Thailand piloting project to end illegal industrial waste

As part of its efforts to become more sustainable and protect the environment, the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT) has launched a pilot project that uses tech tools aimed at eliminating the illegal and unsafe disposal of industrial waste.

“This pilot operation has been organized in the Northern Industrial Estate in Lamphun province. The waste will be monitored from the source to the disposal destination, to prevent disposal in improper places,” said Porntep Puripatana, a Deputy Governor with the IEAT.

The project is using tools such as GPS and radio frequency identification (RFID) to monitor and track offenders. It will use those technologies and others to follow trucks transporting waste from factories and ensure the refuse is not being dumped where it can be treated or disposed of responsibly.

Heavy industry around the world has a reputation for being dirty: harming the environment and communities with irresponsible disposal of all sorts of waste and byproducts from manufacturing. This includes the dumping of toxic chemicals and electronic waste.

The Thai public has become increasingly aware of the problem of environmental pollution and has been demanding action from the government and the private sector.

The IEAT said the project would be rolled out in phases. If it proves effective, it will be expanded nationwide. The current pilot is in the first phrase.

“This phase would be finished in August or December, and the second phase, which will start later, will be about the installation of weighing scale and code checking,” Porntep said.

Photo courtesy of http://oaep.diw.go.th/diw_info/