Introduction to the Bangladesh E-waste situation

E-waste has become the fastest growing waste stream in Bangladesh and has emerged as a lucrative business. Every year Bangladesh generates roughly 2.7 million metric tons of e-waste. Out of these 2.7 million metric tons, ship breaking industry alone generates 2.5 million metric tons. Bangladesh import scrap ships from developed countries as it has no/inadequate legal rules and regulations to import such highly polluted scrap products and equipments. According to the UNEP study, the developed nations dump e-waste in “developing” Asian countries (India, Bangladesh, China and Pakistan) through illegal trade routes.

Bangladesh is developing with the increasing of technology usage. Sustainable and safe use of technology can drive an economically developed country. But the wastes from these electronic goods come to us as curse. In Bangladesh, electrical and electronic equipments are consumed and dumped the useless products without any consideration of environmental damages and sustainability. Some of the electronic waste is reused, broken down for parts or thrown out completely. Currently this informal practice is not being carried out safely and has become a hazard to human health and the surrounding environment. At present there is a lack of awareness about the e-waste issue within the general population, government and also in private sector.

Moreover, every year significant no. of scrap ships is imported to Bangladesh by importer legally. These ships are broken in ship breaking yard. During ship breaking, a large number of heavy metals and toxic pollutants release to the environment including oil spills to land and water bodies. As Bangladesh has legal binding to import scrap ships, thus illegal import and trade off of e-waste is happening by importer to make profit and therefore, e-waste vulnerability of Bangladesh is increasing. The scrap ships are carrying large volume of toxics products and electrical & electronic waste that includes: antiques, barometers, clothes irons, electronics, lamps/light bulbs, light switches, paint (Latex), pesticides, television sets, thermometers, mirrors, washing machines, calculators, laptop, LCD monitors, neon lights, sewer pipes, etc.

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