An unauthorized plastic crushing factory has been running for almost two and a half years at Mirzapur village in Nimaichara union under Pabna's Chatmohar upazila posing health hazard.
Hanif Mollah, 55, son of Golzar Mollah of Mirzapur village, has been crushing plastic bottles and marketing them setting up a plastic cutting mill without clearance from the environment department.
In this factory called ZM Plastic Cutting Mill, discarded plastic bottles are cut into small pieces every day after buying discarded bottles from bottle collectors in the area.
On Wednesday visiting Mirzapur village, it was seen that crushed plastic was being dried under sun at an open space on the muddy road next to the paved road from Nimaichara to Bhangura. Trucks were also being loaded with the plastic on the road.
As the mill was set up in a populated area of Mirzapur, it is causing problems for the people of the area. During cutting and drying, tiny particles of plastic are scattered in the air which poses a serious threat to public health.
In this regard owner Hanif Mollah said, “I have been running this business with a trade license called ZM Plastic Cutting Mill from Union Parishad. I do not have any clearance from the Department of Environment”.
Kamruzzaman Khokon, chairman of Nimaichara Union Parishad, said he knew Hanif Mollah bought and sold old plastic bottles. However, if he does the work of cutting plastic without the exemption letter from the Department of Environment, then it is illegal. It will pollute the environment of the area”.
Chatmohar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md. Saikat Islam said, “If plastic cutting is done in crowded areas, it is definitely a threat to public health. If they are doing business without clearance, I will definitely close this institution and necessary legal action will be taken in this regard”.
