Experts Call for Eco-friendly Design in Plastic Use

Reducing plastic waste is both an environmental and economic necessity. At UNIDO, we believe sustainable growth starts with how we produce.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Representatives from government institutions, industries, academia, research institutions, donor partners including the Royal Norwegian Embassy, civil society organizations and financial institutions have collectively called for greater adoption of Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) practices to reduce plastic pollution and promote sustainable industrial growth.

They suggested that RECP can play a transformative role in optimizing resource use, minimizing waste, and improving productivity across the plastic value chain.

Participants also supported implementing Design for Environment (DfE) strategies and emphasized the importance of setting recycling targets that require industries to incorporate a fixed share of recycled plastic in packaging. These measures, they noted, would help Bangladesh align with the goals of the upcoming global plastic treaty expected in 2026, launched by the United Nations in March 2022 to address plastic waste throughout its lifecycle. Officials further highlighted that such actions would reduce dependency on imported virgin plastic.

Industry leaders emphasized the need for significant investments in recycling infrastructure and called on the government to provide incentives to support reduced plastic use and conserve foreign currency.

The experts underscored that integrated approaches like RECP and DfE are vital for transitioning to a circular and low-carbon economy, while also reducing environmental harm and fostering innovation.

These discussions took place during a roundtable titled 'Resource Efficiency and Design for Environment: Pathways to a Sustainable Industrial Future,' held on 25 June at The Business Standard's office. The event was organized by the Department of Environment (DoE) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) under the project 'Integrated Approach Towards Sustainable Plastics Use and Marine Litter Prevention in Bangladesh'.

Reducing plastic waste is both an environmental and economic necessity. At UNIDO, we believe sustainable growth starts with how we produce.

With rising environmental pressures and global demand for low-carbon, resource-efficient products, cleaner production is essential. It helps industries cut costs, boost productivity, and protect air, water, and land. Environmental design must be central to Bangladesh's industrial innovation.

To support this, UNIDO, the Department of Environment, and the Norwegian Embassy have launched a project to promote circularity through public-private partnerships and embed resource efficiency and cleaner production into Bangladesh's industrial future.

Courtesy: www.tbsnews.net