The plastic prohibition will be phased in

Starting next year, a full prohibition will be phased in. Varawut Silpa-archa leads the subcommittee on plastic and electronic waste management. At a recent meeting, they reviewed enterprises that use plastic debris and their production capability. At a subcommittee meeting with industrial stakeholders, the three-year strategy was discussed. Recycling 100% plastic trash from landfills by 2027 is one way to phase out plastics, especially single-use plastics. First, estimate the production needs of 14 main plants in free trade zones and limit imports to what they can use. The second step would reduce imports of plastic scrap to Thailand by 50%. In 2024, this reduction will be applied. The last step would restrict all plastic scrap imports into Thailand the following year. Only 32% of Thailand’s 24.98 million tonnes of residential trash is correctly managed, according to Varawut. A restriction on plastic scrap imports will be implemented over the next three years after two years of discussion. A total restriction on scrap plastic’s manufacturing and pricing is unclear.

“Thailand shouldn’t be a plastics dump. We won’t import plastic scrap from abroad in three years. Protect our nation. This is a big step toward a plastic-free country. A effort to remove or limit single-use plastic bags in convenience stores and department stores has reduced usage by 43% over two years, saving 150,000 tonnes of waste. The Department of Pollution Control is creating a plastic waste management strategy for 2023-2027 that encompasses four environmental regions. Outside the FTZ, plants must acquire subcommittee clearance before importing plastic scrap.