Ecological Risks of Fly Ash Export through the Sundarbans: A Threat to One of the World's Most Vital Mangrove Ecosystems

 

Fly ash was declared as industrial waste in Bangladesh in 1990 rather than as prohibited goods to reflect its potential for beneficial use in various industrial applications while ensuring that its environmental impacts are properly managed. This classification supports the safe and productive use of fly ash, helping to balance economic benefits with environmental and public health considerations. While fly ash can contain harmful substances, its risks can be managed through proper handling and usage practices. The decision to classify it as industrial waste reflects a balanced approach to managing its risks while recognizing its utility. By allowing the use of fly ash, the classification promotes recycling and reduces the environmental footprint associated with extracting and processing new raw materials.

Fly ash can be repurposed effectively in various industries. Using fly ash as a recycled product offers numerous positive impacts, particularly in environmental sustainability and resource conservation. By repurposing fly ash, we can significantly reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills, thereby alleviating landfill pressure and minimizing environmental pollution. This practice also curtails greenhouse gas emissions by lessening the reliance on traditional materials like cement, whose production is energy-intensive and carbon-heavy. Additionally, fly ash enhances the properties of concrete, improving its strength, durability, and workability, which contributes to longer-lasting and more resilient structures. The substitution of fly ash for conventional materials not only conserves natural resources, such as limestone and sand, but also results in cost savings for construction projects. Furthermore, incorporating fly ash supports the development of new industries and job opportunities related to material processing. Overall, recycling fly ash promotes a circular economy by reusing industrial by-products, aligning with broader goals of sustainable development and environmental stewardship.

Although recycling fly ash provides substantial environmental and economic benefits, the large-scale export and transportation of fly ash through the Sundarbans significantly undermines these advantages. From a business perspective, transporting millions of tons of fly ash via waterways using aging vessels may reduce costs. However, such practices, sanctioned by regulatory bodies, pose severe risks to both regional and global heritage. The Sundarbans, recognized as the world's largest mangrove forest and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is particularly vulnerable to environmental degradation. Consequently, the current approach not only jeopardizes the integrity of this critical ecosystem but also contradicts the sustainability goals associated with fly ash recycling.

The environmental impact of the increasing fly ash exports through the Sundarbans has become a critical concern. In the 2019-20 period, Bangladesh exported 2.26 million tonnes of fly ash, a notable rise from 1.45 million tonnes in 2012-13, reflecting a 1.55-fold increase in just eight years. Concurrently, the number of water vessel trips in the region surged from 428 in 2001-02 to 2,645 in 2019-20. This dramatic escalation in both export volume and transportation frequency exacerbates the environmental pressures on the Sundarbans, the world’s largest delta. The frequent capsizing of ships carrying fly ash, as seen in recent incidents, introduces hazardous pollutants into the delta's delicate ecosystem, impacting water quality, harming aquatic life, and disrupting local fisheries. Such environmental degradation threatens the biodiversity and ecological balance of this vital mangrove forest, underscoring the urgent need for more sustainable and responsible management practices in the region.

On April 9, 2020, a ship transporting fly ash capsized in the River Hooghly near Kulpi, located in West Bengal’s South 24-Parganas district. The incident caused a dense cloud of grey dust to envelop the nearby village of Tangrachar. Local fisherman Bappa Dulai reported that the air was permeated with a nauseating odor of carbon for days following the accident. The floating mound of ash took approximately ten days to clear, but the shipwreck's aftermath became a persistent problem. A pool of fuel and coal dust at the wreck's base continued to pollute the water, resulting in the death of fish and other aquatic life. Fishermen also lost their nets as they became entangled in the wreckage. On the same day, just 30 kilometers away, another ship carrying fly ash collapsed at Kachuberia, a ferry terminal on Sagar Island, within the Sundarbans. This delta, formed by the confluence of the Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers in the Bay of Bengal, is the world's largest. According to a 2020 report, five ships carrying fly ash containers to Bangladesh had collapsed in the region that year, with a total of eight such incidents occurring over the past two years.

The increase in fly ash imports to Bangladesh has been driven by the surge in local cement production, which has heightened the demand for this by-product. As Bangladesh's cement industry expands, so does the need for fly ash, prompting significant volumes to be transported from India. Sharif Jamal, Executive Director of Buriganga Riverkeeper and former General Secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), has criticized this practice as a form of environmental racism, suggesting that it reflects a disregard for the ecological consequences. He argues that the expansion of transport routes intensifies the risks to the fragile Sundarbans ecosystem. Compounding the issue, Bangladesh itself is projected to produce 1.07 million tonnes of fly ash by 2030 from its own power plants. Given this burgeoning domestic production, it remains to be seen whether Bangladesh will reduce its reliance on imported fly ash or if import volumes will continue to rise, potentially causing irreparable harm to the Sundarbans. Will this continued dependence jeopardize efforts to protect one of the world's most vital mangrove forests?

References

[1]	S. Rahman, "Is fly ash more valuable than the Sundarbans?," The Business Standard, Dhaka, 2020.
[2]	N. Acharya, "Fly ash in India: A free movement of toxicity to Bangladesh," Mongabay, 2020.
[3]	"Fly-ash imports from India polluting Indo-Bangladesh Waterway," The Business Standard, Dhaka, 2020.