Readers' Poll: Plastic initiative good for Phuket

The landfill at Saphan Hin. File photo from 2007

PHUKET: -- Over half of Phuket Gazette voters think the new charge for plastic bags is a good idea. The results come in as Phuket prepares to implement a one- or two-baht charge for plastic bags at the island’s major retail stores beginning in February.

Of the 580 voters who took part in the non-scientific poll, 306 (or 52.8%) agreed that the plastic bag policy will ‘significantly cut down on the waste stream and increase public awareness’.

Only 12.6 % (73 out of 580 readers) disagreed with the policy, agreeing with the statement, ‘It’s a bad idea that will only make the poor suffer more than they already do’.

Overall 34.7% think the policy won’t amount to much when it goes into effect, however.

They agreed with the statement ‘it won’t make any difference because one- or two-baht is too little to have an impact on most shoppers’ habits’.

In a breakdown by demographics, the statement in favor of the policy was the most popular among all three groups: Thai nationals (45%), resident expats (51%) and tourists (61%).

Thai nationals, however, that had the largest percentage (21%) agreeing that the policy is a bad idea that will negatively affect the poor.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-11-30

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Plastic bag MoU signed in Phuket

Signatories to the agreement to charge for plastic bags pose for a photo at Phuket Provincial Hall yesterday.

A settling pond at the solid waste landfill at Saphan Hin. File photo.

PHUKET CITY: An agreement to charge a small fee for plastic bags was signed by most of the island’s major retailers, with Tesco-Lotus and 7-Eleven the only major holdouts.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony took place at Phuket Provincial Hall (Sala Klaang) at 2pm yesterday.

The event was chaired by Phuket Governor Wichai Phraisa-ngop.

Also attending were new Vice Governor Teerayut Eimtrakul and the three leaders of the project: Phuket Provincial Energy Office Director Jirasuk Tummawetch, Phuket Public Health Office Director Dr Pongsawat Rattanasaeng and Managing Director of Indigo Real Estate Nick Anthony.

Also there to show support were many civil servants and elected officials, including Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pekad Tantipong and Phuket Provincial Administration Organization President Paiboon Upatising.

Among those with representatives signing the agreement were Jungceylon, Central, Carrfour, Robinson, Supercheap, Big C, Phuket Grocery, Family Mart, 108 Shop, Index Living Mall, SB Furniture, Homepro, and many more.

Mr Jirasak said Tesco-Lotus and 7-Eleven were both still awaiting final approval from store headquarters in Bangkok.

Also not signing was Makro, which has never given away plastic bags for free.

At the the event, Central Festival Phuket gave two cloth bags to all signatories.

The plastic bag scheme, the first of its kind in Thailand, will be launched on February 14, 2010.

It is hoped that it will lead to a source reduction in solid waste.

Phuket currently produces about 500 tonnes of garbage daily, about twice what the incinerator at Saphan Hin can burn. The remainder continues to pile up in a low-lying landfill around the incinerator.

In 2007, pools of toxic waste from the landfill overflowed into the surrounding waterways, killing millions of farmed fish in the area.

The organizers hope the plastic bag scheme will be the first in a step-by-step process that will drastically cut the amount of trash produced on the island at the source. – Pimwara Choksakulpan and Stephen Michael Fein

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-12-05

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