Interior Ministry to use straw bales to reduce air pollution created by crop burning

By THE NATION

 

 

The Interior Ministry has signed a memorandum of understanding with Siam Kubota Corporation and the Rang Jorakhe district administration office in Ayutthaya province under a “Straw Bales for Zero Burn” campaign aimed at reducing air pollution, especially PM2.5 dust particles, that are caused by farmers burning their leftover crops to prepare for the next cultivation season, Deputy Interior Minister Nipon Bunyamanee said on Tuesday.

 

“Under this campaign, Siam Kubota will provide rice harvesting machines that are capable of making rice straw bales to selected farmers in Ayutthaya so they no longer need to burn their fields after harvest,” he said.

 

“The straw bales will be sold to Siam Cement Group, which will use them as biomass fuel in their cement manufacturing factories.

 

“The straw bales, when used as fuel, produce lower emissions than fossil fuels and therefore help reduce greenhouse gas and lessen the environmental impact,” Nipon said.

 

“Furthermore, under this project, farmers will earn extra income from straw bales instead of burning their fields, which is not only dangerous and environmentally hazardous but also a waste of time and marketable materials,” he added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30398925

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-12-02

 

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Help me someone, this seems to make sense - what's the catch?

9 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

“Under this campaign, Siam Kubota will provide rice harvesting machines that are capable of making rice straw bales to selected farmers in Ayutthaya so they no longer need to burn their fields after harvest,” he said.

 

Brilliant idea, spread the love.

 

Too bad they are a lazy lot from top to bottom, no enforcement of fines, cops turning a blind eye, while they all poison their fellow Thai's from young to old, not to mention farangs living here too.

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

to selected farmers in Ayutthaya so they no longer need to burn their fields after harvest,

and the rest the country will continue with burning that's a good idea.

7 minutes ago, canopus1969 said:

Help me someone, this seems to make sense - what's the catch?

Quote

selected farmers in Ayutthaya

In other words no requirement to use or buy such machines - a limited number to be provided to selected farmers in one district of one province of the country (which Google can not even find).

It's taken long enough to get to something that sounds like it might have a chance of lessening the smoke, let's keep our fingers crossed that Kubota and the local Powers That Be are able to provide the support necessary support to keep a scheme like this running.  Timely maintenance of the machinery and people on hand to prevent farmers taking the easy way out will be essential.

 

I understood that the machines were on loan, surely requiring farmers to buy them would be the kiss of death to the idea which is a pilot in my view.  If it works then money from SCG and a contribution from Kubota's PR or advertising budget should be well on the way to providing machines to local co-ops who could take care of their own areas.

At long last some  positive action that may actually make a difference  ????

OK, now what about a solution for the burning of the forests 

which is the main source of air pollution up here in the North,

when villagers burn the forest litter so they can find the mushrooms

when the rainy season returns again.. 

 

It won't be long now before the burning starts and have not

heard of any solutions put forward by local Government.

regards Worgeordie

Rice straw bales can also be effective wall materials for buildings.  I used them to construct a smallish bungalow style house about 7 years ago.  The render is red clay and sand mix.  It withstood the earthquatke with no cracking of the walls and render.  Cooler in hot weather as no heat build up like concrete block wall and the current tenant says warm in winter as well.  Less expensive than concrete blocks and lighter in overall rendered weight.  Quiet too.

I understand that a group in Chiang Rai, Ban Din Dang I believe, is building one now.  Need to pay a visit.

Several years back a local sugar harvesting contractor was baling the waste after taking the cane and selling  large round  bales to the sugar mill for similar purpose. His two  round  balers have sat idle for two years and the  local annual black snow falls are back.

While this  new scheme sounds  good in principle and  it is obviously a token measure perhaps it is designed to attract attention to a wider solution ? Unfortunately the traditional quick "accidental" fire solution with endure regardless if there is no enforcement of laws prohibiting it.

 

47 minutes ago, IraqRon said:

Rice straw bales can also be effective wall materials for buildings. 

What about the insect and rodent problem did you use some chemical treatment of the straw ?

Quote

“Straw Bales for Zero Burn” campaign

 

and
 

Quote

Siam Cement Group, which will use them as biomass fuel

Seems they will be burnt after all
 

Why not just plough it back into the dirt as natural compost there's no need to burn fuel transporting to be burnt as fuel

Are they obsessed with burning?

My neighbor burns their garden waste I put mine on a compost after 6 months I have great quality black dirt no need to buy dirt.

3 minutes ago, DirtyHarry55 said:

 

and
 

Seems they will be burnt after all
 

Why not just plough it back into the dirt as natural compost there's no need to burn fuel transporting to be burnt as fuel

Are they obsessed with burning?

My neighbor burns their garden waste I put mine on a compost after 6 months I have great quality black dirt no need to buy dirt.

Rice straw is extremely difficult to "plough under" because it is extrmely tough and stringy . It also  does  not naturally decompose quickly in the dry season.

With the increasing use of  machines to harvest IMO an attached chaff cutter on the disharge  from such machines  would  enable it to be ploughed under. A better solution all round.

Whatever they provide will be a drop in the ocean... the equipment either won't work, or the farmers won't know how to work it, or if there are maintenance problems who will solve them?....just burnt stubble....... it is so easy.

