Challenges and prospects for the substitution of plastic products with jute in the context of Bangladesh—a social study

Single-use plastics are a major environmental concern in developing countries like Bangladesh due to their non-biodegradable nature. Finding sustainable alternatives is crucial to reduce reliance on these harmful plastics and mitigate pollution. This study aims to explore the public opinions on plastic pollution and investigate the challenges and potential for substituting plastics with jute. The study also provides essential recommendations for addressing these challenges and fostering the successful substitution of plastics with jute-based alternatives. A thorough social study was carried out in two major cities of Bangladesh, involving 212 participants through face-to-face questionnaire surveys. The selected participants represented diverse demographics in terms of age, gender, occupation, and education level. The findings reveal broad support for plastic recyclability, with many participants favoring jute and paper bags as alternatives to plastics. However, most individuals show little concern for reusing plastic products. Moreover, more than half of the total participants, spanning various demographics, have been exposed to plastic waste reduction campaigns. Furthermore, two-thirds of participants from diverse age groups, occupations, education levels, and genders support the introduction of higher pricing, such as additional tax, as measures to reduce plastic pollution. The correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) plot reveal clustering patterns aligning plastic recycling, extra charges on plastic, and the availability of jute products with socio-demographic variables. Despite favorable views on jute, participants highlight high prices and limited availability as major barriers to adopting jute alternatives. Most of the participants call for additional support to the jute sector, with consensus favoring increased subsidies from the Government of Bangladesh and recognition of the significance of investing in research.