A writ petition has been filed in the High Court seeking directives for an investigation into the presence of microplastics in a significant portion of toothpaste available in the domestic market.
The petition, filed on Monday questions whether failure of the concerned authorities to ensure the quality of toothpaste according to national standards is legal.
Supreme Court lawyer Md Abdullah Al Mamun filed the petition, which is expected to be heard by the High Court bench comprising Justices Khizir Ahmed Choudhury and Md Ziaul Haque.
A total of eight respondents have been named in the writ, including secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, health secretary, industry secretary, and director general of the Department of Environment.
The petitioner has sought a rule from the court asking why failure of the respondents to ensure toothpaste quality in accordance with national criteria should not be declared illegal.
The writ petition includes newspaper reports highlighting that 76 per cent of toothpaste sold in the country contains microplastics.
According to these reports, the presence of these tiny plastic particles has been detected in three out of every four brands, raising health concerns for consumers of all ages, including children, as microplastics were found in toothpaste specifically marketed for them.
These findings are based on a year-long study conducted by Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO).
The organisation tested 34 samples from 19 brands available in the market and found microplastics in 26 samples, representing 76.5 per cent of the total. The research revealed that every 100 grams of toothpaste contained between 20 and 320 microplastic particles.
The results of the study, titled “Microplastics in Toothpaste,” were released during a press conference held on Sunday at ESDO office in Lalmatia.
While scientific research in countries such as the United States, South Korea, and various European nations has previously proven the presence of microplastics in toothpaste, ESDO claims this is the first scientific study of its kind conducted on toothpaste marketed in Bangladesh.
