Omar Khalid
Thailand is facing a plastic waste crisis. The country is a major contributor to the 80% of plastic leakage into marine environments from Asia, with Thailand ranking sixth globally. Despite a high municipal solid waste collection and recycling rate of 88.8%, Thailand's plastic waste problem is exacerbated by the remaining uncollected plastic waste and unsanitary disposal facilities, resulting in an estimated 428 kton/year of mismanaged plastic waste. In 2019, the Thai government released the Roadmap for Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030, aiming to address the country's plastic pollution problem. However, further insights are needed to understand the sources and pathways of plastic waste in Thailand to effectively target policies and investments.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic waste generated per year | 2 million tonnes |
| Plastic waste recycled per year | 17.6% of key plastic resins in 2018, falling short of the 22% target |
| Plastic waste mismanaged per year | 428 kton/year |
| Plastic waste imported per year | 480,000 tonnes in 2018; 220,000 tonnes in 2020; 320,000 tonnes in 2019; 96,000 tonnes in 2020; 552 million metric tons in 2018; 200 million metric tons in 2023 |
| Plastic waste exported per year | N/A |
| Plastic bags used per year | 70 billion |
| Plastic drinking water bottles produced per year | 4.4 billion |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic waste mismanagement
Thailand has been facing challenges with plastic waste mismanagement, which has led to significant environmental concerns. The country generates an estimated 1.14 kg of solid waste per person daily, with about 50% being biodegradable. Despite a high municipal solid waste collection and recycling rate of 88.8%, issues persist due to uncollected waste and inadequate disposal facilities. This results in an estimated 428 kton/year of mismanaged plastic waste, with rural areas contributing the most.
The mismanagement of plastic waste has severe economic and environmental repercussions. Thailand's coastal provinces dispose of an estimated one million tonnes of garbage into the sea annually, making it one of the top contributors to marine plastic debris globally. Asia accounts for over 80% of plastic leakage into marine environments, with Thailand ranking sixth among the top ten countries in the region. The country's efforts to address plastic waste are outlined in the "Roadmap for Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030" and the upcoming "National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris."
One significant issue is the import of plastic waste from other countries, which has exacerbated Thailand's waste management challenges. In 2018, the country imported 480,000 tonnes of plastic garbage from abroad, and the total amount of imported plastic waste between 2016 and 2018 rose to 2,265,962 tonnes. This surge in imports has made Thailand a new disposal ground for foreign waste, particularly from countries like Japan and China, which has implemented restrictions on imported waste.
To combat plastic waste mismanagement, Thailand has taken several measures. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) has worked with water bottlers to eliminate plastic cap seals, and the government has promoted a ban on single-use plastic bags. Additionally, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has imposed a ban on the importation of plastics and electronic waste. However, challenges remain due to resistance from the plastics industry and the need to improve waste sorting and recycling infrastructure.
To address these issues, Thailand should focus on improving waste collection, particularly in rural areas, and investing in well-managed disposal facilities. Upgrading unsanitary disposal sites, especially those near waterways and the coast, is crucial. Enhancing laws and regulations to support waste management measures, including separation at the source and controlling waste disposal operations, is also essential. Furthermore, increasing systematic sampling of solid waste generation and improving waste sorting efficiency can help tackle plastic waste mismanagement in Thailand.
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Plastic waste imports
Thailand's plastic waste imports have been a significant contributor to its overall waste management issues. The country has been a major recipient of plastic waste from various countries, including Japan, China, and 81 other nations.
In 2018, Thailand imported 480,000 tonnes of plastic garbage from abroad, with additional contracts for 220,000 tonnes until September 2020. Between 2014 and 2018, the total plastic waste imports from these countries amounted to 906,521 tonnes. The year 2018 saw the highest volume of plastic waste imports, with over 552 million metric tons. This surge in imports was due to increased imports from China, which had implemented a ban on foreign recyclable waste.
The impact of these plastic waste imports has been detrimental to Thailand's recycling industry and the environment. The country's recycling capacity is already strained, with a maximum of 25% recycling rate, and the influx of foreign waste has further challenged their ability to manage and recycle the waste effectively. Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) has acknowledged waste mismanagement as a significant issue, and the country has committed to addressing this problem through various measures.
To combat the negative consequences of plastic waste imports and mismanagement, Thailand has implemented several initiatives. The government has set ambitious goals, such as achieving 100% recycling of plastic waste by 2027 and developing the National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris. They have also taken steps to reduce plastic use, with the PCD obtaining agreements from major water bottlers to stop using plastic cap seals. Additionally, the government has imposed a ban on the importation of plastics and electronic waste, which took effect in January 2021.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. The ban on plastic waste imports was initially postponed, and the recycling industry in Thailand continues to face difficulties due to factors such as weak law enforcement, resistance from the plastics industry, and issues with the quality and sorting of local plastic waste.
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Plastic waste recycling
Thailand has been facing significant challenges in managing its plastic waste. In 2019, the Thai government released the "Roadmap for Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030" and is working on the "National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris" to address the issue. Despite these efforts, plastic waste continues to leak into the marine environment, with Thailand's 23 coastal provinces dumping an estimated one million tonnes of garbage into the sea each year.
