Burning sugarcane stalks contributes to smog: activists

[snoop1130]

Burning sugarcane stalks contributes to smog: activists

By Asaree Thaitrakulpanich, Staff Reporter

 

 

KANCHANABURI — Fields of burned-out sugarcane husks wrapped in flames are one of the major sources of smog, environmental activists say.

 

Looking over fields of burnt sugarcane Monday in Isaan, gadfly petitioner Srisuwan Janya said the junta must do more to stop farmers’ practice of burning sugarcane for easy transport.

 

Full Story: http://www.khaosodenglish.com/news/crimecourtscalamity/calamity/2019/01/14/burning-sugarcane-stalks-contributes-to-smog-activists/

 

-- © Copyright Khaosod English 2019-1-14

[CGW]

As he states, easy to stop the burning if they ban the factories from purchasing burnt sugar cane, but we know they wont do this as too many of their "buddies" will lose money! 

[fruitman]

3 minutes ago, CGW said:

As he states, easy to stop the burning if they ban the factories from purchasing burnt sugar cane, but we know they wont do this as too many of their "buddies" will lose money! 

It's time that the Western world starts banning Thai products which pollute the atmosphere like the sugarcane farmers are doing.

 

 

[NCC1701A]

and sugar is a non food. one of the most unhealthy things you can consume.

[onlycw]

Stupidity at work: mother nature will compost organic material and clever farmers will get FREE fertilizer.

[trainman34014]

When this caused problems in Chiang Mai nobody in Bangkok gave a toss but now it's happening in Bangkok we are all supposed to be worried and feel sorry for them are we ?   Hope they all choke !

[richard_smith237]

1 minute ago, trainman34014 said:

When this caused problems in Chiang Mai nobody in Bangkok gave a toss but now it's happening in Bangkok we are all supposed to be worried and feel sorry for them are we ?   Hope they all choke !

And so if nothing is done about it, problems will continue to exist in CM and other area’s... Your frustration is understandable, but your ‘hope’ is childish & shortsighted...

 

Regardless the region in which this is finally recognised as a significant issue, there needs to be a national & continental effort to shift the cultural understanding and stop the ‘burn practice’ which has created major issues in the past, not just in Thailand but in other areas too... (smog in Kuala Lumpur & Singapore being major issues over numerous years past from the ‘burn’ in Sumatra). 

[overherebc]

Outdated idea that came fom the Indies.

It was done to chase out or kill all the things that wanted to sting you or bite you to death.

Serves no other purpose.

[assayer]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

and sugar is a non food. one of the most unhealthy things you can consume.

Sugar cane is not only used for the production of sugar but also for the production of alcohol which is then added to your benzene.

[assayer]

12 minutes ago, overherebc said:

Outdated idea that came fom the Indies.

It was done to chase out or kill all the things that wanted to sting you or bite you to death.

Serves no other purpose.

Apparently you have never tried to walk through a field of dry sugar cane which is ready to harvest. The edges of the leaves will cut you to shreds.

 

[assayer]

31 minutes ago, trainman34014 said:

When this caused problems in Chiang Mai nobody in Bangkok gave a toss but now it's happening in Bangkok we are all supposed to be worried and feel sorry for them are we ?   Hope they all choke !

I believe the majority of the problem in Chiang Mai is the burning of the corn stalks. But the sugar cane certainly adds to the problem.

The Thais need to learn that fermented sugar cane, corn, and rice stalks all make excellent bovine feed.

[CGW]

1 hour ago, NCC1701A said:

and sugar is a non food. one of the most unhealthy things you can consume.

True, but sugar cane also makes cheap booze and crappy ethanol, high taxed, high profit items, so don't look for too much legislation to stop burning!

[Oziex1]

1 hour ago, fruitman said:

It's time that the Western world starts banning Thai products which pollute the atmosphere like the sugarcane farmers are doing.

 

 

The Western world seems to be in the pocket of the CC deniers. 

[dcnx]

Then they better tell the Burmese and Cambodians to stop burning sugar cane. 

[maprao]

Assayer  agree with you but Managing anaerobic fermentation in making silage is difficult...maybe why they don't do it 

[kickstart]

1 hour ago, overherebc said:

Outdated idea that came fom the Indies.

It was done to chase out or kill all the things that wanted to sting you or bite you to death.

Serves no other purpose.

 

That's a big myth that burning cane gets rid of snakes and other things that can bite you .

The main reason they burn cane is to make it easier for the cutters to cut the cane they all work on piece work, they make they money by how much cane the cut, the average cutter will earn 3-400 baht day, cane that has not been burned a cutter will earn no more than 300 baht .

As for transport ,that I can not see that burnt cane  will be any easier to transport than un burnt cane . and a farmer will get paid less for sending burnt cane, than sending unburnt cane, and finding cutters is getting more difficult by the year ,most are Cambodians  of Burmese, with some Issan rice farmers with no work ,they will cut cane, in my area ,Lopburi very few locals will cut cane, wife's daughter and son in law used to , after harvesting there rice crop but it  got too much, not done it now for 2 years .

All is not lost with the shortage of cutters more and more cane is being cut by machine, no cane is burnt when it is  machine cut, but with  machine cut cane less weight is sent to the factory  on a truck, than with hand cut cane  so more traffic on the roads, I have heard that machine cut cane dries out quicker, so the farmer will lose  out on sugar content on the cane, so losing money .

[metisdead]

An offensive troll post has been removed. 

[kickstart]

1 hour ago, assayer said:

I believe the majority of the problem in Chiang Mai is the burning of the corn stalks. But the sugar cane certainly adds to the problem.

