Bangladesh advances plans for hazardous waste management

Government ministers in Bangladesh have welcomed efforts to establish the country's first Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF) for hazardous waste, supported by a comprehensive feasibility study led by IMO's SENSREC Project.

The TSDF, planned for the Mirsarai Economic Zone, will be used to safely treat and dispose of hazardous industrial waste, including waste from ship recycling.

During a high-level inter-ministerial briefing organised by SENSREC in Dhaka (31 August), Bangladeshi Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Mr. Shaikh Faridul Islam and Minister of Industries, Mr. Khandaker Abdul Muktadir expressed their strong support for the facility.

They highlighted that safe, compliant hazardous waste-management was essential for a fast-growing industrial economy. The proposed facility would provide critical infrastructure for the many industries operating in the Mirsarai area, even beyond ship recycling.

Speaking on behalf of IMO, SENSREC Project Coordinator Mr. John Alonso added that without the TSDF, Bangladesh's ship recycling industry would not be able to fully meet its obligations under the Hong Kong Convention and the Basel Convention - the international treaties governing safe and environmentally sound ship recycling and hazardous waste management.

The feasibility study, presented by expert team lead Mr. Sumiyuki Otsuki, was based on nearly a year of technical analysis, stakeholder consultations, and engagement with relevant ministries and government bodies.

It covered the proposed facility's configuration, site selection, waste stream analysis, financing options, and the regulatory pathway to construction and operation.

Government officials attending the briefing agreed that commitment and funding must translate the study's findings into concrete action on the ground.

About SENSREC

The SENSREC Project is implemented by IMO with financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It aims to support the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships in Bangladesh in line with the requirements of the Hong Kong Convention.