Plastic

[still kicking]

Why are Thais so obsessed with plastic? No matter what you buy, every store everything is covered in plastic. Go to 7-11 or any other shop you get plastic galore! Plastic bag in another plastic bag, straws containers plastic cutlery. Buy a soft drink at a market you will get it in a plastic bag. Why can't change Thailand? I live in a country which has banned all plastics unless it is recyclable. It is said by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish or any other animals. Well, I will not live that long but think about your kids or grandkids? Yes, I do know it is hard to change tradition but if you are a foreigner help to reject plastics.

[KhunLA]

Plastic is not as good as other things, but way better than using paper.  Plastic isn't the problem, it's what humans do after they use it.  No reason for any plastic to end up in the seas or landfills.

 

As always, people are the problem.

Edited December 25, 2023 by KhunLA

[nobodysfriend]

There are so many solutions to the plastic problem , but no real effort is made to reduce that pollution .

For example , most one-way plastic bottles could be re-used again , instead of throwing them .

Just put drink distributors in supermarkets that refill the empty bottles .

Re-use and Re-cycle .

No more shrink wrap plastic .

Most plastic is reusable , instead of producing for garbage , collect , clean and re-use .

[ThaiFelix]

Yes peoples habits need to be changed.  I worked for a high-so school in Bangkok and it was a daily occurance that parents would arrive with their children, eat their breakfast in the carpark and then sweep all the wrappings, containers, even disposable nappies etc out of the car onto the ground.  This with a rubbish bin close by.  The school would never say anything in fear of upsetting the cash cow.

 

Another problem is the lack of rubbish bins in general.  Seems no-one wants to supple them be it council or private business for fear of having to pay someone to empty them.  The hi-sos seem to think that by throwing their rubbish around they are providing employment for some low-so to pick it up.

 

I recall some years back someone found a vacant field blooming with wildflowers  in Bangkok and posted it on Social Medai.  A day later someone else, quite disgusted,  posted a photo of the same field littered with milk shake containers, polystyrene lunch trays and assorted plastic bags and rubbish leftby those visitors impressed by natures beauty??!!

[Thingamabob]

Not aware that Thailand is worse than other countries regarding plastic. On my last visit to the UK there were discarded plastic items all over the place. Ut was a real mess.

[Old Croc]

Collectively, the top five plastic waste dumpers throw an astonishing 314 million kg of plastic into the ocean per year. So who are the top 10?

10. United Kingdom – 703 thousand kg of plastic
9. Japan – 1.8 million kg of plastic
8. United States – 2.4 million kg of plastic
7. Egypt – 2.5 million kg of plastic
6. Mexico – 3.5 million kg of plastic
5. Thailand – 22.8 million kg of plastic
4. Brazil – 38 million kg of plastic
3. Indonesia – 56.3 million kg of plastic
2. China – 70.7 million kg of plastic
1. India – 126.5 million kg of plastic

[lopburi3]

22 minutes ago, Old Croc said:

into the ocean per year

That is the key - it does not have to go into the ocean.  Most can be recycled in some way/shape or form.

 

3 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

For example , most one-way plastic bottles could be re-used again , instead of throwing them .

Doubt that is an option with plastic - even with the glass bottles I grew up using it was problematic.  A dirty drink?

Edited December 26, 2023 by lopburi3

[KhunLA]

19 minutes ago, lopburi3 said:

That is the key - it does not have to go into the ocean.  Most can be recycled in some way/shape or form.

 

Doubt that is an option with plastic - even with the glass bottles I grew up using it was problematic.  A dirty drink?.

Anything that can't be recycled, can be used for energy.   It's just cheaper to throw it away.   All about $$$ / ฿฿฿ and nothing else.

 

TH even has a couple plants, although there should be 1 or 10 in all the provinces.

Edited December 26, 2023 by KhunLA

[rwill]

11 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Plastic is not as good as other things, but way better than using paper.  Plastic isn't the problem, it's what humans do after they use it.  No reason for any plastic to end up in the seas or landfills.

 

As always, people are the problem.

Of the plastic sent to recyclers only about 16% of it gets reused.  The rest goes to landfills, gets burned or gets dumped.

[xtrnuno41]

IT has no economical value anymore, so waste. Also recycling, not really profitabel and thats the point.

Thats why they dump it in the oceans, 9000000 TONS of plastic every year. Can you imagine that amount in your back yard?

Plastic has been found in birds, fish food and it is even found already in humans blood !

 

it looks like this:

 

Then even more stupid, there are organisations trying to get it out again ! What a waste of energy and effort. I do admire them anyway, but ...?!

Governments should do something about it, but dont. I cant go to store and ask for bulk or a refill, I MUST have all plastic with me.

Let me refill in a store, but no not possible. I do admire Thailand as they have refill, like for detergents, tinier package.

 

Remember the time when i had to do vegetable shopping, for mom and all was wrapped in old news papers. Instant recycling.

