government agencies. This study includes waste flow analysis, financing options, and regulatory pathways for the construction and operation of the proposed facility.
Government officials present at the meeting agreed that commitment and financing must be translated into action so that the findings of this study can lead to practical and effective measures in the field. This facility will not only help reduce hazardous waste but will also significantly improve environmental and safety standards in the ship recycling industry in Bangladesh.
