Burning Of Plastics

[Jose]

The traditional burning of rubbish on the islands to reduce garbage size, is nowadays creating major potential long-term health problems when plastics and other toxic materials are added to these fires. PVC plastics, batteries and other toxic material fumes are often related to many health problems, including cancer - not to mention the detrimental effect this has on tourism.

Any suggestions on how the locals (islanders, workers, expats) may be able to be educated/persuaded on this most important health issue?

jose '-)

[Khun Jean]

I tried and gave up. My Thai neighbour got hostile when i put out the fire that was making a lot of toxic smoke. I even had to replace the curtains and bed linnen! You would think it would stop, but no every month or two it started all over again. Him making the fire, i am putting it out. To crazy for words. There is an incinerator on the island just for this kind of garbage but people are to lazy to put it in bags.

My feeling is they first have to suffocate in their own dirt before realising it.

Some relief can be made by putting a lot of trashbins on the street. But then you still have to educate the people to throw their garbage IN the bin. Most foreigners already have been tought how to dispose their garbage, and you see many looking around wondering where to put their garbage.

Then you should also educate the fisherman to not throw away their plastic instant coffee bags and cups, and broken foam containers. After a big storm my garden looked liked it had been snowing.

And the factories that dump their plastic in the sea. Start with the flip flop factories. After some strong wind you can see a lot of plastic with stamped out soles.

Then you have all the houses with waste water collected in underground tanks. The water slowly gets into the ground. Nothing wrong with it when the waste is organic, but with the many soaps, chlorine products, plastic it is just another source of polution.

[Jose]

I tried and gave up.

<Sigh...> what can we do?

There must be some incentive out there to avert this kind of thoughtless/destructive behaviour.

Surely bungalow & resort operators must see that this is not good for business, or for anyone else for that matter...

j '-)