On January 1, a new regulation became effective, but more needs to be done.
A laws banning the transfer of foam pieces into Thailand became a major breakthrough in the long-term effort of civil society to stop Thailand from becoming a dumping ground for international plastic waste.
However, this does not indicate a clear success, nor is it a happy ending just however.
To stop improper plastic waste supplies into the region, an ongoing process of tracking and the effective enforcement of the law is necessary.
The Anti-Plastic Scrap Citizen Network’s producer, Penchom Sae-Tang, who played a significant role in the campaign against plastic waste exports, thanked them for their time and effort to turn advocacy into action.
The show’s work began in 2021 with a complaint to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, urging the government to impose a moratorium on plastic waste goods.
32, 000 people signed an online complaint for Change, and 108 civil society organizations gave their support to the action. which aided in the advancement of the activity.
After the government approved the transfer of plastic waste in 2018 to allegedly support the plastic recycling market, Ms. Penchom claimed Thailand has become a world place for cheap spend dumping.
Between 2018 and 2021, the Department of Customs imported more than 1.1 million tons of plastic waste.
This flow, she said, disrupted the nearby waste management pattern and harmed small-scale spend collectors, who protested against the policy due to significant business losses.
Additionally, Ms. Penchom claimed that inadequate law enforcement had led to the entry of poisoned and illegal waste, which sparked numerous public complaints and contaminated waste in neighborhoods near plastic recycling facilities.
The import restrictions on all cheap scrap products should be seen as a victory for civil society in preventing the entry of hazardous waste into Thailand, she said.
” Yet, our work is far from over.
The key to ensuring the law is enforced for the benefit of all is diligent surveillance and co-operation with government.
Ms. Penchom claimed that the system would keep an eye on the condition.
She added that the Ministry of Industry must use caution when allowing imports of cheap scrap in unusual circumstances, making sure that the quantities are completely proportionate to the recycling plant’s capacity to prevent excessive waste.
” This is just the start of a fresh chapter.
” Law enforcement may play a key role in safeguarding the atmosphere for everyone”, she stressed.
Pollution from plastic waste recycling facilities has had a significant impact on local communities ‘ lives and the welfare of those who live close to fields or rivers and ditches, according to Ms. Penchom.
The Ministry of Commerce announced a total ban on plastic waste goods in December next year, which will go into effect on January 1, 2025.
But, the news included a clause allowing the Department of Industrial Works to impose import restrictions on home plastic waste.
In 2023, the state permitted the lawful transfer of 372, 994 kilograms of plastic pieces, limited to 14 designated business areas.
This amount was reduced by half in 2024 as a result of public support and the president’s preparations for a complete ban.
Penchom: Proud to the community
The authorities should enact a ban on all types of plastic waste, according to Phicha Rakrod, the project leader of Greenpeace Thailand, to ensure that the country is free of intergovernmental spend shipments.
She also urged the government to take advantage of this opportunity to establish Thailand as a regional leader in the fight against and regulation of intergovernmental spare.
Phicha: Govt may broaden the ban