Thailand has taken a big step towards reducing its plastic waste by announcing a complete ban on plastic waste imports from January 1, 2025. The determination, made by the Thai Cabinet right now, is a part of the country’s ongoing efforts to tackle the escalating drawback of plastic waste, which is contributing to environmental degradation and posing a threat to human health.
Meanwhile, this yr, for the 14 recycling crops in the tax-free zone, the amount of waste imported should not exceed their combined production capacity of 372,994 tonnes. In 2024, the quantity of plastic waste allowed to be imported for these vegetation will be decreased to half of their mixed production capability.
Importers who want to deliver plastic waste to areas exterior the tax-free zone might need to show evidence that the imports are necessary due to a shortage of supplies to satisfy their manufacturing demand. Psycho imported plastic waste must be used as raw material in the manufacturing process while not having to be cleaned, Thai PBS reported.
Deputy Government Spokesperson Tipanan Sirichana acknowledged that the strict rules and the eventual ban on the import of plastic waste purpose to guard the setting and control pollution to safeguard the health of the people.
Thailand has been among the high nations fighting plastic waste in recent times.
In 2021, the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) mentioned that Thailand had an average of 1.03 tonnes of mismanaged waste every year and that almost half of it (0.31%) flows into the sea.
This week, a model new graphic has visually portrayed how Thailand is doubtless considered one of the prime 10 ocean plastic polluters on the earth because of mismanaged waste. The graphic shows a pie chart made up of plastic waste, labelling every country’s quantity of ocean plastic waste in metric tonnes. Surrounding the circle of waste is the ocean.
The government has been implementing measures to reduce plastic use and promote recycling, including banning single-use plastics in sure areas and launching campaigns to encourage the usage of material luggage and reusable containers.
Last week, it was reported that Thailand‘s use of plastic luggage plunged by over 148,000 tonnes in about three years. The Pollution Control Department (PCD) launched campaigns in 2018 to cut using single-use plastic and plastic shopping baggage, in cooperation with the Environmental Quality Promotion Department (EQPD)..