Thais need to stop using and accepting Styrofoam products

[eddie61]

An informed public that continues to ignore warning message is nothing less than a sad reflection of society..

An informed public and Thailand is an oxymoron. They have the education of primary school kids

[KevWaters]

Add plastic bags to the debate,when my daughter was at infants school,

the teacher had them do a little play, she said to 4 kids you can be Farangs

go and act throwing rubbish around and the others can be Thais and pick it up !

they teach them denial from an early age,its always someone else's fault.

regards Worgeordie

I was watching a local high school debate about the pros and cons about joining ASEAN. The winning point was that Thailand is that asean is bad as there will be more tourists dropping litter.

[trainman34014]

As always an army of people start say "Ban it".... This is often the wrong way. Plastic 6, Styrofoam, is well to recycle. And as you see some people here going trough the bins looking for water bottles the same they can do for plastic 6. But on this moment there is no recycle plant in Thailand that can do this on a environmental way.

I see here stories from Cha Am and Hua Hin, but the same problem is everywhere in Thailand. The hole coast of Thailand is filled with dirt. For this reason we left the beach of Bang Sean.

Thailand just have to step up education, then people will see it, find solutions for it. Ban things or give fines did never stop people from doing things.

There is no such thing like "recycle". It's always a downcycle.

To prevent, ban such a rubbish thing would be more effective than to collect, transport and downcycle.

I live right next to beach. There is not one square foot of pure, clean sand. Plastic, styrofoam, rubber and more sh*t everywhere. Is this the world we want to hand over to our children and grandchildren and all following generations ?

Since you live near the beach, perhaps you should start picking up some of the rubbish...lead by example...you never know you might start a trend that others may follow. Or just whine on line and hope the problem goes away all by itself.

I go to our local park from time to time with a black bag and pick up the mountains of rubbish left by Thai' s who use the fitness machines and basketball courts. They all bring food and drink with them and just dump all the bottles and packaging right where they finish with it. One day my wife was on the fitness machines whilst i was clearing up rubbish and a Thai man asked her what i was doing. She explained to him that there are no rubbish bins and people just leave their rubbish everywhere and i don't like it, so i like to clear up some of it when i have the time. He just laughed and said '' Farang Mad '' before walking away. Over the years many Thai's have seen me working there but not a single one has yet decided it would be a good idea to keep the park tidy and i'm not expecting a queue of helpers to show up any time soon. They just don't care.....period.

[Dannyboy666]

As always an army of people start say "Ban it".... This is often the wrong way. Plastic 6, Styrofoam, is well to recycle. And as you see some people here going trough the bins looking for water bottles the same they can do for plastic 6. But on this moment there is no recycle plant in Thailand that can do this on a environmental way.

I see here stories from Cha Am and Hua Hin, but the same problem is everywhere in Thailand. The hole coast of Thailand is filled with dirt. For this reason we left the beach of Bang Sean.

Thailand just have to step up education, then people will see it, find solutions for it. Ban things or give fines did never stop people from doing things.

There is no such thing like "recycle". It's always a downcycle.

To prevent, ban such a rubbish thing would be more effective than to collect, transport and downcycle.

I live right next to beach. There is not one square foot of pure, clean sand. Plastic, styrofoam, rubber and more sh*t everywhere. Is this the world we want to hand over to our children and grandchildren and all following generations ?

Since you live near the beach, perhaps you should start picking up some of the rubbish...lead by example...you never know you might start a trend that others may follow. Or just whine on line and hope the problem goes away all by itself.

I go to our local park from time to time with a black bag and pick up the mountains of rubbish left by Thai' s who use the fitness machines and basketball courts. They all bring food and drink with them and just dump all the bottles and packaging right where they finish with it. One day my wife was on the fitness machines whilst i was clearing up rubbish and a Thai man asked her what i was doing. She explained to him that there are no rubbish bins and people just leave their rubbish everywhere and i don't like it, so i like to clear up some of it when i have the time. He just laughed and said '' Farang Mad '' before walking away. Over the years many Thai's have seen me working there but not a single one has yet decided it would be a good idea to keep the park tidy and i'm not expecting a queue of helpers to show up any time soon. They just don't care.....period.

