Waste crisis looming; many new illegal dumps
Thailand is heading for a 'waste crisis' within two years when the government stops spending money on waste processing and raises the waste levy. The amount of waste produced by households has been rising for years without any government investments. As a result, many illegal dump sites have been opened.
Wichien Jungrungruang, head of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), is sounding the alarm following the fire at the (illegal) landfill in Phraeksa (Samut Prakan) last month and smaller fires at landfills in Surat Thani and Lampang provinces.
The fire in Phraeksa lasted a week and drove local residents out of their homes due to toxic fumes. Moreover, there turned out to be much more waste than had been thought. The PCD previously estimated that approximately 2 million tons of waste had been produced in the province, but it has since been found that Phraeksa alone was 6 million tons.
The PCD is concerned about the increase in the number of illegal landfills, which are often poorly managed, pollute the environment and cause health problems for local residents. The service is now trying to get an idea of the number of illegal dumping in the country.
According to figures from the PCD, city dwellers produce 1,89 kilograms of waste per day. Across the country, 26 million tons of waste are produced annually. The waste levy is a maximum of 40 to 70 baht per month, which means that authorities have 10 billion baht in revenue from the levy per year. Moreover, the levy is not even collected everywhere because the local authorities are afraid of losing votes in the next elections. According to Wichien, 70 billion baht per year is needed to efficiently process all the waste.
(Source: bangkok mail, April 17, 2014)
In addition - I was told - the garbage mafia will turn its eyes more to Thailand if the borders with neighboring countries become more flexible in the context of the AEC. There are stricter controls in neighboring countries. An export of waste to Thailand by companies in neighboring countries is in line with expectations.
Totally agree.
As soon as someone benefits from it, all waste will be welcome. They will find a place if they have to bury a village, as long as it pays off.
Thailand will soon be known as the dump of Asia, where you can lose everything as long as you address the right people and come up with enough.
Waste and Thailand. A synonym ?.
“Thailand is heading for a 'waste crisis' within two years”.
I feel I never knew other than that Thailand is constantly in a waste crisis.
Apart from the waste that is collected, and whether or not it is taken to a legal landfill, one should also take a look at what is not collected, and what remains in the largest landfill of all, namely on or next to the street. Derelict areas are also popular places.
Every week the garbage is collected in our street, but everything that falls/lies next to the bin, whether or not through their fault, simply remains along or on the street until it is washed away or blown away to another place (my terrace is what that is). concerns popular).
In addition, just about everyone does not even bother to throw their waste in a bin. Just into the street or to the side, and if there is a rubbish bin just next to it because it is very difficult to shine in it. Nobody cares what actually happens to their waste, as long as we get rid of it is the thought.
We don't pay for the house collection here (Lat Phrao 101 – Khet Bang kapi) but if it made a difference I'd be happy to do it. However, I fear that this money will end up in the usual / known places again.
Tackling the causes would also be a step forward.
Here, for example, a plastic bag is needed for everything. It would also help to limit such things.
Do we really believe that Thailand will do something? So no! The authorities are corrupt, incredibly lazy, absolutely unmotivated and like to cheat citizens (including foreigners) of money. In short, another cry in the air.
Then a positive sound. When I came to live in Thailand 15 years ago, there was no waste collection service in the village (Chiang Khaan, near Chiang Kham in Phayao). A man came by regularly to take newspapers, metal, plastic and paper. The rest was burned or dumped in nature.
Ten years ago there was a garbage collection service. Nice big cars and everyone has a waste bin in front of the door, 30 baht per month. The waste is now taken to a processing site where it is separated into usable and recyclable items, including composting, the rest is incinerated and the ashes deposited in a safe place. That was 1 kilometer from our house and if the wind was blowing wrong………
In my opinion, the only good solution is to build a sufficient number of incinerators, but the question is whether and when a government will take action on this. Now, now or never? And even with enough incinerators, I think it will take many years before all that rubbish will be cleaned up and all streets will finally be cleaned and kept that way, because now nobody is doing anything about it. It would be better to follow Singhapore's example: imposing heavy fines on all those who throw away their rubbish as they see fit and ditto on all illegal dumpers. But yes, this is Thailand with its national sport: corruption.