'Waste For Eggs' Project Organized To Solve Pollution Problems: Thailand

[webfact]

“Waste For Eggs” Project Organized to Solve Pollution Problems

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and the Federation of Thai Industries are coordinating to organize a project “Waste For Eggs” to encourage residents to eliminate or recycle waste after the severe flooding to ease pollution problems.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk and Federation of Thai Industries Chairman Payungsak Chartsutipol are coordinating to organize a project “Waste For Eggs”.

They have released caravan to promote and encourage residents to correctly remedy pollution issues as huge amounts of waste were left after the severe flooding.

The Pollution Control Department assessed that since more than 1 million flood evacuees received food contained in styrofoam packages, more than 2 million pieces of styrofoam food containers were trashed each day.

From the statistics, it has been found that only 26 percent of waste were recycled.

The rest were left in the water, including the styrofoam, which requires at least 50 years to decompose, causing pollution problems.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is doing their best to get rid styrofoams to ease the water drainage, as the foams clog the water systems, polluting the area and forcing waste to acccumulate.

50,000 eggs were prepared for the project of “Waste For Eggs”.

The project started since yesterday and began from Kla Jom Thong market in Bang Kluay District.

The condition is set that to receive 1 egg, residents must retrieve 20 clean styrofoam packages, 10 plastic-bottled with caps, and 20 boxes of milk.

If they want to receive 1 kilogram of rice, they must retrieve 120 clean styrofoam packages, 60 plastic-bottled with caps and 100 boxes of milk.

Residents who volunteered to collect waste in the flood-hit areas will receive a boat with 2 packs of eggs each day.

Volunteers must collect approximately 1,200 styrofoam packages per day.

However, if they have collected 12,000 of styrofoam packages, they will receive a boat for personal use.

-- Tan Network 2011-11-21

[woodyleonhard]

Anybody know if there is some way for individuals or groups to contribute to this effort?

[elgato]

"The condition is set that to receive 1 egg, residents must retrieve 20 clean styrofoam packages, 10 plastic-bottled with caps, and 20 boxes of milk."

That's a lot of trash for ONE egg!

[lannarebirth]

"The condition is set that to receive 1 egg, residents must retrieve 20 clean styrofoam packages, 10 plastic-bottled with caps, and 20 boxes of milk."

That's a lot of trash for ONE egg!

Rewarding by weight of recyclables gathered might be a better idea. Imagine if you collected 150 styrofoam packages, 80 plastic bottles, and 15 boxes of milk. You still wouldn't qualify for a single egg.

[puntmeister]

"The condition is set that to receive 1 egg, residents must retrieve 20 clean styrofoam packages, 10 plastic-bottled with caps, and 20 boxes of milk."

That's a lot of trash for ONE egg!

Rewarding by weight of recyclables gathered might be a better idea. Imagine if you collected 150 styrofoam packages, 80 plastic bottles, and 15 boxes of milk. You still wouldn't qualify for a single egg.

Yeah, the overall theory behind the plan is good. But the details are flawed. Why limit the payment for collection of styrofoam packages, plastic bottles, and milk boxes? What about all the other trash?

This really isn't fair to the rest of the trash. If I were a soda can, I'd be miffed.

[djlest]

im sorry but that's ridiclous and just a cheap way of getting poor people to do their dirty work...

1 egg for that much work, probably a few hours work no doubt!

The gov should PAY a salary to someone to clean up the mess which it has caused, not bribe people with eggs - its an insult.

or better yet they could have NOT used styrofoam and used a normal biodegradable packaging, but that would be way too much forward thinking - now they have to backtrack with 50,000 rotten eggs!

[Misterwhisper]

Is it okay if I turn in and exchange for eggs those mountains of garbage strange people continue to dump in my soi in the middle of the night and despite the large sign erected by the BMA that there is a penalty of 2,000 Baht if doing so? Given the sheer amount of garbage I reckon I'll be able to bag quite a few eggs, probably even enough to open an egg wholesale store.

[FOODLOVER]

If you are required to find the lids to the plastic bottles i would at least think a chicken or small goat would be more appropriate.

[impulse]

Yup, they'll give a 3 baht egg to the poor suckers turning in the all recyclable waste then sell the same to recyclers for 30 or 40 baht. Quite the incentive.....and quite a racket.

Meanwhile, the non-sellable trash that will rot, stink, decay and cause disease goes uncollected.

If I were to collect recyclables, I think I'd rather go and make my own deal with the recyclers.

[maidu]

an interesting idea, though it sounds a bit like an incentive you'd use with little children.

I agree the parameters shouldn't be so strict. They could possibly do it by volume, like: a plastic trash can full (uncrushed) gives an egg, limit 10 eggs per family per day.

as for degradable wrappers / containers. Though researchers in the western world have come up with some viable materials, I don't think Asians have been working on such things. I remember popcorn and/or peanut shells were used instead of styrofoam for package fillers. pulverized newspaper was used instead of spun glass for insulating houses. Banana leaves could be used more, but the perception among most consumers is that's old fashioned and archaic. Could you imagine McDonalds or KFC using banana leaves? There are ways to use giant bamboo husks, but no one is looking at that. Asians are too busy going to the mall, watching TV and slapping on whitening cream. I've got a photo of using bamboo husks for plates, but can't find it right now.

[jonclark]

Why do the styrofoam packs need to be clean? Surely that makes it quite difficult and waste potential potable water?

[janverbeem]

Yup, they'll give a 3 baht egg to the poor suckers turning in the all recyclable waste then sell the same to recyclers for 30 or 40 baht. Quite the incentive.....and quite a racket.

Meanwhile, the non-sellable trash that will rot, stink, decay and cause disease goes uncollected.

If I were to collect recyclables, I think I'd rather go and make my own deal with the recyclers.

I offer 2 eggs.

[impulse]

Do I hear 3 eggs?

[hellodolly]

Yup, they'll give a 3 baht egg to the poor suckers turning in the all recyclable waste then sell the same to recyclers for 30 or 40 baht. Quite the incentive.....and quite a racket.

Meanwhile, the non-sellable trash that will rot, stink, decay and cause disease goes uncollected.

If I were to collect recyclables, I think I'd rather go and make my own deal with the recyclers.

If you can get that much for that little there would be no Styrofoam or bottles.

My mother in law here in Chiang Mai gets 5 baht for one kilo of plastic bottles. Not sure about the Styrofoam but I don't imagine it would be much more.

Also if they could get that much they sure wouldn't trade it for a egg.

I smell a troll who dosen't like Thai's

Edited November 21, 2011 by hellodolly

[phaethon]

Is it okay if I turn in and exchange for eggs those mountains of garbage strange people continue to dump in my soi in the middle of the night and despite the large sign erected by the BMA that there is a penalty of 2,000 Baht if doing so? Given the sheer amount of garbage I reckon I'll be able to bag quite a few eggs, probably even enough to open an egg wholesale store.

Indeed, but what makes you think they even bother to wait for nightfall? If you want to know what Thais think of their environment, take a flat overlooking any area of undeveloped land...

Even the BMA's drainage contractors dump their stinking silt wherever is convenient:

Edited November 21, 2011 by phaethon