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Policy Failure in Plastic Ban Enforcement: A Political Economy Perspective on Regulatory Implementation Barriers of Section 6A of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1995
Summary
This study investigated why Bangladesh's 2002 ban on polyethylene bags—the world's first such ban—remains largely unimplemented after 20 years, identifying the low price of polythene, lack of affordable alternatives, and weak enforcement as key barriers. The findings recommend developing cheaper eco-friendly alternatives and stronger government-NGO coordination to make the ban effective.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country to implement a ban on the use of polyethylene bags. However, after 20 years, it appears that the ban has not been implemented. Taking this considera-tion, this study investigates the political and economic barriers to the implementations of polyethene bag ban in Bangladesh. METHODS: This study employed a multi-faceted methodology to compre-hensively investigate plastic pollution and management strategies. In this study, content analysis involved reviewing several key documents, including national policies and international frame-works. Spatial analysis using ArcGIS contributed spatial insights, while face-to-face Key Informant Interviews and an online survey captured diverse perspectives. FINDINGS: This study found that low pricing of polythene bag, no available alternatives of polythene bag, high price of alternatives, lack of financial and infrastructural support for the eco-friendly alternatives are the main economic barrier to the polyethene bag bans. Notably, 91 participants (57.90%) think that lack of cheaper alternatives such as polyethene bags is the main barrier to implement of the ban in Bangladesh. The results also indicated that cheaper price (22%), easy availability (36%), and high price of alternative (27%) were the main reasons for preferring polyethene bags among participants. The finding of this study is that a cheaper and environment friendly alternative is needed in our country to implement the ban successfully. Additionally, the public and private sectors should come forward to invest in the alternative bag sector to make it cheaper for consumers. The government's initiatives, while commendable, necessitate stringent enforcement, amendments for specificity, and expansion beyond Dhaka to ensure holistic efficacy. CONCLUSION: The central government's role in influencing plastic waste management through taxation and incentives is pivotal, requiring alignment NGOs and civil society, for fostering public awareness and collaboration. This comprehensive examination serves as a foundation for informed policymaking and sustainable interventions to address the pressing challenges of plastic waste in Bangladesh.