File photo for reference only

 

As floodwaters recede on December 2, Hat Yai faces a significant waste management challenge with large volumes of uncollected waste causing foul odors and hygiene concerns. Residents are clearing flood-damaged items, leading to piles of rotting debris, especially around markets with spoiled produce.

 

Over 100 garbage trucks have been deployed to address the waste backlog, with estimates suggesting the cleanup could take more than a week. Drone footage shows extensive waste accumulation over 10 rai. Trucks from various agencies are transporting waste to a temporary site before disposal at the city’s landfill.

 

The waste comprises household items like furniture and electronics, as well as business goods from local markets. Excavators load debris onto lorries for transport to the Ko Taeo landfill, which processes waste for electricity at its waste-to-energy facility.

 

Standard waste separation into general, hazardous, and recyclable categories is currently unmanageable due to volume. Hat Yai Municipality anticipates at least a week to clear all debris, with the Ko Taeo landfill capable of handling the influx.

 

The Emergency Health Network warns of public hygiene risks from accumulated waste, which produces odors and hydrogen sulfide gas. Officials are implementing disinfection and deodorisation measures using microbial solutions and water sprays to reduce odors and improve conditions, reported The Nation.

 

Key Takeaways

• Hat Yai is overwhelmed with waste post-floods, requiring extensive cleanup efforts.
• Over 100 garbage trucks are working to address the backlog, with disposal handled at a landfill with waste-to-energy processing.
• Health concerns arise from odor and gas emissions, prompting disinfection measures.

 

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  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Nation 2025-12-03

 

 

 

Due to the urgency to re-establish the perception of normality and the resumption of marginal economic survival would it not be sad to learn that waste disposal fly by night contractors were dumping mass amounts of waste in inappropriate locations ?