Environmental Condition of

RMG sector in Bangladesh

Name: Faysal Islam Shajeed

Id No: 161-071-0-145
Course Title: English Composition
Date: 27.12.17
Acknowledgment
I, with the help of Mohinul Islam Fahim, Assistant Merchandiser of Shanta Group
& Ltd and Kazi Forhad Noman, Deputy Librarian of BGMEA University of
Fashion and Technology have submitted this report.

Contents
Abstract 03

Introduction 03
 Environmental scenario of RMG sector in Bangladesh

Literature Review 06

Methodology 07
 Selection of Garment Factory
 Present Situation of Garment Factories Wastes
 Problems Finding
 Questionnaire Survey and Informal Interview
 Data Collection and Other Secondary Data

Findings 09

Discussion 09

Recommendation 10

Conclusion 10

References 11
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Abstract
Bangladesh has more reputation for Readymade Garments in the world and which
plays a significant role in the economical enhancement as well. Most of the
garments factories in Bangladesh are located at Gazipur and Narayanganj industrial
area, Dhaka. But in terms of pollution, the garments factory has been disgraced as
being one of the world's most perpetrators. Now a day’s environmental problems
are completely anchored in our ways of life.The main goal of this study is to find
out the environmental problems which arise from the waste of RMG sector. This is
done by analyzing and observing numerous data acquired from field survey. The
field surveys were conducted among 100 general people near the study area, some
VIP’s and some NGO’s. Findings from this study are that, the waste management
systems are progressing very softly. So the garments factory need to improve the
waste management system immediately and NGO side to help to raise the
environmental condition.

Introduction
The Garments industries are playing an important role in Bangladesh’s economy for
a long time. Currently, the garments industry in Bangladesh accounts for 45 percent
of all industrial employment and contributes 5 percent to the total national income.
The sector employs nearly 4 million people, mostly woman. A huge 78 percent of
the country’s export earnings come from textiles and apparel, according to the latest
figures available. Bangladesh exports its apparel products worth nearly $8 billion
per year to the United States, European Union (EU), Canada and other countries of
the world. It is the sixth largest apparel supplier to the United States and EU
countries. Previously, the domestic market was dependent upon imported goods;
now the local industry meets over 90 per cent of domestic demand for ready-made
garments.

Despite the significant economic contribution of the garments industries in

Bangladesh, it has brought with it a range of environmental problems, mostly
pollution of water resources of the country. Although the concerned authorities
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have identified these industrial units and legal procedures have been initiated
against them, the scenario of industrial pollution has not improved yet. Recent
reports in the national dailies on increased industrial pollution reflects that many
ecosystems have already been degraded, some are now under threat, and the
livelihoods of tens of thousands of people mostly the local farmers and the
fishermen are being affected as wastes and effluents from textile industries are
dumped in crop lands and water bodies. Let’s have a journey down the pipelines to
the ditches, which will strengthen our efforts to resolve this situation in the most
effective way.

Environmental scenario of RMG sector in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s RMG sector can be divided into three main categories: public sector,
handloom sector, and the organized private sector, The private sector is the fastest
growing sector in the country (see table 1). Most of these units are located along the
banks of the rivers, which provide transportation for incoming raw materials and
outgoing finished products. Unfortunately, this sector is one of the most
problematic sectors for water pollution. A complex mixture of hazardous chemicals,
both organic and inorganic, is discharged into the water bodies from these sectors,
usually without treatment. The most polluting industrial units listed in 1986
included 298 textile mills, which rose to 365 units in the recent statistics of DoE.
Around 50% of these are small-scale industries and their contributions to
environmental pollution are summarized in the Table 1 in terms of waste water
(m3) and biological oxygen demand (BOD load, kg/day) discharged into the inland
surface water per day.

Industries and factories at Tongi near Dhaka regularly dump solid waste and
effluent in the nearby River Turag, polluting the water. Color of water of the Turag
is dark and has a strong odor. The number of factories polluting Turag is at least 20.
Savar, which is the largest industrial belt near Dhaka in Bangladesh, has more than
85 local and foreign industries in the old and new EPZ zones where most of them
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are textile and dyeing industries. The industries of Savar generate a large amount of
effluent every day which are being directly discharged into the surrounding land,
agricultural fields, irrigation channels and surface water and finally enter into the
river.

