THE TOXIC CONVENIENCE OF PLASTIC BEGS THE QUESTION: "SO NOW WHAT?"

KEY TOPICS: Bangladesh, plastic, recycling, sustainable architecture


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Water Bottle from Bangladesh

In North America, where I come from, the harmful chemicals contained in plastic can make headline news. BPA, or Bisphenol-A, is a chemical similar to estrogen, which at high rates is carcinogenic; it may also disrupt women's hormonal health. Websites like Breast Cancer.org therefore have a vested interest to inform the public of their exposure to BPA from widely used plastic products, like the water bottle above. But no matter the dangers, it seems like these bottles are here to stay. So now what?

Plastic products, you could say, are a toxic convenience: borne out of technological advances from the war era and then popularized as both incomes and homeownership rates in North America rose. The kitchen was arguably the most dramatically transformed by all the plastic products flooding the consumer market. By the late 1950's, a middle-class home without Tupperware Inc. storage containers was probably rare. This was a sign of changing times not to mention the huge success of the company's direct marketing efforts in the form of ladies-only Tupperware parties (CLICK link to see archival footage). Overnight, plastic was domesticated and became fashionably functional for those who could afford these new conveniences. The Tupperware Inc. phenomenon continues to grow as richly decorated kitchens spread through the East, in countries like China, India and Bangladesh, where I currently live. (Will blog about Tupperware Inc.'s arrival in Bangladesh via India in an upcoming post. Naturally, expect the Bangladeshi women that form the company's 'Chain of Confidence' to sport saris not slacks.)

Outside as much as inside the home, plastic has become necessary in the management of our economic, social and personal lives. From automotives to sports to medicine, plastic is a fundamental part of the innovations that we have come to enjoy and rely on. Heck, even the stretchy jeans we wear to the office on "casual days" contain plastic! (Personally, I live in my stretchy jeans so have, I admit, come to rely on them.) 


Baridhara (Dhaka) Garbage Heap

But these accumulated plastic conveniences have proven to be real inconveniences when it comes to their disposal. Recycling facilities may be the norm in major North American cities, but not in Dhaka, a megacity that is growing daily. Plastic products like wrappers, water bottles and other packaging are thrown out with food waste. Once collected, these products are dumped and may be sorted and re-sold to companies that will recycle the products for profit. The people who facilitate the recycling in Dhaka are addressing the problem but piecemeal. A large-scale (labour is plenty), energy efficient (that could be a challenge) operation that engages all sectors: public offices, businesses and residences in a network of recycling, reusing and reducing so-called waste is needed here. Wishful thinking?


Volunteer for Bangladesh Office at
Jaago Foundation (Dhaka)

So then what? There is an old adage that says, "Necessity is the mother of invention"; it can also be the mother of cheap sustainable architecture. The bottled wall to your right had me mesmerized when I visited Jaago Foundation's Rayer Bazaar branch back in January. After all, those are 500-ml water bottles collected from a local fast-food shop. Six thousand bottles were filled with sand for strength and cemented in place over the course of about 3 months. A plan lovingly executed by Shabbir Ahmad and his friends in a collective effort to tread lightly on this overtaxed land of ours. The cost of this new office for 'Volunteer for Bangladesh' youth? About 15 000 Takas or $200 US with labour provided by the youth themselves. These details I only found out later. It is the sheer simplicity of this ingenious idea - found on the Internet - that struck a deep chord. In that moment, 'Made in Bangladesh' took on a new meaning. 

People power change. If plastic is a human-made toxic convenience then surely we humans can unmake this reality so that we are better served in the long-run. Maybe Bangladeshi youth, like Shabbir, can help lead the way - with a little help from Google!