Samut Prakan garbage-dump fire prompts nationwide check of controls

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ENVIRONMENT
Garbage-dump fire prompts nationwide check of controls
Janjira Pongrai,
Salinee Prab
The Nation



Local bodies lack capacity to tackle pollution problems

BANGKOK: -- ENVIRONMENTAL experts are testing samples from around the burned-out garbage dump at Samut Prakan's tambon Praksa for toxic substances in the soil, air and underground water, in order to find out where they came from.

At the same time, the recent massive fire at the garbage dump has prompted pollution-control agencies to revise their designation of pollution-control zones in 23 provinces nationwide.

The move comes after the Pollution Control Department (PCD) learnt that Samut Prakan provincial authorities had failed to properly eliminate large amounts of garbage and hazardous waste from its industrial sectors.

This was despite the province being designated a pollution-control zone since 1994.

The 23 provinces designated as having pollution-control zones by the Environmental Quality Protection and Promotion Act must plan to control and reduce the pollution in their areas.The pollution situation in some provinces such as Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, Samut Prakan and Phetchaburi's Ban Laem district requires their designation as pollution-control zones be revised.

"We found that local authorities that have been tasked with controlling pollution do not have enough capacity to deal with the pollution problems in their areas," PCD director-general Wichian Jungrungreon said.

In a related development, following concerns of environmental experts over the contamination of dioxin-furans and other toxic substances in the soil and underground water near the fire site in Praksa, the Department of Environment Quality Promotion has sent its staff to collect samples of air, soil and underground water near the dumping site to test for contamination.

The results should be released in the next 10 days.

Dioxins and furans are among the most toxic chemicals known to science and can cause cancer in humans.

They can taint the environment for more than 100 years and contaminate the food cycle.

The police have asked the PCD to work with the Industry Work Department to find out more about the industrial waste in the dumpsite after the fire had been stopped.

"There was an observation that this garbage [could have] come from the industrial sector," Wichian said.

He added that the level of sulfur-dioxide at the dumping site was still high and exceeded standard levels.

This sulfur-dioxide at the dumping site was measured at 2 parts per million, while the designated standard is 0.2 ppm.

"People involved in the operation to deal with this dumping site must protect themselves from further contamination by the hazardous substances," Wichien warned.

In Phuket, provincial governor Maitree Intusut has ordered his officials to keep a watch out for any accidents likely to take place at the garbage dumping sites in the province.


-- The Nation 2014-03-26

[bino]

"There was an observation that this garbage [could have] come from the industrial sector," Wichian said.

Jeez Wichian.... ya think?

Dioxins aren't exactly household waste. They are by-products of various industrial processes.

[ChrisY1]

"We found that local authorities that have been tasked with controlling pollution do not have enough capacity to deal with the pollution problems in their areas,"

When they do go to investigate, there's dangerous toxins that could cause serious illness or death....any wonder they don't do their job.....I wouldn't either in this situation.

[clockman]

Third world, and always will be!

[edgarfriendly]

but farang.......

mun mun mun

waaaaaaaaaaa........

Chai Yooooo etc......

[monkey4u]

Latest News

There is plenty of garbage coming from local government office's in regards to pollution

[climbertrev1]

"There was an observation that this garbage [could have] come from the industrial sector," Wichian said.

Jeez Wichian.... ya think?

Dioxins aren't exactly household waste. They are by-products of various industrial processes.

Dioxins will be produced whenever plastics are burnt at low temperatures. To prevent formation of dioxins plastics should be incinerated at a temperature above 1000 degrees C.

This means any waste dump catching fire which is full of plastics is going to produce copious amounts of dioxins.

Thailand needs a national strategy of waste management to prevent unregulated management of waste. Just using a hole in the ground to dump garbage is not a satisfactory method. Landfills should be sealed to prevent leachates contaminating ground water and surrounding land. The garbage should be covered to starve any potential fires of oxygen. Where garbage has to be open it must be carefully controlled to prevent the outbreak of any fires.

Regulation to control the disposal of hazardous waste can only happen if non-hazardous waste disposal is controlled.

I cycle past a big hole in the ground outside of Pattaya on a regular basis. For months there was not even a fence to prevent anyone and I mean anyone dumping waste. Builders waste, household waste and I dread to think what other kinds of waste. Anyone could have dumped hazardous waste in the hole. The hole was half full of water to begin with. Pollution and contamination of the ground water is absolutely guaranteed. The site is now being used in a more organised way to dispose of vast quantities of waste. How much is hazardous I cannot say. I wouldn't mind betting that no one knows how much hazardous waste has been dumped at the site. Thailand is going to suffer 1000,s of environmental catastrophes as a result of it's failure to control and regulate waste disposal. Of course the consequences may not become apparent for decades.

Of course it isn't just land fill dumping that poses a threat. Illegal fly tipping at the side of the road, on waste ground, or farmland also poses a major threat. I have seen some very nasty stuff just tipped next to the road. It had all the characteristics of industrial waste complete with heavy metals which will contaminate ground water, fluvial water and lakes (including reservoirs).

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

They seem to be trying to show they're trying to figure out what kind of wastes are there...and where those wastes came from.

But there seems to be ZERO attention to the potential hazardous exposure that's already occurred to the many people who live nearby the site.

Have we read a single news report giving any detail of air testing around the site when the fire was burning, or well water samples from that area? Of course not!

[tomyummer]

Hate to say it but this will last all but a few weeks. The Thais will never be able to control the waste dumping. It's beyond their control and not really in their interest. Too much of the 'dust it under the rug' mentality.