I have a plastic bag to do shopping with and use it every time, it's now about 30 years old but still in use, carried lots of stuf in it all the time. Yes , it looks old but still usable, so i do. Always plan when going out to have bag with me, so i can refuse the shops plastic bags.

Also in Thailand and made my wife aware of it. She followed my lead, well if she remembers. But when im there, there is always the multi usable bag, was a crime to find a good one in Thailand, at least where i was.

Governments should be ashamed, as they are the ones who can control it. IM a victim and have to try to make it less in what ever i can do. Environment, climate change, merely governments, profit, tax... money.

 

[sikishrory]

Lack of education and awareness (about plastic) i think. 

[ravip]

I find it surprising that the beer bottles aren't recycled.

Why cant a customer buying a dozen beer bottles, tender a dozen empty bottles?

[farangkinok]

 

[KhunLA]

6 minutes ago, sikishrory said:

Lack of education and awareness (about plastic) i think. 

I think everyone is well educated and aware of plastic, good or bad, though may not care.

 

For the simply reason, the govt doesn't seem to care.  This is one issue, that does fall squarely on the govts to manage and solve.  

 

The people can only do so much.  Use the recycle bins, though sometimes useless, as all mixed up.   From home, we 'recycle', sell to collection vendors, and what does the govt do with it ?  Most goes to the landfill, gets burned (not for energy) or worse, dumped in the sea.

 

Little actually get recycled and used again.  As stated earlier, no reason, any or all trash, can't be burned, almost cleanly, for energy.

[lopburi3]

11 minutes ago, ravip said:

I find it surprising that the beer bottles aren't recycled.

Why cant a customer buying a dozen beer bottles, tender a dozen empty bottles?

It's been done - all my Binding Beers when in Germany were in flip top bottles like below back in the 60's.  There were obvious issues of quality control and chipped glass cuts.

[ignore it]

So just curious where the author lives.

[Tarteso]

On 12/26/2023 at 12:44 AM, still kicking said:

Why are Thais so obsessed with plastic?

 

 

It is a very entertaining game for the Thais to keep one bag inside another and at the same time inside another... Then they put it away and forget it in some drawer. Plastic bags look very pretty hanging on the entire wall of their houses…Hanging them behind the doors is the fashion and looks very “Chic”..  In the Northen towns and many villas, they love to see and smell the black smoke that they give off when they burn.

 

Here is an interested video;

 

 

 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Tarteso

[SportRider]

On 12/26/2023 at 3:12 AM, Old Croc said:

Collectively, the top five plastic waste dumpers throw an astonishing 314 million kg of plastic into the ocean per year. So who are the top 10?

10. United Kingdom – 703 thousand kg of plastic
9. Japan – 1.8 million kg of plastic
8. United States – 2.4 million kg of plastic
7. Egypt – 2.5 million kg of plastic
6. Mexico – 3.5 million kg of plastic
5. Thailand – 22.8 million kg of plastic
4. Brazil – 38 million kg of plastic
3. Indonesia – 56.3 million kg of plastic
2. China – 70.7 million kg of plastic
1. India – 126.5 million kg of plastic

Thankyou. Source please?

 

This would seem to rank Thailand number one, in per capita terms.

 

 

[sandyf]

On 12/26/2023 at 12:44 AM, still kicking said:

Why are Thais so obsessed with plastic?

They are not, it is more about the way they live and something foreigners find difficult to recognise.

Many live on takeaway food and drink as it can be cheaper than storing/cooking food at home. This is a by product of the low wage economy and unviable in most other countries. The other aspect is in the production of plastic products which are made cheaply and as a result have a limited life. This makes them affordable and keeps people in work.

As others have said, the real  problem is in disposal and that is down to people and a lot more education is required in that direction. Progress, although slow, is being made, in Tops the other day I was asked if I needed a bag.

We live out in the sticks and have no refuse collection. We burn what we can and everything else is stored and taken to a recycling plant. Unfortunately there are many that think the side of the road is that much more convenient.

[Old Croc]

6 minutes ago, SportRider said:

Thankyou. Source please?

 

This would seem to rank Thailand number one, in per capita terms.

 

 

Sorry, I should have included the source. 

 

Ranked: The top 10 countries that dump the most plastic into the ocean | Euronews

[sandyf]

1 hour ago, ravip said:

I find it surprising that the beer bottles aren't recycled.

What on earth makes you think they aren't. All my beer bottles go to the recycling site, and you get paid for them. I buy by the box and send the bottles for recyling in the box, you get a bit more that way rather than loose.

About twice a year, all out plastic bottles, glass bottles & jars, tin cans and cardboard boxes are taken for recycling.

[KhunLA]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:12 AM, Old Croc said:

Collectively, the top five plastic waste dumpers throw an astonishing 314 million kg of plastic into the ocean per year. So who are the top 10?