. Good job, unfortunately I don't think it will catch on, I was behind some cars in Nong Khai, and vehicles with Lao plates, we're dumping litter out of their vehicles before entering the the Lao border, a Disgrace, plus Lao drivers drive like crap, think they own the road in their Luxury vehicles...

[ResandePohm]

The only way that they will be able to reduce the use of Styrofoam other than ban it is to come up with another container that is biodegradable and costs less!

I remember many years ago in the US when the grocery stores gave you a choice of bags at checkout "plastic or paper" now it's hard to even find a suitable paper bag!

A restaurant here locally uses the biodegradable boxes for all their food, i like it.

In the UK most supermarkets today use biodegradable plastic bags. Why are they not available in LOS

[SjaakNL2013]

As always an army of people start say "Ban it".... This is often the wrong way. Plastic 6, Styrofoam, is well to recycle. And as you see some people here going trough the bins looking for water bottles the same they can do for plastic 6. But on this moment there is no recycle plant in Thailand that can do this on a environmental way.

I see here stories from Cha Am and Hua Hin, but the same problem is everywhere in Thailand. The hole coast of Thailand is filled with dirt. For this reason we left the beach of Bang Sean.

Thailand just have to step up education, then people will see it, find solutions for it. Ban things or give fines did never stop people from doing things.

There is no such thing like "recycle". It's always a downcycle.

To prevent, ban such a rubbish thing would be more effective than to collect, transport and downcycle.

I live right next to beach. There is not one square foot of pure, clean sand. Plastic, styrofoam, rubber and more sh*t everywhere. Is this the world we want to hand over to our children and grandchildren and all following generations ?

I think you need to read up here a little.

Nowadays we use 3 forms from recycling.

Recycle / Recycling is the process where waste products can use again after processing

Upcycle / UP-cycling is the process by which waste materials are used to provide new, high quality products.

Downcycle / DOWN-cycling (or downstream recycling) is the recycling of a material into a material downgraded or lesser quality. it is then cheaper or weaker than the original product.

[namdocmai]

I agree with banning styrofoam for most of it's more common uses. If they really want to do something constructive, ban the use of all styrofoam at Loy Krathong.

I thought they did that allready. Last year we were only allowed to buy krathongs made of bread overhere.

[namdocmai]

The only way that they will be able to reduce the use of Styrofoam other than ban it is to come up with another container that is biodegradable and costs less!

I remember many years ago in the US when the grocery stores gave you a choice of bags at checkout "plastic or paper" now it's hard to even find a suitable paper bag!

A restaurant here locally uses the biodegradable boxes for all their food, i like it.

In the UK most supermarkets today use biodegradable plastic bags. Why are they not available in LOS

I guess because they cost more.

But the normal plastic bags here that you get all day will decay very fast in full sun. Within a year nothing is left from them.

First years i lived here i refused all plastic bags and brought a backpack but i gave up with that because i looked like a backpacker and got charged double prices. Also i got all those scammers after me in the city, the ones that want to bring you to their house and drug you and rip the creditcard.

[JacChang]

no way, that will cause inflation which leads to poor people going into debt problems unable to pay for increase price of foods. Then somchai does a crime and and and..... says it's not his fault, he has a family to feed.

[Chris Lawrence]

Recycle or tax it?

[Benmart]

I think the Thai prime minister is made of styrofoam

A mirror is a wonderful thing. I look at mine daily and take inventory of my faults.

[Sviss Geez]

Only in Thailand do you get 4 straws and a plastic bag of you buy a can of coke from a 7/11.

Styro keeps the fried rice hot for longer. Make somchai happy.

Sent from my LG-D858

"Only in Thailand do you get 4 straws and a plastic bag of you buy a can of coke from a 7/11."

Only in ThaiVisa do you get exaggeration and irrelevancy to the OP. And those who have a little gumption can always decline to take the straws.

