Bangkok Faces A Smelly Future If Garbage Goes Unchecked

[webfact]

Bangkok faces a smelly future if garbage goes unchecked

Thanapat Kitjakosol

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

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"With a higher ratio of garbage per head than other capitals, we need to adopt a 'think new and act new' approach to manage the problem,'' said Assoc Prof Sirinthornthep Taoprayoon, director of the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment (JGSEE).

The modern world needs to look at garbage from a new perspective. What was earlier considered a "problem" or that "disgusting thing that should be destroyed quickly", it is now seen as a valuable resource provided a good management system is adopted right from the start. The number of landfill gas projects across the world, which convert methane gas emitted from decomposing garbage into electricity, rose from 399 in 2005 to 594 in 2012.

In Bangkok, the idea of managing waste by turning it into electricity has been at the conception stage since late last year under the initiative of former governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra. The Bt2-billion project requires an incinerator to be placed in Nong Khaem district, where it can dispose of about 500 tonnes of waste daily and produce about 4 megawatts of power. Construction should be completed within two years.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has already started turning organic waste into fertiliser on a small scale. Sirinthornthep said the agency should expand this into a larger operation that generates an income by incorporating the private sector.

The biggest challenge of waste management is recycling and separation - something the city administration has been unable to effectively implement, Sirinthornthep said. Organic waste needs to be separated so it can be turned into fertiliser, while the rest of the garbage can be dumped in the landfill. This way, space used by landfills can be reduced. He also suggested that the management of garbage be privatised because the current centralised system is not efficient or environmentally friendly owing to the 2,000 large garbage trucks and dozens of boats deployed for garbage collection, producing lots of carbon dioxide in the process, Sirinthornthep said.

Assoc Prof Jurairat Duangduan, deputy rector of Siam Technology University, advised the BMA to instil awareness among Bangkok residents about recycling and reducing the amount of garbage, as well as to launch a campaign promoting garbage separation.

With candidates campaigning hard to win the March 3 Bangkok election, Monchai Purisatien, Ruamjai Pattana community leader, said residents wanted the future governor to get rid of the foul odour emanating from the landfill nearby because it has affected their health and well-being for as long as 20 years.

Supak Yodsuksa, chairman of the Mahadthai 2 community, said many residents in her community earned money from separating garbage and they hope the new governor will allow communities to continue getting this income instead of handing the entire process to a private firm.

Bangkok waste

The capital produces 9,745 tonnes of garbage daily or 3.5 million tonnes per year. Last year, the amount of waste in Bangkok rose by 9 per cent or an additional 800 tonnes daily. Only 12 per cent of waste is recycled per day and the remaining 8,000-plus tonnes is dumped in landfill.

The BMA uses 2,000 rented garbage trucks, employs 50,000 garbage collectors and pays about Bt1,000 per tonne to concessionaires to manage garbage dumping.

Three Bangkok governor candidates on garbage disposal and management

Pheu Thai Party candidate Pongsapat Pongcharoen

_ Encourage garbage recycling from home by having different trash bins and different colour garbage trucks for different types of garbage.

_ Encourage communities to have a factory to destroy non-toxic garbage.

_ Reduce the size of garbage trucks to increase garbage collection efficiency.

Democrat candidate MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra

_ Increase garbage collection to reduce the accumulation of garbage.

_ Establish garbage collection and garbage disposal systems that are more environmentally friendly, including transforming garbage into clean energy.

_ Sukhumbhand, during his term, has initiated installation of a garbage incinerator worth more than Bt2 billion, which can turn heat into electricity. The incinerator, which will be constructed in Nong Khaem district, uses technology from China and can burn up to 300-500 tonnes of garbage per day.

Independent candidate Suharit Siamwalla

_ Grant concessions to the private sector to sell different types of waste after garbage separation.

_ Garbage is separated into "red garbage", which is not bio-degradable; "yellow garbage", which may be disposable; and "green garbage", which is bio-degradable.

_ Use income from garbage concession to build more parks in Bangkok.

-- The Nation 2013-02-16

[dcutman]

This issue with garbage and recycling takes years of education, commitment and enforcement. I dont see this problem improving for decades to come.

[rkidlad]

Bangkok faces a smelly future if garbage goes unchecked

Yes, do something now before Bangkok stops smelling like a bed of roses.

