‘Toxins for tablets’ with Phuket Safe project

PHUKET: Island residents can now exchange hazardous household waste for medicine at 36 drugstores as part of a new project called “Phuket Safe”.

Starting on Monday this week, 20 drug stores displayed stickers showing their participation in the project, which is a joint initiative between Phuket City Municipality and the Phuket Drug Store Association.

Club president Jindee Santikayawakul said the stores will exchange the waste, such as expired medicines, used batteries and burnt-out fluorescent light tubes, for paracetamol tablets and throat lozenges. The drugs are being provided by pharmaceutical companies in Bangkok, he said.

Phuket City Deputy Mayor Tavorn Jirapattanasopon said the project would help raise public awareness of pressing environmental issues, especially the need to dispose of hazardous waste in an environmentally-friendly way.

Phuket City Municipality is also installing receptacles for hazardous waste on the ground floor of Phuket City Hall.

Garbage trucks will be sent to collect the waste every second Tuesday each month.

Deputy Mayor Tavorn said the municipality had so far collected five tons of hazardous waste, which would be disposed of by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organization (PPAO).

The PPAO pays nine baht per kilogram to ensure the waste is transported off-island to a government-certified disposal facility, he said.

— Janpen Upatising