Bangkok bound: Five tons of toxic waste rolls off Phuket

PHUKET: The Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO) held a “send off” ceremony Tuesday morning for a five-ton truckload of toxic household waste that will be destroyed at a plant near Bangkok.

Collected from local administration organizations over a period of months, the waste comprised fluorescent bulbs, dry batteries, used chemical containers and other items not suitable for incineration.

The waste will be properly disposed of at a plant run by General Environmental Construction Public Company, or GENCO, with cost of transport paid by the PPAO.

Phuket Vice Governor Tri Augkaradacha, who chaired the ceremony, told the assembled crowd that everyone needs to work together to solve problems related to the rapid development Phuket has undergone in recent years.

“Solid waste disposal is a problem and public cooperation is the only solution. It should start from separation into organic, recyclable, general and hazardous wastes. Organic wastes should be used as fertilizers, recyclable items reused and toxic trash destroyed in the right way, as we are doing today,” he said.

PPAO President Paiboon Upatising told the crowd the toxic waste collection drive was organized in cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Region 15 office in Phuket and had cooperation from all local administrative bodies.

“We hope this activity will motivate people to realize the importance of trash separation, making Phuket a prototype province on environmental protection in the Andaman coast region,” he said.

— Sitthipong Nongkaew