Context:
Bangladesh produces over 35 million tonnes of waste each year. In major cities, less than half of this waste is collected in a controlled manner. Only a small proportion is recycled or disposed of at certified landfill sites, and the environment and climate suffer as a result. The textile industry generates up to 500,000 tonnes of production waste annually. Companies rarely recycle this waste locally. Hazardous waste, including electronic scrap and lead-acid batteries, is disposed of particularly poorly. Waste management lacks expertise, regulations and coordination. At the same time, companies must meet the European Union’s growing sustainability requirements. However, this also presents new business opportunities for the trade in recycled materials.
Objective:
Circular waste management has been implemented for selected areas. As a result, municipal waste systems and textile and battery recycling are environmentally and socially viable.
Approach:
The project promotes circular approaches to textile waste, municipal waste and batteries. It advises the Bangladeshi Ministry of Commerce on developing a national strategy for an environmentally friendly textile industry and provides training to the Ministry of Environment and the Environmental Agency as part of this. A public-private event format promotes dialogue between the state, the private sector and civil society. The project provides support in creating a national gender-responsive roadmap. This aims to establish a circular textile economy, underpinned by gender-equitable measures and digital tracking of material flows. In partner cities, the project implements integrated waste management systems and supports them through pilot schemes for waste separation, recycling and composting. For battery recycling, in particular, it improves environmental protection and occupational safety through training and procurement standards.