[Payboy]

Garbage is separated into "red garbage", which is not bio-degradable; "yellow garbage", which may be disposable; and "green garbage", which is bio-degradable.

"Bio-degradable", "not bio-degradable", and "may be disposable". Always the need for a 3rd gender here.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Payboy

[jamhar]

well that stinks!

[KKvampire]

This issue with garbage and recycling takes years of education, commitment and enforcement. I dont see this problem improving for decades to come.

Education or caring about the environment attitude by Thai,s has to change because the way they throw garbage from their own property to public areas with an attitude of "its not in my space" typifies the lack of concern for their city,s enviroment

[Thai at Heart]

Just getting people to stop treating the drains like an all purpose garbage can would be a start.

Just consider how much cooking oil from food carts goes straight in the drain. And then everyone wonders why it smells.

[ginjag]

Bangkok has been stinking for years, the headline sounds like it WILL smell soon.

You name the place they are all the same, near food outlets, only have to look down those open grids in any town/city. disgusting to say the least. Police on the beat watching for offenders---health officials to heavily fine market stalls, education does not seem to work when you see plasic and foam cartons thrown out of bht taxies. Look at most of the rural houses, the lady at home is sweeping the tiled areas all day, but look at the land around the house mostly it's a tip. In most gardens the lack of flowers and pride is apparent.

How many children do the garden as we used to help DAD and have our own bit to care for.

NO interest here at all. if it don't affect US then o.k. is the attitude. Pity the minority have to get the bad name.

[dcutman]

Just getting people to stop treating the drains like an all purpose garbage can would be a start.

Just consider how much cooking oil from food carts goes straight in the drain. And then everyone wonders why it smells.

Exactly, and how many times have you seen somebody walk out of 7-11, taking the bottle of water, just purchased, out of the plastic bag and throwing it on the ground along with the plastic straw, and advert?

[jonclark]

One of the simplest solutions to Bangkok's garbage solutions would be for the BMA to directly employ the massive army of what could best be described as Bangkok's 'rag an bone men and women' or the rubbish collectors who come around collecting plastic bottles and the like.

Give each an area of Bangkok - say 15 sois (for example) they collect, sort all the rubbish, and as BMA employees they would get a guaranteed daily income of 300 baht, and hopefully a long term contract plus social security and some paid holidays, and a better standard of life.

Rubbish separated and sorted and available for recycling or composting and energy generation. The rag and bone folk have a brighter future, And really not that much tax money spent.

[whybother]

If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

I don't see what the (supposed) free movement of workers within ASEAN has to do with effective waste management.

[chainarong]

The whole of Asia, except Singapore ,looks like a garbage dump, wherever you look there's rubbish, the place is a pigsty.

[dcutman]

If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

I don't see what the (supposed) free movement of workers within ASEAN has to do with effective waste management.

You will find this excuse for every infrastructure problem Thailand is facing and has been for decades. Thats why there is a planned 2+ trillion Baht budget for high speed rail. Now that is a priority scam investment in infrastructure.

[FarangTalk]

If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

I don't see what the (supposed) free movement of workers within ASEAN has to do with effective waste management.

Yep. Has to be the weakest 'blame the foreigners' argument ever.

[rfukata]

"Just getting people to stop treating the drains like an all purpose garbage can would be a start."

very true, I just need to tell the x-governor to stop throwing sand bags into the drains.

[overherebc]

One of the simplest solutions to Bangkok's garbage solutions would be for the BMA to directly employ the massive army of what could best be described as Bangkok's 'rag an bone men and women' or the rubbish collectors who come around collecting plastic bottles and the like.

Give each an area of Bangkok - say 15 sois (for example) they collect, sort all the rubbish, and as BMA employees they would get a guaranteed daily income of 300 baht, and hopefully a long term contract plus social security and some paid holidays, and a better standard of life.

Rubbish separated and sorted and available for recycling or composting and energy generation. The rag and bone folk have a brighter future, And really not that much tax money spent.

For sure I agree with you but I get the feeling that the sorting areas would be still in the public eye and nose. It would work if the people up the ladder from the sorters took an active interest in the concept and not an active interest in the pay-off.

