Thailand sets target to recycle all plastic waste by 2027

[webfact]

 

Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is optimistic about recycling all plastic waste by 2027, as part of an initiative to curb the use of plastic. This plan forms part of the ministry’s plastic waste management roadmap from 2018 to 2030.

 

The strategy was devised in response to concerns over the growing use of single-use plastics, according to Thalerngsak Phetsuwan, the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, speaking at a conference commemorating the upcoming Earth Day on April 22.

 

To encourage plastic recycling, the ministry has engaged the private sector, requesting their collaboration in manufacturing recyclable plastic materials. This could lead to thin, single-use plastic bags being phased out due to recycling constraints.

The Department of Pollution Control is working on legislation to facilitate plastic recycling, in alignment with the government’s bio-circular green economy policy.

“With an increasing volume of waste and limited landfill space, there is a pressing need to recycle all waste.”

 

Thalerngsak expressed confidence in the successful execution of the plan, attributing it to the country’s readiness for green recycling technology. He also noted that the country’s ban on importing plastic waste could contribute to a decline in plastic scraps nationally.

 

Pavich Kesavawong, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Climate Change and Environment, expressed his department’s full support for the bio-circular green economy initiative which aims at reducing plastic waste. He revealed that they are working in partnership with 31 franchised coffee shops and restaurants, encompassing 9,530 outlets across the country, to eliminate the use of plastic items such as straws and cups.

 

“This collaboration will be officially announced on Earth Day, as we strive to create an environmentally-friendly consumption pattern, propelling us towards sustainable development.”

 

Earth Day, recognised by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) to draw attention to environmental issues, carries the theme, Planet vs Plastics this year, reported Bangkok Post.

 

The theme aims to create global awareness about the plastic waste crisis. UNEP advocates for a 60% decrease in plastic production by 2040, envisioning a future devoid of plastic for the coming generations.

 

by Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Photo courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Source: The Thaiger 2024-04-11

 

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[Korat Kiwi]

Yeah,  good luck with that one.  Have they actually seen how much single use plastic this country uses? 

 

It would be mind boggling.  Just in my small town the amount is phenomenal. Local morning market, plastic bags everywhere. 

 

The NZ government banned single use plastic bags a few years ago.  It's good to see paper bags back in the Supermarkets.  But NZ is very small  population wise. 

 

I can't see this happening here... too many mindsets to change and probably no enforcement of the rules. 

[Rampant Rabbit]

thats an awful lot of hedgerows to trawl thru

[Will B Good]

2127.....might just be doable with a concerted effort.

[Purdey]

I once asked a government official why there was so much plastic on Mae Ramphueng Beach in Rayong. He said that while the municipality put trash cans every 50 meters next to the road, Thais didn't want to walk from the beach to the road to dump their trash. The beach is not owned by the municipality but the state, so they were not allowed to put waste bins there as it "would look ugly".

 

 

By the way, people don't "recycle waste" as it requires technology, which not even the Thai government has considered investing in.

[brianthainess]

More chance of my cat winning the lotto. 

[mancub]

Recycling in my town means you separate plastics and cardboards then someone kindly takes them away and burns them !

[Moonlover]

33 minutes ago, mancub said:

Recycling in my town means you separate plastics and cardboards then someone kindly takes them away and burns them !

All the waste plastic and cardboard is also collected in our village and then it's taken off in a well overloaded pick up truck to the recycle centre in town and sold. There's obviously money in rubbish, or they wouldn't do it.

 

A strange juxtaposition don't you think?

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is optimistic about recycling all plastic waste by 2027, as part of an initiative to curb the use of plastic. This plan forms part of the ministry’s plastic waste management roadmap from 2018 to 2030

[nakhonandy]

1 hour ago, mancub said:

Recycling in my town means you separate plastics and cardboards then someone kindly takes them away and burns them !

That is advanced recycling.

 

In our village they are not separating it at all, plus they prefer burning it themselves.

[newbee2022]

Oh dear, they have soo many targets already (160.000.000 million visitors eg). 

I think they are in need of a Minister for Targets.🙏

[mancub]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

All the waste plastic and cardboard is also collected in our village and then it's taken off in a well overloaded pick up truck to the recycle centre in town and sold. There's obviously money in rubbish, or they wouldn't do it.

 

A strange juxtaposition don't you think?

Yes. we live in an estate that was classified outside of the municipal garbage collection area. The builder of the estate sent his staff on a weekly collection with a pick-up truck. They were too lazy or considered it not worth their effort to take to a recycle centre so piled it all up on waste ground and burned it. Since finding this out, we now take it to father-in-laws and the small monies collected he passes to the kids.

[trainman34014]

It's the Manufacturers of Food and Drink that need hammering into line as 'The Public' here are too lazy to deal with waste properly except for the ones that collect and recycle for cash.   They go on about getting the Cafe's to do away with Plastic Straws and Markets not using Plastic Bags etc but the easiest answer to this is simply BAN the manufacture of these items.   Oh dear; can't do that for upsetting too many Rich Business Men who don't care two hoots for the People or the Environment !

