.:BCAS: Clean Technology and Indigenous Knowledge :.

Clean Technology and Indigenous Knowledge

Over the last 20 years industries have been constructed in an unplanned manner with little attention to environmental consequences caused by the industrial process. Neither conservation nor environmental security were not taken into account by industrialists and the need for industrial zoning was ignored by urban planners. By far, industrial growth has primarily been on the basis of infrastructure availability like electricity, gas and road communication. As a result air, water and land pollution from industrial wastes has led to recurring consequences.

Environmental laws and negotiations have surfaced in 1995 and 1997 in Bangladesh, but enforcement of these laws by the industrial sector has been weak. That is why exponential growth of the textile sector in Bangladesh has resulted in adverse impacts on the environment. The Clean Technology and Sustainable Market programme is a core area at BCAS and aims to research in minimizing environmental degradation through alternate methods, health and safety of workers and catalyze the implementation of appropriate environmental laws.

Objective

To work towards minimizing environmental degradation and operation, ensure health and safety and comply with emerging stricter standards for the export based sector.

Approach

To raise awareness on the importance of compliance in industries especially in textile and tannery sectors by involving stakeholders, for example civil society partners and academics

To enhance capacity of industries and adapt to new and cleaner production technologies

Assisting industries to set effluent treatment plants through training on design, operation and maintenance

To influence policy decisions through information dissemination, advocacy and other activities

To raise awareness of the export based textile and leather industries of the stricter compliance requirements of the importing countries to ensure sustainable markets.

Outcomes

Achieved sustained export markets by increasing compliance and knowledge of industries on environmental laws and social aspects through the usage of Effluent Treatment Plants (ETP)

Policy advocacy leading to more stringent enforcement of laws

Raised awareness among civil society and local communities through formulation of pollution monitoring groups

Projects

Managing Pollution from Small Scale Industries in Bangladesh
Environment Impact of Textile Dyeing and Printing Industries in Bangladesh
Industrial Pollution Regulation Dissemination Programme
Water Quality Management in upper catchments of the Turag River
Profitable Environmental Management – emphasis on Chemical Management (PREMA – CM) – A Pollution Research in Textile Industry
Sector Scoping to identify Environmental Intervention Opportunities
ETP Solution for the Textile Washing Dyeing and Finishing Industry in Bangladesh
Management of Aquatic Ecosystems through Community Husbandry (MACH) Project
Social Compliance in Garment Industry
Cleaner Production & Environmental Compliance