10. United Kingdom – 703 thousand kg of plastic
9. Japan – 1.8 million kg of plastic
8. United States – 2.4 million kg of plastic
7. Egypt – 2.5 million kg of plastic
6. Mexico – 3.5 million kg of plastic
5. Thailand – 22.8 million kg of plastic
4. Brazil – 38 million kg of plastic
3. Indonesia – 56.3 million kg of plastic
2. China – 70.7 million kg of plastic
1. India – 126.5 million kg of plastic

I least TH doesn't ship their plastic (trash) to other countries, I don't think anyway.   

 

Hopefully they will stop accepting trash from other countries, in the future as planned (2025), since it can even manage it's own.

 

Top slime ball countries that ship their trash overseas;

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by KhunLA

[Grumpy one]

On 12/26/2023 at 12:44 AM, still kicking said:

Why are Thais so obsessed with plastic? No matter what you buy, every store everything is covered in plastic. Go to 7-11 or any other shop you get plastic galore! Plastic bag in another plastic bag, straws containers plastic cutlery. Buy a soft drink at a market you will get it in a plastic bag. Why can't change Thailand? I live in a country which has banned all plastics unless it is recyclable. It is said by 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish or any other animals. Well, I will not live that long but think about your kids or grandkids? Yes, I do know it is hard to change tradition but if you are a foreigner help to reject plastics.

They prefer plastic bags rather than paper bags for numerous reasons, two being

1 Thai's like trees   >  Paper comes from trees

2 Paper bags are not very useful when placed over the head of someone you are  trying to suffocate 

Edited December 29, 2023 by Grumpy one

[sandyf]

On 12/26/2023 at 1:03 PM, rwill said:

Of the plastic sent to recyclers only about 16% of it gets reused.  The rest goes to landfills, gets burned or gets dumped.

One of the penalties of progress, the mix of plastics now makes separation quite difficult but I think they are making progress on that front.

Back in the 80s I worked for a plastic moulding company and mainly made milk bottles from HDPE. We did try some bottles from PVC but not worth the hassle. The plastics don't work together and changing over created a large amount of unuseable waste. With a wider range of plastics the problem has increased significantly.

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 12/26/2023 at 12:44 AM, still kicking said:

. Go to 7-11 or

Years ago, before they stopped issuing plastic bags at 7-Eleven, I would always take my own plastic bags. I would say to the cashier NO PLASTIC and pull out my own bags, they would always laugh at me like I was some sort of idiot.

 

Most days, after I finish my workout I use the gym bathroom, I always wash my hands, do a pee etc. , I never turn on the lights, no need, I'm not reading a book or something, anyway there is a small window that let's light in. The other day security guard comes in and turns all the lights on, then says it's OK to turn lights on. 

 

In Australia we are taught about the environment at a young age, sadly Thailand has other priorities in their schools. 

[SAFETY FIRST]

6 minutes ago, Grumpy one said:

Thai's like trees   

They don't like banana trees. 

 

Years ago everything was wrapped in a banana leaf or they made little carry bags with these leaves. 

You could throw these on the ground when finished using, sadly the Thais still think everything is wrapped in a banana leaf, throwing their plastic packaging on the ground. 

 

Edited December 29, 2023 by SAFETY FIRST

[Sluglord]

On 12/26/2023 at 10:12 AM, Old Croc said:

Collectively, the top five plastic waste dumpers throw an astonishing 314 million kg of plastic into the ocean per year. So who are the top 10?

10. United Kingdom – 703 thousand kg of plastic
9. Japan – 1.8 million kg of plastic
8. United States – 2.4 million kg of plastic
7. Egypt – 2.5 million kg of plastic
6. Mexico – 3.5 million kg of plastic
5. Thailand – 22.8 million kg of plastic
4. Brazil – 38 million kg of plastic
3. Indonesia – 56.3 million kg of plastic
2. China – 70.7 million kg of plastic
1. India – 126.5 million kg of plastic

This is meaningless without context.

 

Thailand is very highly ranked considering it's population.

[Grumpy one]

6 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

They don't like banana trees. 

 

Years ago everything was wrapped in a banana leaf or they made little carry bags with these leaves. 

You could throw these on the ground when finished using, sadly the Thais still think everything is wrapped in a banana leaf, throwing their plastic packaging on the ground. 

 

I agree with the banana leaf, but its not from a tree. Banana's are listed as herbs

Who would have thought  

[Sluglord]

10 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

They don't like banana trees. 

 

Years ago everything was wrapped in a banana leaf or they made little carry bags with these leaves. 

You could throw these on the ground when finished using, sadly the Thais still think everything is wrapped in a banana leaf, throwing their plastic packaging on the ground. 

 

 

Expensive, limited use, storage issues, shelf life issues, plastic is hygienic.

 

You go on as though the move was illogical

 

Some foods are still served in banana leaves.

[JimTripper]

I just let them bag it, then put the bag back on the counter and say nothing.

 

I got tired of it, and enjoy putting the bag back now, knowing they will have to deal with it a second time. Causes twice the work so eventually won't be worth it for them. At least it's not me throwing it out.

Edited December 29, 2023 by JimTripper