 

Put all Drinks back in returnable Glass Bottles like we had as Kids and do away with all the Double Packaging on things like Biscuits, Cakes etc.    We take Cloth Shopping Bags with us to Market and invite Traders to put the Veggies straight in but they want to put them in Plastic Bags first because nobody from any 'Ministry'  ever teaches them how do do anything properly to protect the Environment.  Of course; it will never happen because Public Officials here only want to do things that earn them Backhanders !

[spidermike007]

This is coming from the same administration that blamed pollution on the burning of incense, and encouraged the population to be progressive, by burning less! 

 

Alot of proclamations and little action to back it up makes Somchai a very dull boy. 

[zhounan]

The remove waste you've to remove production.

 

 

[thailand49]

Another target set by blind and stupid leaders. 

[Barnet1900]

6 hours ago, trainman34014 said:

It's the Manufacturers of Food and Drink that need hammering into line as 'The Public' here are too lazy to deal with waste properly except for the ones that collect and recycle for cash.   They go on about getting the Cafe's to do away with Plastic Straws and Markets not using Plastic Bags etc but the easiest answer to this is simply BAN the manufacture of these items.   Oh dear; can't do that for upsetting too many Rich Business Men who don't care two hoots for the People or the Environment !

 

Put all Drinks back in returnable Glass Bottles like we had as Kids and do away with all the Double Packaging on things like Biscuits, Cakes etc.    We take Cloth Shopping Bags with us to Market and invite Traders to put the Veggies straight in but they want to put them in Plastic Bags first because nobody from any 'Ministry'  ever teaches them how do do anything properly to protect the Environment.  Of course; it will never happen because Public Officials here only want to do things that earn them Backhanders !

Best post of the year.

 

They wrap single biscuits in plastic. They sell LAYS 5bt crisps in plastic and have about 10 crisps in them.

 

They were told to charge for bags but they didn't bother.

 

All the rubbish on the beach is from farangs. Thais don't litter. Try looking at a local beauty spot after a Thai public holiday. Spotless. If you're Stevie Wonder or a Thai politician.

 

Like everything that threatens the world. It won't happen in Thailand and if it does they'll beg to the west to get them out of it.

 

Never a chance of cleaning up if they really on Somchai public.

[watchcat]

7 hours ago, Barnet1900 said:

They wrap single biscuits in plastic. They sell LAYS 5bt crisps in plastic and have about 10 crisps in them.

 

I think this is because of the tiny ants that are everywhere.

[ikke1959]

for years talking and talking, but still for buying 1 item they put in a  plastic bag... plstic straws still in use, plastic cups for everything and bins nowhere in the country.. Try to throw away something.... In fact everybody should pay for waste collection and there should be bins all over the country...a lot of work to change the mentallity and make people aware. Look at the burning of leaves and householdwaste, which creates smog.. Every day we see many places that people don't care and still burning... or the blacksmoke cars.. As long as people don't care, Government, and police, nothing will change and plans can be said, but the reality will not change

[MarkBR]

There needs to be a waste collection system for all rural areas.  Currently, everything is burnt.  Solve many problems.

[drgoon]

On 4/11/2024 at 4:27 PM, Korat Kiwi said:

Yeah,  good luck with that one.  Have they actually seen how much single use plastic this country uses? 

 

It would be mind boggling.  Just in my small town the amount is phenomenal. Local morning market, plastic bags everywhere. 

 

The NZ government banned single use plastic bags a few years ago.  It's good to see paper bags back in the Supermarkets.  But NZ is very small  population wise. 

 

I can't see this happening here... too many mindsets to change and probably no enforcement of the rules. 

We moved back to NZ from Khon Kaen last year. Wife and daughter are amazed at the lack of rubbish. Even the seperation of soft plastics from general rubbish and a recycling bin, bottle bin and seperate food scraps bin. It is a good education for both of them.

Of course, in rural Thailand someone will pay for your recyclables.

[Xonax]

What has taken them so long? Did they really believe, that they could make people stop using plastic?

Edited April 15 by Xonax

[impulse]

2 hours ago, drgoon said:

We moved back to NZ from Khon Kaen last year. Wife and daughter are amazed at the lack of rubbish. Even the seperation of soft plastics from general rubbish and a recycling bin, bottle bin and seperate food scraps bin. It is a good education for both of them.

Of course, in rural Thailand someone will pay for your recyclables.

 

Have you compared your property tax bills?  Back home in Texas, my property tax bill alone was more than 90% of Thai people make.  And for that, we got beach cleaners that came by every morning, trash bins every 50-100 meters along the beach, curbside trash pickup once a week, and some level of confidence that the trash contractors didn't just dump it on a quiet road.  Texas has its share of pigs (just like Thailand).  But we pay a buttload of money to pick up after them.  Money that Thai people can't afford.

 

[drgoon]

On 4/15/2024 at 6:16 PM, impulse said:

 

Have you compared your property tax bills?  Back home in Texas, my property tax bill alone was more than 90% of Thai people make.  And for that, we got beach cleaners that came by every morning, trash bins every 50-100 meters along the beach, curbside trash pickup once a week, and some level of confidence that the trash contractors didn't just dump it on a quiet road.  Texas has its share of pigs (just like Thailand).  But we pay a buttload of money to pick up after them.  Money that Thai people can't afford.

 

yep, much the same