The water samples from point sources, upstream areas and deep tube wells were
collected and analyzed for Na, K, Mg, Ca, Fe, Cu, Cd, Cr, Pb, pH, Temperatures,
DO, BOD, COD, Total hardness, Total alkalinity, EC, Chloride, TDS, TSS.
Descriptive analysis identified the effluent status for textile and dyeing industries
compared to the national standard for drinking, fishing, and irrigation water. Most
of the parameters were highly intolerable at the point source to discharge points.
Therefore, the highly concentrated heavy metals becomes harmful to fish and
microorganism of the Dhalai Beel. For this a large a large number of villages in
Savar are now being threatened by the environmental.

The deadly poisonous toxic industrial effluent seriously affected the fish population
and the farmers are also losing their crops, fruits and vegetables because the
surrounding lands have become unsuitable for cultivation (Ecofile, March 2000).
Although the level of few selected heavy metals in the water/soil of Bangladesh
have found in few literature, on information exists on the concentration of trace and
natural radioactive elements (Sultana, 2003).

The Bangladesh Center for Advanced Studies (BCAS), analyzed that EC of

Sitalakhya River cross the limit and it was 110 mg/l- during 1980 but aggressive
industrialization and improper agricultural activities, it is rise up to 1440 mg/l
during 1998 and TDS rises 216 to 446 mg/l. A number of textile and leather
industries discharge their industrial effluents into a nearby small water body, the
results showed that levels of COD, TSS and DO in the water exceeded standard
limits. It also showed that the total chromium concentration in sediments and
wastewaters near the discharge points of the local tannery and textile industries is
very high. The concentrations of zinc, lead, and cadmium were also found to be
higher than the national standards (BCAS, 2000).

Table 2: Composition of cotton textile mill waste

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Process waste water is a major contributor to industrial pollution. The waste water
is typically alkaline (high pH) and contains solids, oil, and potentially toxic
organics. Dye waste waters are frequently highly colored and may contain heavy
metals such as copper and chromium (table 2) and may release bacteria and other
pathogens. Pesticides are also sometimes used for the preservation of natural fibers,
and these are transferred to wastewaters during washing and scouring operations.

The most significant environmental impact is rapid pH fluctuation in the water. The
rise in pH increases the toxicity of chemicals such as ammonia, iron posing serious
threats to the fish stocks and children playing and washing in the water.

Literature Review
Several authors have analyzed aspects of the garment industry in Bangladesh. Of
the various aspects of the industry, the problems and the environmental conditions
have received the greatest attention. There are several studies including the
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS) study by Salma Chowdhury
and Protima Mazumdar (1991) and the Bangladesh Unnayan Parisad (1990) study
on this topic. Both of these studies use accepted survey and research methodology
to analyze a wealth of data on the social and economic background, problems in the
RMG sector. Professor Muzaffar Ahmad looks at the industrial organization of the
sector and discusses robustness and long-term viability of apparel manufacturing in
Bangladesh. Wiigton (2000) provides a good overview of this industry, especially
the developments in the early years. One of the few studies on the Bangladesh
apparel industry to be published in a reputed journal in the U.S. is that of Yung
Whee Rhee (2003) who presents what he calls a “catalyst model” of
development. The Bangladesh Planning Commission under the Trade and
Industrial Policy (TIP) project also commissioned several studies on the industry.
Hossain and Brar (2004) consider some labor-related issues in the garment industry.
Quddus (2006) presents a profile of the apparel sector in Bangladesh and discusses
some other aspects of the industry. Quddus (2006) presents results from a survey of
apparel entrepreneurs and evaluates the performance of entrepreneurs and their
contribution to the success of this industry. Islam and Quddus (2006) present an
overall analysis of the industry to evaluate its potential as a catalyst for the
development of the rest of the Bangladesh economy.

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Methodology
A methodology is the theoretical analysis of the methods and principles associated
with a branch of knowledge. Methodology cannot provide solutions but offers the
theoretical underpinning which method can be applied to a specific case.

Selection of Garment Factory

At present there are about 6500 garment industries in Bangladesh and 75 percent of
them are in Dhaka. In this study 10 effective Garments factories are selected which
are: DNV Clothing, NR Knit Composite, Pioneer Sweaters & Knit wears Unit-1,
Creative Wool wear, Sharoms Samsons Winter Wear, Shore to Shore Textiles,
Young 4 Ever, Space Sweater, Aboni Knitwear, Shasha Garments.

