Industrial Wastewater Disposal and Its Socio-Environmental Consequences: Evidence from the Uttara Export Processing Zone, Bangladesh

A B M Nurullah (), Most Sanjida Khatun and Liesel Ritchie
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A B M Nurullah: Department of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
Most Sanjida Khatun: Department of Statistics, Begum Rokeya University, Rangpur 5404, Bangladesh
Liesel Ritchie: Department of Sociology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-23

Abstract: This study examines the impacts of industrial wastewater from the Uttara Export Processing Zone (UEPZ) on natural resources, agriculture, and the health of nearby communities in Nilphamari, Bangladesh. Using a quantitative, self-report approach, data were collected from 162 households across four villages in Nilphamari Sadar Upazila, selected based on proximity to the UEPZ. Findings reveal significant environmental degradation: almost all (96%) respondents reported that water in nearby rivers and ponds has changed color and is odorous, unpleasant to taste, and contaminated, harming aquatic biodiversity. Agricultural productivity has declined, with 67 percent of respondents experiencing reduced crop yields, increased crop diseases, and rising cultivation costs due to greater dependence on fertilizers and pesticides. Also, 96 percent of respondents reported that the fish population diminished, reducing alternative income sources. Health impacts were pronounced; 69 percent of the respondents experienced water pollution-related complications, including skin, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and eye problems. Perceptions of wastewater health risks were strongly aligned with reported illnesses. Binary logistic regression further indicated a positive association between degraded crop health and human health problems. The study concludes that UEPZ’s wastewater disposal negatively affects natural resources, agriculture, and public health, underscoring the need for improved waste management and mitigation to protect affected communities.

Keywords: untreated wastewater; environmental degradation; natural resources; agriculture; health; livelihood (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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