Extended Producer Responsibility | For Advancing Circular Economies for Plastics in Bangladesh

Rapid economic development and population growth in Bangladesh have fostered significant advancements and opportunities for its citizens. Alongside these positive changes, however, there has been a notable increase in per capita plastic consumption, leading to a pressing need for effective plastic waste management. Recognizing this challenge, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) of Bangladesh took a proactive step in 2021 by endorsing the action plan for sustainable plastic waste management. This plan aims to establish a circular economy for plastics, ensuring that resources are used more efficiently and sustainably. Extended producer responsibility (EPR) shifts responsibility from municipalities to producers and fosters product design, management, and recycling, offering a multi-faceted array of economic, environmental, social, and technological benefits. It has been found that material streams of packaging, electronics, tires, vehicles, and batteries are popularly brought under EPR. This study on EPR assumes paramount significance for Bangladesh. The Government of Bangladesh recognizes the critical need for a well-designed waste management policy and is in the process of recalibrating its waste management policies to create a more robust and environmentally conscious framework. This report examines case studies from Brazil, India, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, and Viet Nam to understand their successful strategies, material streams, legal frameworks, stakeholder roles, implementation models, and compliance mechanisms. By assimilating global best practices and success stories from various EPR implementations, Bangladesh can enhance its policy frameworks, adapting them to its unique social, economic, and technological context.