[Estrada]

As always an army of people start say "Ban it".... This is often the wrong way. Plastic 6, Styrofoam, is well to recycle. And as you see some people here going trough the bins looking for water bottles the same they can do for plastic 6. But on this moment there is no recycle plant in Thailand that can do this on a environmental way.

I see here stories from Cha Am and Hua Hin, but the same problem is everywhere in Thailand. The hole coast of Thailand is filled with dirt. For this reason we left the beach of Bang Sean.

Thailand just have to step up education, then people will see it, find solutions for it. Ban things or give fines did never stop people from doing things.

There is no such thing like "recycle". It's always a downcycle.

To prevent, ban such a rubbish thing would be more effective than to collect, transport and downcycle.

I live right next to beach. There is not one square foot of pure, clean sand. Plastic, styrofoam, rubber and more sh*t everywhere. Is this the world we want to hand over to our children and grandchildren and all following generations ?

I think you need to read up here a little.

Nowadays we use 3 forms from recycling.

Recycle / Recycling is the process where waste products can use again after processing

Upcycle / UP-cycling is the process by which waste materials are used to provide new, high quality products.

Downcycle / DOWN-cycling (or downstream recycling) is the recycling of a material into a material downgraded or lesser quality. it is then cheaper or weaker than the original product.

I agree with you. Water recycling has been going on since the first water appeared on Earth. I have designed and installed 1,000s of recycling systems worldwide since 1974. People that call for biodegradeable plastics such as for plastic bags and foam packaging, should be aware that the process of biodegrading produces a high level of pollution that requires biological treatment to render it harmless. It is always better to recycle as a plastic rather than to create water pollution.

[climbertrev1]

I think Harvard Medical School "DISAGREES" with this article and all the fear mongering going on. Time to stop the Urban Legends. Here's the "facts" and not hearsay.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_081606.htm

That is only one side. What about the RUBBISH factor? that is truly just as concerning. AND as for HARVARD? that was the HEALTH news section which OFTEN has different opinions and they quote ONE DOCTOR not a consensus.

The view MEDICALLY on plastic and Styrofoam is IT IS BEST avoided. No need to consult Google. I am a Doctor and that is what I am trained in. CHEMICALS in = CONCERN. Plastics are a concern and we still DO NOT KNOW the full effects of these products but we do know they lead to certain CANCERS.

To the contrary, we do know the long term effects. Poly expanded foam has been around for decades. Certain "release " agents used to separate the plastic from the molds caused most of the trouble. Those issues have been resolved. And as a "Doctor" you know that every frigging thing on this planet we come in contact with can cause some form of cancer or disease. Too much or to little will kill you. Petroleum products just being one of them.

But I do agree with the problem of "Trash" being a major concern here and the rest of the world too for that matter. Look at all the garbage floating out in the ocean.

I agree with you. I have worked with styrene for 40 years and according to the latest reports in the British Medical Journal and EU reports there is no correlation between styrene and cancer.

My field is Water & Waste treatment and recycling and therefore I have considerable experience dealing with toxic materials.

Personally I don't trust doctors who say they are "experts". I lost a two week old son and nearly lost my life four times in the past, due to Doctors not being up to date on the latest in treatments for bacterial infections and toxicology.

I helped write the Bangkok Solid Waste Master Plan. AIT say that styrofoam cannot be recycled so they don't do it here. However, Styrofoam can be recycled very easily. All that is needed is a conveyor belt feed to a rotating knife/chopper and then a press/extruder. It is not allowed to be reused for food containers for psychological reasons, but can be reused for many other uses including packaging. I used to work with a Vietnamese Company that mines plastic from old landfills and turns them into pipes, conduits, furniture, paving tiles and a host of other uses. The benefit is that it reduces the demand for oil. The technology is popular in Vietnam and China.

New recycling centres are proposed, following the fires on current tips, let us hope that this time they are run correctly. They will also need to force Thais to put their rubbish in the right bins as they could not care less about separation at source. They put hazardous waste, dry waste, wet(green waste) and non-recyclables all in the same bins if they don't just throw it over their shoulders.

