Polls Campaign Materials: No fix yet for their disposal

The authorities are yet to decide how to dispose of banners, posters and other election campaign materials after those were removed from roadside lamp posts, overbridges and walls in compliance with a directive from the Election Commission.

Additionally, those tasked with the disposal are yet to take environmental pollution into consideration to minimise the consequences on human health.

The campaign materials made of plastic were seen dumped, and burnt with a complete disregard for human health and environment.

“We don't know the ultimate destination of plastic or synthetic materials,” said Abdul Aziz, chief conservancy officer of Khulna City Corporation. “We will float tenders to sell them. The unsold materials would be dumped or burnt.”

Our Khulna correspondent on Tuesday visited the dumping ground at Bastuhara in Khulna city and saw tonnes of banners and posters piled up without those made up of plastic being sorted out.

Ten trucks were used to carry posters, banners to the Rajbadh dumping ground, around eight kilometres from Khulna City Corporation.

The unchecked disposal of campaign materials of election hopefuls was also seen in Savar and Pirojpur municipalities and Gazipur, Sylhet, Mymensingh, Rangpur, Cumilla and Barishal city corporations as reported by our correspondents.

No dumping yard in the country has incinerators that burn rubbish and waste materials at high temperatures. The only way to dispose of plastic banners is to burn them, said Hanifur Rahman, conservancy officer of Sylhet City Corporation.

Plastic banners made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) generate highly toxic chemical compounds called – dioxins – when burnt at below 1,000 degree Celsius, said Mominur Rahman, associate professor of environmental pollution management at Buet in an earlier interview with The Daily Star. 

Human development, reproduction, and immune systems are highly sensitive to dioxins.

Abdul Karim, general secretary of Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon (Bapa), Sylhet, said the price of such materials should be raised to discourage people from using them.

Since any plastic materials, including PVC, are not degradable, those are mostly being burnt after collection.

Aminul Islam Jahangir, administration officer of Mymensingh City Corporation, said the authorities removed banners and posters by Tuesday. 

Now cleaners were burning those at open places, including Kachary ferry and Puratan ferry ghats, Aminul added.

Barisal City Corporation (BCC) threw all election materials into BCC storage area at Amanatganj, turning it into a garbage ground. The disposal of those is awaiting a decision by the authorities, said Dipok Lal Mridha, BCC conservancy officer.  

Pirojpur municipality feared another issue other than environmental damage from disposing of the materials.

“Festoons and banners have photos of Bangabandhu, prime minister and top political leaders,” said Panna Laal, an employee of the municipality. “If the authorities burn or damage those in any other way, they may be harassed.”

Until any decision is taken, Abu Ali M Sazzad Hossain, deputy commissioner of Pirojpur, said, “We will keep them stored in a place.”