 

Also, the vast majority of the pollution seems to come from sugar cane burning not rice.

 

Sticking plaster at best.....waste of time and money at worse.

3 hours ago, johng said:

At long last some  positive action that may actually make a difference  ????

It means that someone has realised there is money to be made out of doing something; otherwise nothing would continue to be done !

5 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Help me someone, this seems to make sense - what's the catch?

It's only to satisfy the Hiso society & not country wide .............LOL

4 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Also, the vast majority of the pollution seems to come from sugar cane burning not rice.

You forgot to mention all the Trash fires, from the Commercial Recycle Factories, and the Household Trash that is burnt on a Daily basis in many back Yards across he Country

The best bet is to stick your head inside one of these straw bales when walking outside and it may filter the air that you breathe.

What will farmer Somchai do with the remaining straw stubble left rooted in the soil? Answers on a postcard please to...........

A good idea that no doubt will attract the corrupt, greedy and self-serving thugs.

 

A good machine may indeed be built, but negligence and apathy will reduce it to a rusting, broken and forgotten hulk.

had 20 rai rice farm - hired a harvester - took one and a half days instead of 2 weeks by hand - did't have to supply food for the workers - NEVER burnt the fields - Sold the rice straw. 

5 hours ago, johng said:

What about the insect and rodent problem did you use some chemical treatment of the straw ?

no problems in these areas.  rodents like a space to crawl in andbales are dense and tightly packed.

no insects to speak of.  have to watch for termites coming up from the ground, i use chain guard ground treatment.

No chemical treatment used on the straw.

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

You forgot to mention all the Trash fires, from the Commercial Recycle Factories, and the Household Trash that is burnt on a Daily basis in many back Yards across he Country

Yes...in my wife's village every house has a small fire constantly burning rubbish to keep the dogs warm.....

39 minutes ago, Surelynot said:

Yes...in my wife's village every house has a small fire constantly burning rubbish to keep the dogs warm.....

those dogs sit around the fire playing cards and drinking whiskey all night?

9 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

Help me someone, this seems to make sense - what's the catch?

The cost.

Well maybe Thai government should read this

 

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-81-322-2014-5_4

 

I believe , not long ago, the rice waste is also used now in wood composite materials.

SO lots of things to do with rice waste. Guess government is too lazy to help solving the problem up till now?

This is something that still has me puzzled. Thai's just love selling their pile of recyclable bottles, cans and things to the trucks that drive around for a few baht. Then consider farmers have this vast quantity of metric tons of waste (straw) sitting on their field every year and instead of selling this valuable commodity they torch it. For the life of me I don't know why a straw baling industry hasn't happened on its own--someone just needs to buy a baler and go around to the fields buying straw just like people who buy a kubota tractor go off plowing for the farmers. There is huge money in straw bales, they fetch high prices in Thailand.

 

So now enter this government program for a few select farmers. Hopefully whatever has prevented baling from becoming a vibrant industry by itself can now be identified and solved. While SCG ultimately burning the straw is not a perfect solution, it is probably done at higher, cleaner temperatures and will result in a noticeable improvement to the air if done on a wide enough scale. The issue expanding this program may be proximity. It might not make sense for a farmer in the far north to try to truck bales to a SCG factory 500km away.

 

Well I guess those that got mocked for living in straw houses are having the last laugh now...3 little pigs???

 

*No candles allowed btw*  fireplace is for decor only

Building with straw bales isn't suitable for today's building culture of Thailand. In rural Thailand typically building is not done by experts or to any sort of building codes or inspections and that's the target market. The big problem with straw is that it is not forgiving like concrete. Concrete can get wet, be poured improperly, or made by someone who doesn't know what they are doing and it will still amazingly probably be able to do its job. Straw isn't like this. You can't just flop bales on the ground, stack them like bricks, and call it a day. For starters straw walls need a good hat and boots--that means a long overhanging roof and be high up off the ground. It's too much to ask for that to happen on its own and that's just one small part of the recipe for success. Besides the design, you MUST have rock solid execution for it to be successful and that isn't compatible with Thai building mindset. A poorly mortared masonry wall will probably work. A poorly mortared earthen plaster wall probably won't. Consider  today Thai's would never dream of building with even wood because they don't know enough on how to keep termites away and can't be bothered with learning how. Also consider how quick bamboo builds go downhill and are seen as extremely temporary because they don't know how to use bamboo right and can't be bothered to. Let's face it, concrete is easier and better to them. There is no demand for straw nor will there be in today's paradigm.

 

I have built with straw and one local problem is if a tokay finds a slight chink in the plaster they may burrow a hole right into the structure. Before advocating building with straw a plan needs to be made to allow it to be successful considering the climate, the building culture, pests, just everything otherwise it will fail badly. It isn't enough for someone to do a demo and hail it as a great approach. Each and every aspect of the unique, local issues of Thailand must be carefully considered and resolved with many years of testing before rolling it out to even the first person.

 

I thought the recent clean air was due to unseasonable winds (at least we've been going through them the last 3 or 4 weeks in Jomtien).

15 hours ago, Surelynot said:

Yes...in my wife's village every house has a small fire constantly burning rubbish to keep the dogs warm.....

I hope when I die I come back as a thai dog...meanwhile working on my straw mask idea    big money baby!