The Thais need to learn that fermented sugar cane, corn, and rice stalks all make excellent bovine feed.

Fermented sugar cane, in fact, is not a that a good feed for cattle, only 4% protein, and low in energy, as for corn and rice stalks making a good feed ,that is false ,as a forage feed it is less than 4% protein, very low in energy and vitamins and minerals and feeding rice stalks/straw is one of the bigest causes of infertility in dairy cattle corn stalks are not feed ,just a very low quality and very unpalatable feed .

I have written this before burning corn stalks is not much of a problem, after the first crop of corn, it is normal to wet to burn, first crop normale harvested in August time in the rainy season, any corn harvested after the rainy season will be ploughed in .

[fruitman]

2 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

And so if nothing is done about it, problems will continue to exist in CM and other area’s... Your frustration is understandable, but your ‘hope’ is childish & shortsighted...

 

Regardless the region in which this is finally recognised as a significant issue, there needs to be a national & continental effort to shift the cultural understanding and stop the ‘burn practice’ which has created major issues in the past, not just in Thailand but in other areas too... (smog in Kuala Lumpur & Singapore being major issues over numerous years past from the ‘burn’ in Sumatra). 

It's coming already from Europe. I read that France will start banning all environment unfriendly produce within a few years and they proposed the whole EU to join them.

 

So if Thailand doesn't act fast they won't sell anymore rice/sugar/corn to the EU....well if that is what it takes then so be it....We all live on the same world which we have to protect.

[overherebc]

11 hours ago, assayer said:

Apparently you have never tried to walk through a field of dry sugar cane which is ready to harvest. The edges of the leaves will cut you to shreds.

 

At the time in the Indies they were using slave labour so probably the slaves getting a few cuts wasn't a problem.

Losing a slave was an expense not wanted.

[LennyW]

Cambodia seems to be a big part of the problem...

[mikebell]

Talk about stating the bleedin' obvious!  Burning chicken breasts marinated in carbon monoxide by the roadside also contributes to breathing difficulties.

[edwinchester]

10 hours ago, kickstart said:

That's a big myth that burning cane gets rid of snakes and other things that can bite you .

The main reason they burn cane is to make it easier for the cutters to cut the cane they all work on piece work, they make they money by how much cane the cut, the average cutter will earn 3-400 baht day, cane that has not been burned a cutter will earn no more than 300 baht .

As for transport ,that I can not see that burnt cane  will be any easier to transport than un burnt cane . and a farmer will get paid less for sending burnt cane, than sending unburnt cane, and finding cutters is getting more difficult by the year ,most are Cambodians  of Burmese, with some Issan rice farmers with no work ,they will cut cane, in my area ,Lopburi very few locals will cut cane, wife's daughter and son in law used to , after harvesting there rice crop but it  got too much, not done it now for 2 years .

All is not lost with the shortage of cutters more and more cane is being cut by machine, no cane is burnt when it is  machine cut, but with  machine cut cane less weight is sent to the factory  on a truck, than with hand cut cane  so more traffic on the roads, I have heard that machine cut cane dries out quicker, so the farmer will lose  out on sugar content on the cane, so losing money .

Spot on and saves me having to write a lengthy post 555. Only thing I'd disagree with is getting paid less for machine cut cane. Wifeys friend has over 30 Rai of cane and says no difference between it and unburnt hand cut.

Air quality here in our part of Kanchanaburi is particular bad this morning. Thai 'snow' everywhere and after a short walk in the garden my throat was rasping and eyes watering.

Wish the people with the power to sort the problem actually gave a shit about it.

[ronrat]

Chang will chomp through tonnes the stuff.  they still burn a lot in  Australia.   they publish cane burning times so nearby residents know when to take washing off the line and shut the doors and windows.

[canopy]

A million things getting burned that shouldn't. And they are totally lost and incapable of dealing with just one that can be solved so easily by not buying burnt cane. The idea of ever having clean air seems so hopeless.

 

[NE1]

We started getting the " Black Snow " at the start of the year. 

There was a ban imposed on the burning of sugar cane a few years ago , but like all other bans , if they have to work to uphold it , it doesn't get enforced.

[robblok]

As usual the farmers are to blame if they don't try to kill the rest of us with pesticides then its this. They really don't care much for others why should we care for farmers if they act like this. 

 

Government should put much tighter control on this they are to blame as much as the farmers by their non action. Maybe fund should be set up to pay farmers a few baht per rai not to burn. Still with the corruption here it would probably wont work.

[Oziex1]

Once again,  that old chestnut "Education" comes to mind. 

Some modernisation of the agricultural sector is long over due. Thailand. 4?

[cardinalblue]

Need to borrow technology so they are not mannally cutting sugarcane...

 

in the meantime, burn baby burn!

 

silly to ask a Jonny Simpleton country to critically solve complex issues...

[stropper]

the two sugar refineries at kumpawampie do not buy burnt cane, there is a sign outside stating this, very little if any cane is now burnt in our area, but they still burn there paddocks after harvesting, our family no longer burns as we have a big tractor and can plough the waste in, but the others let there fires spread, its a problem as thias do not care about any body but me! seen a lot of machine cut cane this year, it is great for the enviroment, but the price is so low 550 bhart a ton nobody is making any money, i will be lucky to get my planting costs back after cutting, definately nothing going towards  the 3 mill paid for machinery, but thats farming, 2016 1200bt a ton, 17, 900bht, 18 550bt, mung next year ps we have had 3 cases where second thor cane was cut and sold, the farmers had to pay as  there was not enough money left

to pay the cutters and transport costs, its a bad year for cane!