Interviewed by Syed Md. Rakeen, Team MBR

Nazmus Sadat is an internationally certified circular economy specialist, sustainability professional, and entrepreneur. With a background in Materials & Metallurgical Engineering (BUET), Mr. Nazmus Sadat started working for e-waste and other solid waste management in 2017. Since then, he has been running initiatives to raise awareness and establish a traceable solid waste management system in Bangladesh. Moreover, he assists organisations in achieving net-zero emissions through climate strategy, goal and target setting, Life Cycle Analysis, GHG accounting, reporting & disclosures, and climate investing. Team MBR was in a conversation with Mr. Nazmus Sadat and was fortunate enough to receive his take on the recycling industry.

Syed Md. Rakeen: The informal waste recycling sector plays a significant role in the recycling industry in Bangladesh, which involves collecting and processing waste informally that would otherwise end up in landfills. Would you kindly share how the informal waste recycling sector can be integrated into the formal recycling system to improve overall waste management?

Nazmus Sadat: Bangladesh needs a sincere and holistic intervention in this space for sustainable integration. Unfortunately, the industry is currently in a poor state, with many stakeholders acting out of selfish motives for making money. We are yet to walk the talk. Despite the numerous conversations and initiatives facilitated by concerned bodies, we haven’t seen much sustainable change. To turn this around, stakeholders from all corners of the industry must come together and agree to a win-win policy or law that integrates informal waste collectors, dismantlers, aggregators, traders, and recyclers. The deal or policy must ensure their safe and optimal income generation, or else it will be challenging to enforce any law while making the informal sector suffer.

Document the informal labourers, get them a rewarding process to follow, establish visibility over their daily transactions, leave no space for bureaucratic processes, and let them make money by following the law/policy that secures the interests of consumers, the government, corporations, and other parties in the waste value chain. A separate unit of the DoE can be created to facilitate the formalisation of informal sectors in collaboration with local governments. Independent members should be included in that unit to ensure accountability, transparency, and speed of work.

Syed Md. Rakeen: Enhancing recycling efficiency and lessening environmental impacts are two of the major issues that need to be taken care of. What cutting-edge trends and technologies in the global recycling industry do you think are suitable for adoption within the country’s waste management framework?

Nazmus Sadat: We need to establish a functional and regulated system before introducing new technologies. Implementing extended producer responsibility (EPR) can help hold producers accountable for taking back their products and incentivise proper waste management practices. Europe is leading the way in waste management technology innovation, followed by China, the USA, and Japan. In Bangladesh, we need technologies that can convert non-recyclable mixed waste into value-added products like boards, tiles, and blocks. Upgrading to the latest pyrolysis machines and adopting lithium and lead battery recycling technologies can also help reduce pollution. Plastic recycling has made progress, but better organisation is needed. E-waste recycling has seen progress worldwide. Implementing waste-to-energy, chemical recycling, blockchain technology, and AI-powered robotic sorting in waste recovery facilities can enhance efficiency. Proper synchronisation, optimisation, and coordination of these technologies are crucial for successful execution.

Syed Md. Rakeen: As Bangladesh strives for a greener future, the recycling industry must collaborate with various stakeholders. How can the sector further involve local communities, businesses, and government agencies in developing a more circular economy and pursuing eco-friendly initiatives?

Nazmus Sadat: The waste management sector must focus on consumer education, incentives, policies, and partnerships. Circular economy principles could be part of the secondary school curriculum to instil proper consumption; disposal practises, and attitudes. Manufacturers, governments, NGOs, and academic institutions can all contribute to raising consumer awareness through various media and events. Steps like offering event tickets in exchange for discarded items, promoting take-back schemes, and reducing reverse logistics costs can also encourage proper waste disposal. The government can allocate funds for clean-tech and climate-tech startup initiatives, providing entrepreneurs with the necessary support to take commercially viable actions. Without subsidies or government support, the private sector cannot tackle this challenge alone. It’s essential for the concerned authority to either make producers pay or provide subsidies for change. Rather than engaging in some idealistic endeavours once or twice a year, it is imperative that we take decisive and resolute actions that prioritise the interests of our nation over the financial gains of some producers. We can learn a lot from India in this particular context.

Syed Md. Rakeen: In 2019, ready-made garments and textile mills produced approximately 577,000 metric tonnes of waste, of which almost half was pure cotton waste. Those could have been sold for USD 100 million. How can Bangladesh develop strategies to monetise these wastes and promote sustainable waste management in the aforementioned industry?

Nazmus Sadat: Bangladesh needs to identify viable solutions for the different types of textile and RMG waste. We have seen a few initiatives on recycling in recent times, but I am not sure how our industry has been in favour of those initiatives for their viability. Investing in innovative waste sorting, recycling infrastructure, and a reliable supply system is crucial for the development of this sector. The price of recycled materials needs to be affordable. The unavailability of infrastructure and the required volume of certain categories of waste are making the work costly in multiple ways. I personally love the idea of creating value-added products from waste. We can create value-added products from post-industrial and post-consumer waste. This trend is already taking off globally, with fashion designers creating new styles from discarded items and clothing brands selling them with proper branding. Bangladesh can export these products directly or through strategic partnerships with global brands. With proper planning, sustainable waste management can be profitable while promoting environmental responsibility.

