Plastic predicament: Thailand faces a ton(ne) of trouble with a 62% surge in waste

[webfact]

 

Plastic waste in Thailand has witnessed a surge of 62%, escalating from 2.12 million tonnes in 2019 to 3.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to the Thailand Environment Institute. This increase has been largely attributed to lifestyle changes induced by the pandemic, such as an increased reliance on food delivery services.

The Prayut Chan-o-cha government initiated a policy in 2018 to ban single-use plastic bags, but the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hampered these efforts.

 

However, hopes are high that both public and private sector initiatives will succeed in tackling the plastic waste crisis. The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), a collaboration between state agencies and private sector companies, aims to recycle 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year through its Smart Recycling Hub project, said Jim Fitterling, Chairman and CEO of Dow and Chairman of AEPW.

The hub primarily focuses on plastic waste in Bangkok and the Eastern Economic Corridor.

 

by Alex Morgan 

Plastic waste in Thailand has become an environmental hazard. Picture courtesy of Alibaba.

 

Full story: The Thaiger 2023-12-11

 

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[bubblegum]

Good start would be to force Coke and Pepsico to use glass bottles again.

[Will B Good]

They are addicted to it.

 

Bought some suncream last week. Plastic bottle of course. It was in another plastic presentation box. At the checkout this was placed in a small plastic bag and then..............this was placed in a shopping bag sized plastic bag.

 

(I think they see the final, big bag as free advertising?)

[huangnon]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

The Prayut Chan-o-cha government initiated a policy in 2018 to ban single-use plastic bags, but the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hampered these efforts.

 

Subsequent ordering food and shopping online has massively increased plastic use and garbage generally. You can see it at the side of just about every road here now, ubiquitous discarded plastic bags, and masks... lots of masks, sometimes plastic bags full of the disgusting things.

[Enoon]

"This increase has been largely attributed to lifestyle changes induced by the pandemic, such as an increased reliance on food delivery services."

 

"The Prayut Chan-o-cha government initiated a policy in 2018 to ban single-use plastic bags, but the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hampered these efforts."

 

You'll have to do better than that you useless *****.

 

During the same period, also under "lifestyle changes......increased reliance on food delivery.....pandemic and subsequent lockdowns" , waste plastic in the UK increased by less that 2%:

 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/995590/plastic-packaging-waste-generated-uk/

 

Your "policy" was/is as worthless and empty as is your alleged extra vigilance during what you call the "days of danger" on the roads.

 

You really are ******* hopeless.

 

 

[rabas]

 

My family is addicted to hiso drinks. Doesn't matter what it is, coffee, juice, vitamins. If it's sold in a real heavy plastic designer bottle, they by it. Four times the plastic waste. 

[ChipButty]

You only need to go down the beach people leaving their trash on the wall, I saw the other day whoever left it must have walked past 4 bin's to get to the car park, twice last week

[Brickleberry]

There's probably more plastic knocking around in Thai women's bodies than there is on the street.

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, webfact said:

However, hopes are high that both public and private sector initiatives will succeed in tackling the plastic waste crisis.

Not a hope in hell, Thailand [as have many countries] a love affair with plastic.

I've never seen a country that uses so many plastic bags for goods, food and even drinks.

Everything is wrapped, served, eaten, drunk or delivered in plastic

[hotchilli]

17 hours ago, Will B Good said:

They are addicted to it.

 

Bought some suncream last week. Plastic bottle of course. It was in another plastic presentation box. At the checkout this was placed in a small plastic bag and then..............this was placed in a shopping bag sized plastic bag.

 

(I think they see the final, big bag as free advertising?)

So you didn't take your re-usable tote type bag to the outlet for your goods to be placed in?

[neeray]

I recall on my first trip to Thailand in 2015, asking my lady friend, why are there mountains of rubbish at the side of many houses? Why are there appliances, bed parts, tires, PLASTIC BAGS in the creeks and rivers? Why do your country people toss their garbage beside the street bins instead of in the bin? 

And 8 years later, it's only gotten worse, not better. No doubt, this must apall many tourists, as it did me.

[daveAustin]

7-Eleven is one of the worst perpetrators. If you buy a yoghurt, drink, microwave meal, and bag of ice… you will also get a straw, spoons and forks, complimentary sauces, separate complimentary bags for the meal and ice and possibly a load of those stamps to top it all off. 
Thais are also terrible litterers still. 

[ThaiFelix]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Not a hope in hell, Thailand [as have many countries] a love affair with plastic.

I've never seen a country that uses so many plastic bags for goods, food and even drinks.

Everything is wrapped, served, eaten, drunk or delivered in plastic

And it almost becomes an arguement if you refuse a bag or get laughed at for trying to "save da worl"!!

[Emdog]

I thought the reason that stores no longer uphold the "bring your own bag, we won't give you one" law/direction is that Thailand had won the battle against massive plastic pollution. Or like so many efforts, they easily tire and go back to business as usual

[Xonax]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

The Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW), a collaboration between state agencies and private sector companies, aims to recycle 50,000 tonnes of plastic waste a year through its Smart Recycling Hub project

 

That's just around 1.5% of the plastic waste, so what about the remaining 98.5%?

 

The politicians need to realize, that this is a major problem, that needs to be solved now! More recycling and proper waste management is urgently needed. Let the plastic manufacturers pay for it through a special plastic tax.

[kickstart]

12 hours ago, ThaiFelix said:

And it almost becomes an arguement if you refuse a bag or get laughed at for trying to "save da worl"!!

I aways say no bag, and no straws when in a convenance store, and most other shops, they look at me, I say in Thai, Chewy-Chart, help the nation, most smile and nod they heads as to say yes you are right.

[jacko45k]

23 hours ago, daveAustin said:

7-Eleven is one of the worst perpetrators. If you buy a yoghurt, drink, microwave meal, and bag of ice… you will also get a straw, spoons and forks, complimentary sauces, separate complimentary bags for the meal and ice and possibly a load of those stamps to top it all off. 
Thais are also terrible litterers still. 

Often the only place you will find a trash can though!

[freeworld]

Theres a tax to be added somewhere.

[Moonlover]

On 12/12/2023 at 7:43 AM, daveAustin said:

7-Eleven is one of the worst perpetrators. If you buy a yoghurt, drink, microwave meal, and bag of ice… you will also get a straw, spoons and forks, complimentary sauces, separate complimentary bags for the meal and ice and possibly a load of those stamps to top it all off. 
Thais are also terrible litterers still. 

Doesn't it occur to you to say 'no' to all these sundry items? IMO the receiver is as guilty as the giver if they just sheepishly accept these things.

 

I always say no thank you (politely of course) and I take my own bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Will B Good]

On 12/12/2023 at 6:19 AM, hotchilli said:

So you didn't take your re-usable tote type bag to the outlet for your goods to be placed in?

Not for a one off, spot purchase......but noted, and will carry it with me all the time in future.....555