Unregulated dumping of medical waste reported at Sittwe’s BXT port 

By DMG 08 Oct 2021

DMG Newsroom
8 October 2021, Sittwe 

Medical supplies have been found dumped at the BXT port, a popular public recreation area in the Arakan State capital Sittwe’s Mi Zan ward. 

A DMG reporter discovered the medical waste on Thursday evening, and it included expired test tubes, condoms and Aphaw gel bottles. 

“There was medical waste at the BXT port. I don’t know who came and left the medical waste because I did not see them,” said a vendor near the port. 

The waste was found scattered along the concrete pavement on Strand Road in Sittwe, with some of the glass receptacles broken. 

Ma Hla Moe Tara Hlaing, founder of Green Sittwe, a local environmental conservation group in Arakan State, said that although the BXT port is often littered with garbage left by visitors and nearby residents, the dumping of medical supplies was particularly concerning.

 “This is a place where people go as a place to relax. It is not appropriate to [dump supplies from a] medical facility like this. Officials should systematically determine where to dispose of garbage,” she said. 

Daw Khin Khin Soe, executive director of the Sittwe Township Development Committee, was contacted by DMG for comment on the medical waste discover, but she replied that she was unable to comment because she was busy. 

Civil society organisations in Sittwe often have to collect garbage due to the unregulated dumping of trash at the BXT port. 

Caption: Medical waste is seen at the BXT port in Sittwe.