Syed Md. Rakeen: The traditional linear economy model (take-make-waste approach) has significantly contributed to our planet’s degradation. A circular economy (closed-loop economic model) can offer a more sustainable path forward and help address climate change and biodiversity loss. What are your thoughts on the potential impact of this transition?

Nazmus Sadat: Today, our usage of resources exceeds the earth’s ability to replenish them by 60%, indicating that we are utilising 1.6 earths worth of resources. But the transition to a circular economy could change the world to a great extent. The transition to a circular economy could halve carbon dioxide emissions by 2030, reduce greenhouse emissions by 7.4 million metric tonnes per year, reduce primary material consumption by 32%, increase GDP by up to USD 700 billion by 2030, create up to 65 million new jobs by 2030, and allow consumers to receive safer products. Even in the textile industry, circular economy practises can recapture value worth USD 500 billion annually.

As with many models, a circular economy is not an absolute solution for the world. It has its limitations as well, like the fact that recycling modern products is not 100% efficient, and complex products require much more energy and resources to recycle. Products containing synthetic materials, microchips, and batteries are not easily recyclable. Although recycling is the least desired step in a circular economy model, the idea of less production and waste is also quite challenging. It challenges the “growth orientation” of business. Besides, 20% of the total resources used worldwide are fossil fuels, and 98% of them are burned as a source of energy and cannot be reused or recycled. And global resource use keeps increasing, making it kind of impossible to grow a circular economy sustainably. But pursuing a “circular economy” or “performance economy” could benefit us tremendously. It’s still a revolutionary idea for Bangladesh and the world.

Syed Md. Rakeen: 646 metric tonnes of plastic waste are collected in Dhaka daily, which accounts for 10% of all waste generated in Bangladesh, and only 37.2% of this plastic waste is recycled. What measures do you suggest to improve recycling rates and reduce environmental impacts in the city?

Nazmus Sadat: I am familiar with the statistics on plastic waste recycling in our industry. Unfortunately, plastic recyclers face significant challenges in sourcing sufficient supplies for recycling facilities. Recently, a Dubai-based recycler requested PET from us, but we were unable to meet their target prices due to the high cost of PET in our market. Similarly, a German company sought a monthly supply of LDPE, but we were unable to secure sufficient supplies at their target prices, despite their attractive offers. This raises concerns about the accuracy of the data on plastic waste recycling in our industry and the risks associated with undocumented waste. To address this issue, we need to establish traceability for solid waste, which would support the development of sustainable practices. I am quite doubtful about the quality of locally recycled plastic products people use as food containers. The government should take strict action to eradicate harmful plastic recycling practices and ensure that non-compliant facilities are transformed into compliant ones with clear annual targets and action plans. Shutting down such facilities is not a viable solution in our socio-economic condition. It won’t get us the desired outcome.

Syed Md. Rakeen: The National Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management has set its sights on recycling 50% of plastics by 2025, phasing out 90% of single-use plastic by 2026, and reducing the generation of plastic waste by 30% by 2030. What are the initiatives required to reach these milestones from your perspective?

Nazmus Sadat: The National Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Management is interesting. To materialise the plan, I am biased towards establishing a committee of stakeholders supported by the government. The committee should ensure broad-based participation from government agencies, producers, consumers, waste collectors, aggregators, recyclers, and other relevant communities. The committee must adopt a deliberate approach to executing the plan on behalf of the people. It should work independently with the assistance of the government and private sector to achieve the plan’s objectives.

Additional measures should also be considered, such as leveraging existing stakeholder infrastructure for a 3-7 year term (which I always prefer over building new), raising awareness through regular campaigns to reduce consumption and promote traceable disposal, incentivising consumers to adopt reusable products and alternative packaging, and encouraging sustainable and circular design practises. Strengthening regulations and policies and fostering collaboration and partnerships among stakeholders are also critical for achieving success.

Syed Md. Rakeen: As Bangladesh plans to reduce plastic waste and boost recycling, international cooperation can play an instrumental role. How can Bangladesh establish and maintain international collaborations and partnerships to support its endeavours in minimising plastic waste and promoting recycling initiatives?

Nazmus Sadat: I am familiar with the global landscape of this field and have established contact with a few international organisations. However, most of the funds are deployed in Southeast Asia, and the only country they seem to recognise in South Asia is India, due to various reasons. Pakistan, somehow, is considered a part of the MENA community. Although I reached out to some stakeholders, they connected me with their Indian wing, which already has massive demand as one of the largest economies. As a result, getting sufficient attention for Bangladesh is a big challenge.

To address this, we need a specialised unit or team backed by the government to connect us with international stakeholders and facilitate visits, exchanges, partnerships, and collaborations between local and foreign organisations. Unfortunately, I struggle to rely on traditional setups and their governance, particularly when it comes to ambitious goals. Since this requires access to the top level of those stakeholders, the government’s intervention could make it smooth. Private efforts alone won’t align well with our national agenda and targets. With access to global funding, technologies, and resources, we can transform our industry within 5-7 years. Without full focus and coordinated effort, it will be difficult to make meaningful progress with our global connection.

Above all, for Bangladesh, we need coordinated efforts from a joint force of government, producers, consumers, waste collectors/aggregators & recyclers, with some support from global stakeholders.