One of the main issues contributing to Thailand's plastic waste problem is the high volume of plastic imports. In 2018, the country imported 480,000 tonnes of plastic garbage from abroad, and between 2014 and 2018, Thailand imported 906,521 tonnes of plastic from 81 countries. In 2022, Thailand ranked 13th among the countries importing plastic waste globally, with an import volume of over 200 million metric tons of plastic waste, pairings, and scrap.
To combat plastic waste, Thailand has implemented various measures, including improving waste collection, especially in rural areas, and developing efficient and coordinated waste collection systems. However, prevailing attitudes towards waste management pose challenges, as 64% of the Thai population does not sort their rubbish, and the nation has a high consumption rate of single-use plastics, with 70 billion plastic bags used annually.
Plastic recycling involves processing plastic waste into new products. It can help reduce the reliance on landfills, conserve resources, and protect the environment from plastic pollution. While recycling rates for other materials like aluminium, glass, and paper are higher, plastic recycling has improved over the years. Most plastic recycling is mechanical, involving melting and reforming plastic into new items. However, this can cause polymer degradation, and sorting plastic waste by colour and polymer type can be complex and costly.
To enhance plastic waste recycling, it is essential to improve waste sorting practices and public awareness of proper waste management. Additionally, reducing plastic consumption, especially single-use plastics, and promoting reusable alternatives can significantly contribute to mitigating Thailand's plastic waste problem.
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Plastic waste in waterways
Thailand's plastic waste problem is a significant issue, with the country being a major contributor to plastic pollution in oceans. While the country has a high municipal solid waste collection and recycling rate of 88.8%, there is still an estimated 428 kton/year of mismanaged plastic waste. This waste often ends up in Thailand's waterways, with the Chao Phraya River being a notable example.
The Chao Phraya River, which flows through central Thailand and on to Bangkok, is often treated as a waste disposal unit. Plastic waste from the river's catchment areas, including agricultural and consumer plastics, as well as plastic bags and bottles, ends up in the river during floods. The plastic debris along the river has become a concern for those involved in tourism in Ayutthaya, an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the river.
To address the issue of plastic waste in waterways, Thailand has implemented various measures. The country released the Roadmap for Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030 and is developing the National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris to reduce the impacts of marine plastic debris. Additionally, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration has initiated river clean-up initiatives, such as the one on the Chao Phraya River.
In rural areas, it is recommended to install trash racks in irrigation canals just downstream from villages. Upgrading unsanitary disposal facilities, improving waste collection, and investing in well-managed final disposal facilities near waterways are also crucial steps to reduce plastic waste in rivers. Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) has also taken steps to reduce plastic use, such as getting agreements from water bottlers to cease using plastic cap seals.
While Thailand has made efforts to address plastic waste in waterways, further insights into the sources and pathways of plastic waste are needed to effectively target policies and investments. Additionally, improving waste management practices and reducing plastic consumption are essential to mitigating the problem of plastic pollution in Thailand's rivers and the marine environment.
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Plastic waste reduction
Thailand has been facing serious issues with plastic waste management. The country is a major contributor to the plastic pollution in oceans, with its 23 coastal provinces dumping an estimated one million tonnes of garbage into the sea each year. In 2020, Thailand generated almost two million tonnes of plastic waste.
In 2017, the Thai government acknowledged the problem of waste mismanagement and pledged to reduce plastic use. As part of this pledge, Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) got agreements from five major water bottlers to stop using plastic cap seals on drinking water bottles by April 1, 2018. The PCD aims to have them removed from all bottled water containers by the end of 2018. According to the PCD, Thailand produces 4.4 billion plastic drinking water bottles per year.
In 2019, the Government of Thailand released the Roadmap for Plastic Waste Management 2018-2030, which includes ambitious goals to combat the economic and environmental consequences of plastic waste. The government also plans to develop the National Action Plan on Marine Plastic Debris to alleviate the current impacts and prevent future damage caused by marine plastic debris.
To reduce plastic waste and improve waste management, Thailand can take several measures:
- Improve waste collection, particularly in rural areas and the Chao Phraya catchment, which has lower collection rates and contains many disposal facilities.
- Develop an efficient and coordinated waste collection system in rural Thailand, including investing in well-managed final disposal facilities and upgrading unsanitary disposal sites near waterways and the coast.
- Improve laws and regulations related to waste management, including enforcing source separation, monitoring and controlling waste disposal operations, and enhancing local authority staff capacity in waste management.
- Increase systematic sampling of solid waste generation and composition at the Local Administrative Organization (LAO) or subdistrict levels to better understand waste streams.
- Improve waste sorting efficiency and set recycled content targets across all major end-use applications.
- Support an increase in recycling capacities, both mechanical and chemical, and create industry-specific requirements to collect post-consumer use products.
- Restrict the disposal of recyclable plastics and illegal dumping, and enforce the ban on the importation of plastics and electronic waste.
- Raise awareness among the public about the need to separate different types of rubbish and the environmental impact of plastic waste.
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Frequently asked questions
Thailand generates almost two million tonnes of plastic waste per year. In 2016, the figure was 27 million tonnes, with 4.2 million tonnes generated in Bangkok alone.
Thailand's Pollution Control Department (PCD) has included waste management in its 20-year national strategy. The PCD aims to ban single-use plastics and achieve 100% recycling of plastic waste by 2027.
Thailand's plastic waste management strategy faces several challenges, including weak law enforcement, low waste collection rates, and resistance from the plastics industry. The country also struggles with the import of large quantities of plastic waste from other countries, particularly China.
