In Cox’s Bazar, a factory is turning single-use plastic waste into hope for sea and communities

Amidst the scorching heat, Osman Sorowar, an entrepreneur and owner of Bismillah Plastic, which produces polythene sheets for salt cultivation fields in Cox's Bazar, visited a single-use plastic recycling factory in Ramu upazila to buy pallets.

Osman plans to make a strong type of polythene from the pellets for salt production.

"It needs to be heavy-duty polythene [also called rexine tape] for laying on soil during salt production without harming it. Since the pellets from this factory are making sturdy furniture, I hope the sheets made from them will be equally strong," Osman said.

The Ramu factory was established by BRAC under its Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project, funded by the World Bank, and has been operating for only about two months. Even before its official inauguration, the factory began producing quality products from recycled plastic collected across Cox's Bazar, catching the attention of entrepreneurs like Osman.

A baseline study conducted by BRAC in March 2024 found that around 34.5 tons of plastic waste are dumped daily on Cox's Bazar's beaches, worsening marine pollution. Single-use plastics, polypropylene, and low-density polyethylene make up a large portion of this waste.

The Ramu facility, the first of its kind in Cox's Bazar, has been set up to recycle these hard-to-recycle or low-value plastics. It transforms them into lumber, sheets, and pellets, which can then be used in construction, furniture making, and community projects.

"Our mission focuses on creating value from low-grade plastics and going beyond simple recycling. The approach aims to close the loop, protect the sea, empower communities, and turn discarded plastics into practical solutions rather than pollution."

Rukhsar Sultana, An Official of Brac's Please Project

With an installed capacity of 200 kg per hour, the factory is currently recycling about five tons per month during its trial phase, with plans to expand production significantly.

Inside the factory, Shahena Akter and a dozen other women were sorting the collected polythene into five categories.

"Our job is to separate the polythene into PP (polypropylene), LDPE (low-density polyethylene), MLP (multi-layer plastic), and HDPE (high-density polyethylene)," Shahena explained.

Sorting is crucial because different types of polythene need to be processed separately.

Each batch passes through a series of machines, including shredders, hot washers, sharpeners, extruders, heat presses, sanders, and finally a palletizer, turning the plastic into valuable pellets — the essential raw material for creating new products.

"I work here from 9 to 5pm. My husband has an autorickshaw and I have four children. My income helps run my family," Shahena said.

This approach is closely linked to creating inclusive opportunities. Mahfuzur Rahman, Project Manager, explained that by supporting and expanding the capacity of ten female recyclers, the project has strengthened the plastic value chain while showing how inclusive livelihoods can promote sustainable waste management and circular economy solutions.

Rifat Hossain, a supervisor at the factory, explained that they initially began collecting polythene through an exchange programme. For example, for every five kilograms of polythene, collectors received four kilograms of rice, 1.5 kilograms of lentils, and 1.5 kilograms of sugar.

"We now have a massive stock of polythene," Rifat said. "Our workers sort around 250–300 kg of polythene each day. After sorting, it goes through shredding, cutting, washing, drying, and then finally into the palletizer to produce pellets."

To both collect polythene and estimate the daily flow of single-use plastics into rivers and the sea, a ‘floating barrier’ has been installed in Rumaliar Chhara, one of the many channels in Cox’s Bazar.

These pellets are then used to create lumber and sheets.

At the factory, carpenters were crafting chairs and tables from recycled materials. Rafikul Islam, one of the carpenters, said the products are far more durable than traditional wooden items. "These will last much longer than wooden furniture," he added.

Project officials noted that the recycled lumber and sheets will also be used to construct climate-resilient structures in vulnerable coastal areas, highlighting how circular economy solutions can support climate adaptation.

To both collect polythene and estimate the daily flow of single-use plastics into rivers and the sea, a 'floating barrier' was installed in Rumaliar Chhara, one of the many channels in Cox's Bazar.

The barrier is designed to intercept waste before it reaches open water, adapting to the tides while trapping floating plastic.

"On average, we collect 40–60 kg of single-use plastic from this barrier alone. All sorts of waste get caught, including up to 45 kg of PET bottles on a single day," said Hasan Rezaul Karim, project coordinator. He added that biodegradable waste is released back, while mainly single-use plastics are retained.

Although it is well known that plastics enter rivers and the sea through these channels, the exact quantity reaching open water is unclear. If there's around ten such channels, it is estimated that 400–600 kg of single-use plastic enters the rivers and sea each day.

"Our mission focuses on creating value from low-grade plastics and going beyond simple recycling," said Rukhsar Sultana, a project official. She added that the approach aims to close the loop, protect the sea, empower communities, and turn discarded plastics into practical solutions rather than pollution.

While solution-driven green projects are plentiful, many are eventually abandoned.

According to Mustaq Aanam, manager of collaboration and partnership of this project, this is often due to planning gaps and a lack of priority by the authorities receiving the project. He explained that building a facility without a viable market can lead to failure.

"Our project ends this month, but handing over the factory to the municipality [as per MoU] now would risk its collapse. That's why BRAC will continue to operate it for another year to ensure sustainability and growth," he said. 

Connecting to markets remains a significant challenge, noted Mahfuzur Rahman. However, implementing carbon credits can help by giving projects like this extra income, he said.

If implemented, by reducing plastic pollution and associated emissions, the factories can earn carbon credits and sell them, providing financial support to sustain operations and support green entrepreneurs.

Recycling factories for single-use plastics are not entirely new in Bangladesh; a few already operate in the Dhaka area. 

However, Mustaq Aanam emphasised the key difference of the Ramu facility — its focus on environmental protection. 

"While existing factories mainly recycle clean plastics from garment factories, we collect polythene that has been discarded and would otherwise pollute rivers and the sea," he explained.