Environment ministry eyes cutback of 3,600 million plastic bags in one year

 

 

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set a target to cut down the use of single-use plastic bags by 3,600 million from 45,000 million within 2019 fiscal year and to resort to tax measure to stop the use of Styrofoam food containers, said Natural Resources and Environment permanent secretary Vicharn Simachaya on Tuesday.

 

On the occasion of the Thai Environment Day today, the ministry in coordination with shopping malls, convenience chain stores and modern trade stores, launched a campaign against using single-use plastic bags for a day after which each will work out their measures to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags.

 

The Thai Environment Day was celebrated at Impact Muang Thong Thani exhibition hall and attended by representatives of 55 state agencies and private entrepreneurs that have joined the campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/environment-ministry-eyes-cutback-of-3600-million-plastic-bags-in-one-year/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2018-12-08

Start with the street vendors......

57 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has set a target to cut down the use of single-use plastic bags by 3,600 million from 45,000 million within 2019 fiscal year

Not enough.

 

Just ban them. 

 

If ever there was a case for using article 44, this is it. 

Edited December 8, 20187 yr by Bluespunk

A drop in the ocean,where unfortunately a lot of them end up.

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

.....resort to tax measure to stop the use of Styrofoam food containers

There are sure to be high level "connected" people in the styrofoam production/marketing business. This tax is not going to happen but it might cost someone dearly for preventive measures. Nothing unusual with that.

This could be a win-win situation; the envelope giver wins by not being taxed and the envelope receiver wins by improving their wealth.

Just another example of corruption grease being used to keep the wheels of industry turning. 

Ban retailers from purchasing and providing plastic to their customers and you drop the 45,000 million plastic bags used down to below 1,000 million used per year. 

 

Unfortunately neither the retailers or the petro-chemical industry which produces plastics want that - so it will never happen.  Politicians know who their true masters are. They will never impede their corporate friends.

Edited December 8, 20187 yr by connda

I am also all for banning plastic bags and solving the problem 100% within a year. Other countries have done it. Then Thailand can immediately shift focus to resolving even bigger and more pressing environmental problems. But unfortunately all we get is a target to make a tiny reduction in plastic bag usage that will probably be ignored and forgotten and who really cares anyway. Cannot believe how completely lost they are to solve such a simple problem.

 

On 12/8/2018 at 10:27 AM, mok199 said:

Start with the street vendors......

I totally agree but couple this with the education of Thais on how to prepare and cook meals AT HOME rather than rely on "take-away" food in plastic bags/polystyrene boxes all the time. It will be a long process.

What about all the plastic bag manufactures? all the workers will be out of work, who will take care of them?

9 hours ago, ChipButty said:

What about all the plastic bag manufactures? all the workers will be out of work, who will take care of them?

Plenty of jobs now making bags for life or environmentally friendly bags. Any left over, can be set to work cleaning up all that plastic litter, work for years there alone