Thailand’s interior ministry initiates nationwide waste bank scheme
The Ministry of Interior Thailand has launched a nationwide initiative, collaborating with 7,773 local administrative organisations (LAOs) across the country, to establish at least one waste bank in each LAO within 60 days. This scheme is part of a broader effort to improve environmental conditions and promote sustainable living among Thai citizens.
Sutthipong Juljarern, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, today revealed plans to promote recyclable waste banks among LAOs. To date, all 7,773 LAOs have kicked off the scheme, demonstrating the ministry’s commitment to continuous environmental development.
The initiative encourages LAOs to manage waste in alignment with the principles of sustainable development. It aims to establish an efficient waste management system that can repurpose waste for other uses, reported KhaoSod.
In the past, the Department of Local Administration has conducted field surveys of LAOs with exemplary recycling practices. These include the Tambon Administration Organisation of Kong Thanu in Lopburi province, the Tambon Administration Organisation of Pha Sam Yot in Loei province, the Tambon Administration Organisation of Hua Sai in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, and the Nong Long Subdistrict Municipality in Lamphun province.
These surveys, conducted between October 5 and October 17 last year, aimed to learn from their experiences, develop action plans, and devise guidelines for implementing recyclable waste banks. The Chulalongkorn University Academic Service Centre provided advice on the project, including study design, action planning, and operational guidelines for waste banks.
In related news, plastic waste in Thailand has witnessed a surge of 62%, escalating from 2.12 million tonnes in 2019 to 3.4 million tonnes in 2020, according to the Thailand Environment Institute. This increase has been largely attributed to lifestyle changes induced by the pandemic, such as an increased reliance on food delivery services.
The Prayut Chan-o-cha government initiated a policy in 2018 to ban single-use plastic bags but the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns hampered these efforts. Read more about Plastic predicament in Thailand
