St. Martin's Island in Bangladesh is facing a severe pollution problem due to tourists' extensive use of plastic materials, mostly containers. The livelihoods of local people who depend on natural resources are threatened by the uncontrolled and unmonitored dumping of plastic waste. NGOs and government agencies have attempted to address the problem, but the situation seems to worsen. Local people have called for sustainable projects to deal with the growing problem of solid waste management.
One solution is an initiative by an NGO that exchanges a kilogram of rice for a kilogram of waste plastics, and other essentials are also available in exchange for waste plastics. The local people have well received this as it not only helps to clean the beaches but also provides them with essentials.
Due to the arrival of uncontrolled number of tourists during the peak season, the government has taken various legal steps by imposing restrictions to protect the beauty and nature of the island. Various public and private organizations including the Department of Environment are working. Sadly, despite the laws to protect the environment, there is hardly any enforcement. Various non-biodegradable waste including plastic bottles, chips packets, pickle packets, polythene, cans, tea cups, water bottles, straws, packets, pieces of fishing nets, nylon ropes are scattered all over the island. Apart from this, household waste is added along with hundreds of small and large hotels and restaurants that emerged over the recent past. Due to this, environmental activists have raised questions about the activities of the officials of the organization working with the island, including the Department of Environment.
https://bangladeshpost.net/posts/initiatives-to-keep-biodiversity-of-st-martin-clean-101759
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