In Teknaf and St. Martin’s Island, locals exchange discarded plastic for daily essentials like rice, lentils, and cooking oil. Men and women line up with bags full of plastic waste, turning trash into treasure through this eco-conscious initiative.
The Bidyanondo Foundation launched the project in collaboration with Cox’s Bazar district administration to reduce plastic pollution. Families now earn essential goods from discarded plastics that would otherwise go to waste.
There are now two “Plastic Exchange Stores”: one at Naf River’s BGB field in Teknaf and another at St. Martin’s Jetty Point. Residents who bring single-use plastic bottles are guaranteed supplies in return.
With growing plastic waste threatening the environment in Teknaf and the remote St. Martin’s Island, locals hope this eco-friendly initiative will continue in the long term, fostering environmental conservation and community welfare.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report/Abdur Rashid Manik
Photo: Courtesy
