There is massive use of banned polythene in Kishoreganj. Many products, including food are being handed over to consumers by this polythene, which are harmful to the environment and public health. The result is people in health risk. From the water stored in polythene, ADIS or Anopheles becomes a good cause of mosquito breeding, whose mischievous Bangladesh is now getting bone to bone.
Despite the prolonged use of polythene throughout Kishoreganj, the administration has not noticed. Anyone who uses polythene is pushing the environment and public health at risk.
It is seen in many markets of Kishoreganj that traders are giving away their sold products in harmful polyethylene. They wrap various rice sacks, pulses sacks, potato sacks, onion sacks with polythene. If the products are kept more than 15 days, the use of these products increases the health risk.
According to sources in the Environment Department, Environment Protection Act- 2002 states that 'the maximum punishment of first offense for the production, import and marketing of polythene products fixed by the government is two years imprisonment or a maximum of Tk 2 lakh fine.
Kishoreganj Sadar Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Tajrina Tayub said that when a hot food item is placed in a polythene or plastic bag, a toxic substance called styrene is added to the food item through chemical reactions, which act as carcinogens and cause cancer. Thales and "biphenyl-A” are released, two other harmful chemicals, which are responsible for diabetes and also cause serious damage to heart and liver and cause many problems for pregnant women.
He added that a polythene bag takes 15 thousand years to blend in with the environment. As a result, as it is capable of ingesting its toxic chemicals to reduce the air's erosion over a long period. It also causes severe damage to land and plants from year to year. When it falls into the drainage system, it becomes a major barrier to purification.
One of the town traders, who is unwilling to reveal the name said, "There is a massive use of polyethene and plastic in our markets." The polythene is being handled in the hands of the buyers especially after buying the necessities. Not only that, day after day, traders putting various food ingredients, including veggies into people.
Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Abdul Kadir Mia said, environment and health was in serious risk for the using of polythene. We are conducting regular operations to prevent the use of polythene. I hope that the use of polythene will be reduced in Kishoreganj very soon.