At least 2,000 industrial units operating in the city are constantly releasing toxic wastes polluting the environment at an alarming rate that result in spreading of diseases, including cancer. Director of Environment Mohammad Shahjahan said this at a seminar on 'Threats on environment and public life from industrial waste' at the National Press Club in the city yesterday. Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (Bela) and Paribesh Bachao Andolan (Paba) jointly organised the seminar with former vice chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Jasim Uddin in the chair. Environmentalists called on the government to ask every industrial unit to set up effluent treatment plant (ETP). Shahjahan said more than 2,000 industrial units within the city release toxic wastes that are polluting the environment at an alarming rate. They have visited 694 units of which 471 are extremely required ETP. Abdul Gani, a teacher of Buet, said,