We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Policy Failure in Plastic Ban Enforcement: A Political Economy Perspective on Regulatory Implementation Barriers of Section 6A of the Environmental Conservation Act, 1995
AI summary Read the abstract
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.
More Papers Like This
Circular Economy Implementation in Plastic Waste Management in Bangladesh: A Comprehensive Study Through Policy, Innovation, and Stakeholder Engagement
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers interviewed government, industry, academic and community representatives in Bangladesh about plastic waste management, and reviewed policy documents and international examples. The study identified challenges like poor sorting infrastructure and weak enforcement, and proposed a framework involving waste pickers, recycling investment, and producer responsibility rules.
Public perception and compliance with Ethiopia’s single-use plastic bag ban: Challenges and strategic pathways to success
AI summary Read the abstract
This Ethiopian policy perspective critically examined public perception and behavioral compliance challenges in implementing a nationwide ban on single-use plastic bags introduced in June 2025. The authors identified limited public awareness, socioeconomic disparities, lack of affordable alternatives, and weak enforcement as key obstacles, and proposed multichannel education campaigns and community-driven strategies to improve policy adoption.
Some Countries Can Say “No!” to Single-Use Plastics, Others Cannot: Why Do Seemingly Similar Policies Have Different Outcomes?
AI summary Read the abstract
This paper analyzed plastic bag ban and levy outcomes across 12 countries, finding that retail sector engagement—rather than the specific policy instrument—was the strongest predictor of success. Countries that failed to involve major retailers, provide affordable alternatives, or implement deposit-return systems often saw limited reductions in single-use plastic consumption.
Evaluating plastic bag levies: A systematic review of behavioural, regulatory, and normative pathways
AI summary Read the abstract
This systematic review following PRISMA 2020 guidelines evaluated the effectiveness of plastic bag levies and related interventions across 16 eligible studies. Findings showed economic instruments like levies produce the largest and most consistent reductions in plastic bag consumption, while multi-layered strategies combining charges with education and social norms offer the greatest long-term effectiveness.
Environmental governance towards microplastic pollution : the case of personal care and cosmetics products in Bangladesh
AI summary Read the abstract
This study examines why Bangladesh has been slow to regulate microplastic microbeads in personal care products despite growing evidence of harm, compared to many developed countries that have already enacted bans. It highlights governance gaps, lack of enforcement capacity, and industry influence as key barriers to effective environmental regulation.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.