They put hazardous waste, dry waste, wet(green waste) and non-recyclables all in the same bins if they don't just throw it over their shoulders.

And where does all the refuse end up? legally or illegally it is dumped into landfill, thrown into gullys or just strewn anywhere. Thailand needs to institute a well regulated and enforced waste management system. Hazardous waste needs to be properly tracked and documented as such from source to processing or disposal. Law breakers, however powerful, need to feel the full force of the law. Fines and prison sentences need to be commensuate with the severity of the offence.

Of course like so many other Thai problems any efforts to regulate and police are totally undermined by corruption. I would have thought the recent landfill fires would have heralded real and genuine change. I won't hold my breath.

I save that for everytime I cycle past a large landfill a couple of km from and a few metres above Mabrachan reservoir (Pattaya's water supply). The landfill is nearly full now there are piles of earth being brought in to complete and cover up the tasks. For months I watched as rubbish and trash of all types was thrown into the large water filled quarry. Eventually a make shift fence (totally ineffective) was errected to try and stop people getting to use a big hole for free to get rid of anything they liked. Was the waste hazardous ? no one knows. There were lots of people using the landfill so improssible for anyone person or company to know.

Thailand will not be able to manage it's waste properly until it can control the filth causing corruption. Important, connected, rich, people need to experience jail time. Until that happens nothing meaningful will ever change.

[KonaRain]

As I scan down to reply, more ideas are expressed.

McDonald's doesn't use styrofoam anymore, at least in Hawaii..

Same on mainland, U.S.?? Cardboard is used. (don't eat there)

When I came to Hawaii, the locals used to leave six packs of beer bottles by the road,and walking I'd see MacDonald's styro containers and candy and popsicle wrappers on the ground.

Plenty sugar, and the junk from the mainland.

Learning to handle all this commercial trash takes time..

Asians are good at it..give 'em time. I'm still learning to recycle.

Is styrofoam toxic?

Thanks

[German Viking]

Recycle or tax it?

Don't try to heal the symtoms get ridd off the causes, ban it, this is the only way to solve this problem.

[kurnell]

I think the Thai prime minister is made of styrofoam

A mirror is a wonderful thing. I look at mine daily and take inventory of my faults.

That's deep. I think.

[marcusd]

I think Harvard Medical School "DISAGREES" with this article and all the fear mongering going on. Time to stop the Urban Legends. Here's the "facts" and not hearsay.

http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/HEALTHbeat_081606.htm

That is only one side. What about the RUBBISH factor? that is truly just as concerning. AND as for HARVARD? that was the HEALTH news section which OFTEN has different opinions and they quote ONE DOCTOR not a consensus.

The view MEDICALLY on plastic and Styrofoam is IT IS BEST avoided. No need to consult Google. I am a Doctor and that is what I am trained in. CHEMICALS in = CONCERN. Plastics are a concern and we still DO NOT KNOW the full effects of these products but we do know they lead to certain CANCERS.

Come on marcusd, I like your posts, but: you might be a Doctor in the sense of PhD in a certain area, but I don't think you are MD, which is completely different?

If your real view is 'chemicals in = concern', you sure, for one, would not be prescribing medicines to treat all sorts of conditions which need chemical bodily interractions - yes or no? Chemicals in = concern - is not an MDs viewpoint - quite the opposite, surely?

Actually I am a GP - infectious diseases.... And as a GP with MODERN Thoughts I feel there is always room for Alternative therapies. Many of the Medicnes we use do screw you up but the effects of the Medcines have to be weighed against the outcomes that would be inevitable without treatment. Always a hard one to call - agreed. My view often, ids with minor ailments - LET THE BODY DEAL WITH IT and with some cases this cannot always be the right way.

But with Styrofoam, there are so many uncerttainties as there is with PVC also widely used today. MINIMAL RISK - MAXIMUM EFFECT. Why play with fire if there is another way?

[Local Drunk]

I hate the stuff but I have to post this from George Carlin...