Environmental Remediation Pathways and Sustainability Integration in Bangladesh’s RMG Sector: A Field-Based Assessment of Challenges and Strategic Solutions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajmri.v4i6.6243Keywords:
Bangladesh, Circular Economy, Effluent Treatment Plant, Environmental Remediation, RMG Sector, Sustainability IntegrationAbstract
The Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in Bangladesh, which has been established and operates with global brands in the international market, is a vital economic contributor, boosting employment and export earnings, and is now experiencing a severe environmental crisis that ultimately hampers the country’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness. The field-based paper evaluates environmental remediation strategies and their integration into sustainability processes across 50 dyeing and finishing factories in four areas water pollution, energy inefficiency, chemical or waste management, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. An ethnographic case study methodology was employed, with the primary data sources being effluent testing, energy audits, and on-site observations, combined with a series of structured interviews with key managerial staff. The findings indicate poor effluent treatment, energy-intensive operations and inadequate management of chemicals and solid wastes. Some key areas for improvement include the use of Variable Frequency Drives, steam and condensate recovery, water-conservation technologies, and circular-economy actions. The structural model shows that (i) Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) has a positive influence on Sustainability Performance (SP), directly (β = 0.376, p < 0.001) and indirectly through the practices of Circular Economy; and β = 0.391, p < 0.001, respectively. Meanwhile, the adoption of the Circular Economy also has a significant and positive influence on SP (β = 0.480, p < 0.001). Measurement and structural analysis support the reliability, validity, and multidimensionality of the constructs, demonstrating that SSCM, CE, and SP are interdependent aspects for achieving sustainability outcomes. The research recognizes the high costs of implementation, limited technical know-how, and poor regulatory compliance as significant barriers. At the same time, government financial support, consumer-driven sustainability needs, and international standards are primary enablers. The results deliver actionable guidance for staged environmental remediation, circular-economy applications, and sustainability mainstreaming that prioritizes collaboration among multiple stakeholders, including factories, government agencies, buyers, NGOs, and workers, to move Bangladesh’s RMG sector towards a resilient and sustainable future.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Md. Ramjan Ali, Md.Torikul Islam, Md. Sohel Sheikh, Md. Azizul Haque, Md. Aminul Islam, Jahangir Hossain
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