Pollution Research Paper

Vol 40, Issue 4, 2021; Page No.(1118-1123 )

E-WASTE IN BANGLADESH, ITS CAUSES AND IMPACTS: AN ANALYSIS BASED ON EXISTING REGULATORY AND INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK

KUDRAT-E-KHUDA (BABU)

Abstract

Technology has made our life very flexible with new inventions. We, in most cases, solely depend on these technological devices. However, these devices, along with various facilities, have also invited a series of problems mostly due to the lack of proper management. We often leave our electronic devices that went bad or became unusable, in landfills, rivers, drain lakes, canals, and open spaces. As these devices possess a variety of toxic substances, dumping huge amounts of electronic waste can pollute the environment and threaten human health. Around 2.7 million metric tons of e-waste is generated each year in Bangladesh. Only 20/30 of this waste is recycled while the rest amount is released in landfills, rivers, drain lakes, canals, and open spaces posing a serious threat to health and the environment. Bangladesh has experienced rapid advancement in the technological sectors over the years. Therefore, it is a must to take steps necessary for avoiding the future jeopardized situation because of e-waste. The present e-waste management in Bangladesh experiences a number of drawbacks such as challenges in incentivization, unhygienic conditions of informal recycling, insufficient law and policy, less awareness, and lack of enthusiasm on part of the corporate to address the critical issues. In spite of the alarming levels of e-pollution in the country, the concerned authorities are yet to take any effective step or formulate any legislation to prevent the existing e-pollution. Moreover, the prevailing environmental laws are not adequate to address the issue and its application is still largely absent. This paper is an attempt to address causes of e-waste, the existing problem caused by it, analyses the impacts of ewaste on the environment and human beings. Furthermore, this paper will analyze the relevant ewaste policy and its gaps. Significantly, this study will provide few recommendations that can bring an end to the e-waste generation through policy and law. The existing paper makes use of secondary data, i.e. books, articles, different national and international law reports, Acts, etc.