[seajae]

every street stinks now, what are they on about. Thais simply throw their garbage where ever they want, I saw one couple go fishing, they pulled up and threw a big bag of garbage into the water then got out their rods and started fishing, they are totally stupid. In Bangkok of a night the streets are full of rats where ever there is a market, the sellers just throw all their scraps in the gutter so naturally the rats have a feast. Drivers simply open their windows and toss their rubbish on the street, no one cares. They are simply too stupid to realize that this causes disease, I have given up trying to tell them differently, they are all guilty of it.

[Locationthailand]

If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

I don't see what the (supposed) free movement of workers within ASEAN has to do with effective waste management.

Beat me to it. Stupid assumption.

[Locationthailand]

Effective recycling is paramount and education the key. Use of the yellow top bins failed as every household gave the garbage to the maid who thought they were just an extra bin. There needs to be an ad campaign that helps Thai people understand. Level of poverty here is a satellite dish, a motorbike and many instances a pickup. This is not India. So the message can go out easily in saturation advertising and MCOT. BEC and so on should be putting this on air as a community service to Thailand. If you don't educate the masses and make them aware, they will continue to do what they have always done - and that stinks.

[MEL1]

"_ Reduce the size of garbage trucks to increase garbage collection efficiency."

What on earth does that mean?

Collect anything that is of any kind of re-cycling value, and leave the food and other shit behind?? ?

-mel.

[rattler]

i dunno what they mean"faces" it already stinks now!

[rattler]

This issue with garbage and recycling takes years of education, commitment and enforcement. I dont see this problem improving for decades to come.

Education or caring about the environment attitude by Thai,s has to change because the way they throw garbage from their own property to public areas with an attitude of "its not in my space" typifies the lack of concern for their city,s enviroment

Its not just the city, out here in the country they just chuck it all out of their windows/off their bike when driving, seen this many a time, often clear the crap up from the school bus run everyday.

[belg]

does this article say that other asean people are garbage ????

[Bluespunk]

If there is no effective waste management, Bangkok will be overwhelmed with garbage in 2015 when the integration of the Asean community allows the free movement of workers within member countries.

I don't see what the (supposed) free movement of workers within ASEAN has to do with effective waste management.

It has nothing to do with it but gives the authorities the chance to blame anyone but themselves for Thailand's myriad of problems.

[techboy]

The whole of Asia, except Singapore ,looks like a garbage dump, wherever you look there's rubbish, the place is a pigsty.

On the concept of transforming garbage into clean energy, they could jumpstart the program with that comment.

[stevehaigh]

"With a higher ratio of garbage per head than other capitals, we need to adopt a 'think new and act new' approach to manage the problem

no shit! start by taxing plastic bags 1baht/bag, see how many 7/11 gives you with every purchase of everything then.

[thaikahuna]

Start by making the street vendors PROPERLY dispose of the waste they create.....but that will go over like a turd in a punchbowl creating still more smell......

[Tanaka]

every street stinks now, what are they on about. Thais simply throw their garbage where ever they want, I saw one couple go fishing, they pulled up and threw a big bag of garbage into the water then got out their rods and started fishing, they are totally stupid. In Bangkok of a night the streets are full of rats where ever there is a market, the sellers just throw all their scraps in the gutter so naturally the rats have a feast. Drivers simply open their windows and toss their rubbish on the street, no one cares. They are simply too stupid to realize that this causes disease, I have given up trying to tell them differently, they are all guilty of it.

You, a foreigner, tried to tell Thais something? No wonder you failed.

[tongoy]

a successful recycling system needs education and it will take years until it works well.. in Germany where people normally follow the laws and regulations it took already 10 years until the recycling system worked acceptable... I don't wanna make any assumptions how long it might take to implement a recycling system in Thailand.... the article mentioned that BKK produces 9,745 t of garbage daily. Now these polititians proudly presents an incinerator plant which can handle 500 t daily... GREAT!... and Chinese technology.. copied from where? What is the solution for the small rest of only 9,245 t daily????? Landfilling on Chinese standards????? ah, I see the solution in the article now... reducing the amount of collection vehicles to make the collection more efficient, save some money and build a park... it really stinks, but it always starts stinking at the head...

[SICHONSTEVE]

"Assoc Prof Jurairat Duangduan, deputy rector of Siam Technology University, advised the BMA to instil awareness among Bangkok residents about recycling and reducing the amount of garbage, as well as to launch a campaign promoting garbage separation".

My god - what a brain wave, he is on top of the situation!!!!

I wish that I could think up something as brilliant as that!!!!