Dr. Mohammed Mahtab Hossain Mazed 

Today, on Thursday (3 July ), the 17 th time will be celebrated in different countries of the world including Bangladesh. People are more healthy now than ever before. Whether we are doing good health and to be good overall. But even if there is a lot of things, I can't keep the plastic away. Plastic bag has become a daily companion. These plastic bags are being used every day for various purposes including market, dirt, dry food. But after use, these bags are dumped here and in the open outside the city, with other wastes of these bags, the hazard occurs.

> Plastic bag history and dangerous spread

The use of plastic bags began in the sixties. At first it becomes popular with people because it is easy, cheap and bearing. But within a short time its pollution spread from sea, rivers, forests to people's settlements. About one million plastic bags are being used every minute in the world today. More than 90%of its unused is being thrown in the water, in the reservoir or the ground, which has been in the environment for centuries. And plastic bags are not single. Even if it is decomposed, it takes a few hundred years. As a result, environmental pollution, as well as the ecosystem, is damaged. So environmentalists claim that before long -term damage, everyone should become aware of their own place.

The question may arise here, what is the alternative to plastic bags that are available and useful daily? In that case, the eyes should be kept on sustainable materials. Bags made of cloth, paper and jute are always environmentally friendly. The paper bag is decomposed. They are mixed with the ground. On the other hand the bag made of cloth and jute is durable; It is possible to use a long time to clean up. And plastic is artificially made of polymer. It is made from fossil fuel or chemicals from natural gas. Due to the flexible erosion, prolonged and affordable at prices, plastic products have become essential in human daily life.

Due to the useless use, plastic waste has spread all over the world, from the bottom of the sea to Mount Everest. Already, the earth's soil, water, atmosphere, wildlife, biodiversity and human health have had long -term negative impact on this plastic pollution.

The daily life of the people of the present world is unimaginable without plastic. Almost all types of wraps and bottles are made of plastic. Although some parts of the plastic used are recycled, most are spread as wasteAnd every year about 3810 million tonnes of plastic waste is spreading around the world. Plastic waste can have a detrimental effect on organisms and nature by living in the environment for up to 400 years. Due to the proper waste management in developed countries, the plastic environment is less spread. However, Asian countries, including China, are 51 percent of the world's plastic pollutants. Bangladesh is also on the list of top plastic polluting countries. At one time, Bangladesh used to import a lot of plastic products. Now self -sufficient in production. About 24,00000 companies are producing 2 million tonnes of plastic products every year.

About 15 kg of plastic products are used per year in the country. The average per capita in the world is used to 60 kg. In developed countries like North America, Western Europe and Japan, the use of plastic per capita is 100 kg. If the current trend continues, the production of plastic products on the earth will almost double by 2030 yearsPlastic waste (bisphenol A, Bisphenone, organotins, cross and poly fluoalcol and brominated fame returns, etc.) emits severe harmful chemicals in the environment.

These harmful substances as nano and micro particles are entering the body through food cycle and water. These substances in micro and nano plastic particles can make adverse changes in the physiological process of any organism.

The harmful substances of plastic waste micro and nano particles can disrupt sperm and ovaries by changing the hormonal environment in the human body. Damage to nerves can cause various diseases of the brain and nervous system. The genes of the cells can cause various types of diseases, including cancer. In addition, direct contact with plastic products can cause skin diseases.

Without various plastic products, modern life is immovable. For this, the initiative to control the pollution by banning plastic products is not logical. The polythene bag made of the widely used plastic plays the biggest role in pollution. Instead of polythene, the use of paper, jute or natural fibers should be encouraged, controlling the use of polyethylene if necessary.

> The following are some of the reasons that plastic bags are detrimental to the environment:

* Pollution:- Plastic bags do not easily mix the ground, thus causing environmental pollution. It pollutes soil, water and air. 

* Waterlogging:-Plastic bag disrupts the drainage system, which causes waterlogging to create a little rain. This is a major problem especially in urban areas. 

* Loss of animals and plants:- Fatal threat to plastic waste animals. Many times the animals eat plastic and can cause them to die. Also, plastic disrupts the growth of plants. 

* Health risk:- Plastic gas is excreted when burning plastic, which is harmful to health. Also, chemicals emitted from plastic can cause various diseases by entering the human body through food and water. 

* Climate Change:- Plastic waste also has a negative impact on climate change. Burning plastic causes harmful gas like carbon dioxide, which plays a role in increasing global warming. 

> Our responsibility to prevent plastic pollution

We can play a role in preventing plastic pollution from our own place. When you go to the market, take your bag with your bag, do not want plastic bags, encourage friends not to use plastic - they can make major changes even if small steps.

Finally, polythene is cheap but its alternative jute gold bag is invented, but the use of polythene cannot be controlled due to lack of government initiatives and apathy. Not only is the polythene bag produced by recycling waste materials, it is not only poisoning the food supply, but the use of polythene bags is the main reason for the waterlogging that is being created in cities during the monsoon season every year. Because the city's drainage and waste emissions are full of polythene. Water is caused by waterlogging due to polythene. According to one study, 1 crore 40 lakh polythene bags are being deposited every day in Dhaka. The polythene used to melt and use it again is toxic chemicals, which are causing complex diseases including cancer, dermatitis, liver, kidney damageTherefore, it is important to take certain steps to raise awareness among the public by using cloth bags, jute bags as alternatives to polythene and plastic. Owners who have polythene production factories will be interested in buying jute bags. If they are not prepared to make jute bags by training the workers involved in the production, they will produce polythene at any cost to earn a living. They will do the alternative paths for this. But the factory has to be closed. No polythene shopping bags should be allowed for production. It should also be kept under surveillance that polythene may not come illegally through the border of the country. The monitoring team should be raised and the operation should be continued with initiatives to make paper bags and bangs available. As polythene is different in size and design, all kinds of small, medium, large bags should be made by jute and paper. The price of paper and jute bags is usually higher than polythene. So if necessary, the quality bag should be made even if it is subsidized. As a result, ordinary people will be discouraged in using polythene bags. To stop the use of polythene, campaigns, micking, posters, leaflets will be distributed across the country. In each mahalla, all kinds of small stores, including the operation of the shopping mall, including temporary shops on the pavement, may be reduced to all those who can be found under the fine. After all, we think that making the law is not enough, implementing is the success. It is important to close the polybag and once used plastic making factory. Because it can never be stopped by seizing the polybag without stopping production. With the amendment of the current law, the production and use of plastic plates, glass, cups, spoon, straw, etc., and the market in which plastic products and polythene bags are available, the market committee will also be subjected to punishment. It is also important to raise awareness of the people of the country about the negative effects of plastic and polythene for the environment, to ensure the supply of mattresses and environmentally friendly productsAnd we will give us the environment as far as we will give us Therefore, to reduce the use of plastic products to prevent environmental pollution, everyone has to be quick and the plastic products should be removed at certain places. We all be aware that we can relieve ourselves from the plastic-polluted environment as fast as we refrain from using plastic products. International plastic bag free day is being celebrated all over the world every year to convey this message.

The writer is organizer, columnist, founder and chairman, Jatiya rogi Kalyan Society. He can be reached at email drmazed96@gmail.com