Present Situation of Garment Factories Wastes

Most of the textile waste originates during yarn and fabric propagation, processes of
garment-making and from the retail industry. The extensive amount of industrial
waste such as, polyethylene, cloth and papers are generated here daily. Everyday
120 to 125 tons waste are generated in these factories.

Figure: Status of Garments Waste

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Problems Finding

Various problems are found by this study which is created by the garments waste.
Some problems are environmental and some are human health related. From the
observation of questioner survey it is found that, by improper garments waste
management, it affects: i) human health ii) Socio-economic conditions iii) Coastal
and marine environment iv) rivers and also v) Affects soil by land filling. The
opinions of the people whose are facing different types of problems around the
study area, obtained by field survey are listed below.

Table 3. Types of problem around the study area.

Types of Problem Opinion of total people by (%)

Health Risk 60%

Insects 11%

Toxic substances 19%

Odor 10%

(Source: field survey)

Questionnaire Survey and Informal Interview

The questionnaire was designed in such a way that it would track down the
problems of environment and general people which help us to sort out some
recommendations. About 100 respondents were interviewed in different zones near
the garment factories. Informal interview of official experts of different
development organizations and some VIP’s were also done in order to know their
views.

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Data Collection and Other Secondary Data

To fulfill the objectives of this study both primary and secondary data were needed.
We have collected these data’s through 3 different processes, i) Questionnaire
survey with general people, ii) Informal interview with different organization who
works for the welfare of Environment and iii) Informal interview with different
garment’s VIP persons who are experts of their fields and can give a valuable
opinion about this environmental study.

Findings
All the collected data from field survey were putted in a spread sheet and analyzed
separately and finally all the analyzed data (%) have been integrated and presented
as tables and graphs and putted in the report. From the survey we have found some
tremendous information that helps to build our practical knowledge about the
environmental condition of garments industry of our country and the consequences,
people are facing every day.

Discussion
Despite the large number of rules and regulations to protect water from industrial
effluents, there are few enforcement programs and a lack of institutional capability
to take action. Therefore, mill owners do not hesitate to maximize their profits by
using the pesticides and other banned chemicals at the expense of local environment
and health.

The textile industry in Bangladesh is just budding. However, ignoring the problem
will leads to maximum damage to the environment. This damage ranges from local
scale/neighborhood; to the regional, and even in some cases the global scales.

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Recommendations
Following steps can help the authorities for extensive management of Garments
waste and reduce the enduring of the city dwellers from physical, social and
environmental point of view:

• Government and owner of garments factories should conscious about

environmental Act and try to follow the rules and regulations strictly.
• Effluent treatment plant (ETP) installation can be mandatory for all garments
industry for decreasing the toxicity of the produce waste.
• Using fewer toxic dye carriers and finishing agents. Avoid carriers containing
chlorine, such as chlorinated aromatics.
• Reusing dye solution from the dye baths.
• Recovering and reusing process chemicals.
• Controlling optimal conditions, the quantity, pH, temperature of the water used
in textile.
• Can be organized effective training program about health & hygiene as well as
overall environment among the employees of the factory.
• Properly follow the systematic procedure of waste disposal and ensure while
handling the wastes, workers must use their safety equipment like mask, hand
gloves, boot etc.
• The NGOs- Government partnership should be exhibited and promote the
avoiding of non-degradable or less degradable chemicals in RMG sector.

Conclusion
From this study it is found that, large quantities of effluent are discharging by the
textile dyeing industries. These can be highly toxic and composed of various
pollutants at significant upper level than standard value of department of
environment. Some of the industries have effluent treatment plant (ETP) for treating
waste water. As most of the factories specially dyeing industries are throwing their
waste directly to river without treatment. Most of the people living near these areas
are facing different health related problems. The increasing number of textile
industries in this area, the concentration of these pollutants is increasing in an

PAGE 9
alarming rate. So it is necessary to take initiatives immediately to minimize the
pollution to a significant extent and reduce health hazard problems. That is the way
to increase environmental benefits for future generation.

References
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carboxymethylated cotton fabric via cationization. J. Clean. Prod. 13:947-
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14.Narayanganj Pourashava. (2009). Rough estimate of Solid Waste Collection
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