Cities to get toxic waste bins

Mobiles, batteries can be safely disposed of

BANGKOK: -- At least 5,000 trash cans for hazardous waste will be installed at convenience stores and mobile phone shops in major cities, including Bangkok, to collect old batteries and mobile phones for safe disposal, a senior pollution control official said yesterday.

Apichai Chvajarernpun, chief of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), said the new collection system for the items, expected to begin next month, is the latest effort by state officials and mobile phone operators to safely dispose of electronic waste, which poses risks to human health and the environment.

Mr Apichai said proper waste disposal management is needed as about nine million old batteries were dumped into the environment each year, while at least 20 million mobile phones are in use and will be soon disposed of as waste.

He said batteries and mobile phones contain hazardous heavy metals, mainly cadmium, nickel and cobalt that damage the nervous system or cause cancer once they enter the food chain and accumulate in the body, apart from contaminating the environment.

The National Economic and Social Development Board was concerned with the lack of proper waste management and raised the issue while launching its social report on Monday.

According to the NESDB, around 28 million cellphones were imported during 2000 to 2003.

''The waste can cause various illnesses, and the increasing amount is of grave concern to us. We need to do something about it,'' said Mr Apichai.

He said the initial idea emerged after the PCD discussed the problem with more than 20 mobile phone operators and hazardous waste operators yesterday.

They also came up with price promotion measures to encourage the public to participate in the collection system, including discount offers for new batteries or phones for those customers who disposed of their used items in the correct containers.

''The waste would then be sent to waste management operators for proper disposal,'' he said.

The PCD would discuss operation costs as well as promotion measures in detail with operators soon, Mr Apichai said.

Monthon Srimonthon, a phone user, said he welcomed the move. ''I had no idea where to throw away dead batteries or cellphones,'' he said.

Rosana Tositrakul, secretary of the Thai Holistic Health Foundation and a consumer rights campaigner, however, cautioned that the PCD's measures were still too lenient.

In fact, much tougher measures, particularly for mobile phone producers, were needed, given the fact that the waste was dangerous, she said.

--The Post 2005-06-30

This is good news, I like to hear things like this.

"The waste will be sent to waste disposal operators" ......who will do what do what?

I tell you what: dump it into the nearest river or forest, that's what! Okay, maybe not in the beginning but with costs rising they'll be tempted to do it on the cheap. Remember all that hospital waste which was dumped in the Bangkok canals?

Cities to get toxic waste bins

Mobiles, batteries can be safely disposed of

Monthon Srimonthon, a phone user, said he welcomed the move. ''I had no idea where to throw away dead batteries or cellphones,'' he said.

--The Post 2005-06-30

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

probably the same place where one throws away the AA size battery.

It was only recently they removed rubish bins from central Bangkok - apparently was to stop the streets looking untidy!

I trust that these bins will be locked to prevent unauthourised recycling of batteries and 'phones. the battery you threw out today could be sold back to you tomorrow!

Man, isn't there some silver lining to Thai news. Not eveything in this country can be completely focked.