• Currently, Thailand imports an increasing volume of hazardous materials for utilization in development of agriculture, industry and public health, in that priority in the terms of type and volume. Hazardous materials, both organic and inorganic chemicals are imported, increasing from 1.31 million tons in 1988, to 2.79 million tons in 1993. These imported chemicals are in both ready-to-use and primary element forms that are used as inputs or raw material in industrial and agricultural processes. For the most part the chemicals are in inflammable, explosive, toxic, and corrosive states. The chemicals are not properly utilized; are used irresponsibly; and, are used without realization of their danger. The use lacks tight systematic control, from the time of import, in production, selling, transport, utilization, storage, and in destroying the wastes. This situation in very serious disasters occurring and has resulted in danger to humans and the environment, both directly and indirectly. This toxicity can be both sudden (acute) and chronic, and include destruction of both life and public property. Further, inspections have revealed chemical residues in the environment, including soil, water, and sediments, that are building up continuously. These residues may lead to destruction of the ecological balance. Another important point is that chemical residues in agricultural product will have an impact on consumers and on exported agricultural products.
  
  
• Problems arising from hazardous materials have been partially solved. The trend however is for this problem to become more serious in the future. This is due to the fact that Thailand is developing to be semi-industrial country or a newly industrialized country, and requiring the increased use of imported hazardous materials. This will result in a corresponding increase in pollution problems, if there is lack of suitable management; beginning with import, production, sale, transport, use, storage, and disposal of waste. At this time there is no control over the importation of some hazardous materials; no labels of common name, no standards, guidelines of practices and monitoring on transport; no consideration given to restraining technology in the production process; no control of hazardous materials in the production system; and, there is a lack supervision of salers. Existing emergency action plans for hazardous materials accidents do not cover all high risk locations, nor are they being implemented with any efficiency. Important also is that knowledge and understanding of the danger of hazardous materials are not being provided in all sectors and owners of business premises lack a sense of responsibility for supervision and preventing dangerous situation from arising.

Goals

1. Reduce and control pollution from hazardous materials generated by all sources, by not allowing impacts on public health and welfare.
2. Formulate an energy action plan for hazardous material accidents, especially in high risk areas at provincial and national levels.
3. Establish a toxicology center and an information center for hazardous materials at the national level.

Policy and Implementation Guidelines

Policy

Establish an effective system for managing hazardous materials that includes import, production, transportation, trade, utilization, storage, and waste destruction processes. Establish systems for prevention and mitigation of emergencies and serious accidents resulting from hazardous materials in the industrial sector , transportation, and warehousing. Promote reduced utilization of chemical pesticides. Encourage the private sector to participate in investments for addressing problems related to management of pollution from hazardous materials.

Guidelines

1. Management Guidelines

	Reduce and control, or recommend efficient and safe use of hazardous materials in the industrial and agricultural sectors.
	Control the transport of hazardous materials by stipulating standards for vehicles, methods of transport, suitable routes for channeling transportation, driving speed, qualifications and duties of drivers of transport vehicles, and labels giving details of the hazardous materials. An insurance system should be established for transporting hazardous materials and others in order to dispose and treat the materials when a responsible individual cannot be located.
	Control the storage of hazardous materials by designating areas for establishing warehouses for hazardous products. Stipulate standards for warehousing of hazardous products, along with systems to prevent and mitigate emergencies when an accident occurs. An insurance system should be established for storage of hazardous materials.
	Prepare emergency action plans for major accidents involving hazardous materials in industrial zones and at the provincial level, with the provision of sufficient basic infrastructure by the government, including assigning factories utilizing hazardous materials as production inputs to prepare plans for prevention of accidents at the on-site level.
	Prepare prevention and mitigation plans for high risk activities utilizing hazardous materials with technical support, tax benefits, and other incentives provided by the government.
	Survey information and develop a database network for hazardous materials, and support establishment of a national information center for the import-export of hazardous materials, to enable provision of efficient services and exchanging of news.

2. Investment Guidelines

	Support establishment of industrial estates for industrial factories using hazardous materials as a production input, to ensure the systemic management of hazardous materials with soft loans from the government for relocation of factories into industrial estates, and to improve production processes using clean technologies.
	Establish and develop the capacity of a hazardousology center into a network, to provide 24 hour information and consultations on treatment of patients affected by hazardous materials. Support government agencies in setting up modern facilities and equipment, as well as providing personnel for operation of hazardous materials information network at national and international levels, in accordance with emergency action plans.
	Create units in all hospitals to treat victims of hazardous materials accidents.
	Establish more laboratories within government agencies and the private sector for analyses of hazardous residue levels in agricultural products, items for consumption, and the environment. Formulate measures for certification of the results of such analyses.

3. Legal Guidelines

	Strict and efficient control of hazardous materials according to the law by assigning units other than government agencies and the private sector to monitor these materials
	Accelerate the improvement and amend concerned laws and regulations for systematic management of hazardous materials in all stages: importing, production, selling, transportation, utilization, storage, and the destruction of wastes.
	Formulate standards for hazardous materials contaminating the environment, agricultural products and consumable items, to cover a greater number of types of substances.
	Instruct all industries that use and produce large quantities of extremely dangerous hazardous materials to prepare an environmental impact assessment report, and risk assessment.
	Instruction that high risk activities that are may result in hazardous materials accidents must prepare equipment, facilities, and personnel, and must undertake drills, to prevent and mitigate emergencies from accidents.
	Consider strictly prohibiting imports and production or restricting use of hazardous materials in agriculture, industry, and public health that substantially affect public heath and the environment.

4. Supporting Guidelines

	Support study and research for suitable management of hazardous materials including: development of replacement inputs; production of materials or products that ate safe for human consumption and not harmful to the environment; use of clean technology for industrial production to reduce the use of highly dangerous materials; and, promote integrated pest management techniques and utilization of natural substituting materials, in order to reduce the use of pesticides.
	Prepare an action plan, and proceed to provide knowledge and understanding to workers, to properly use hazardous materials for the safety of those concerned; especially workers in industrials factories and in agriculture, with the support of non-governmental organization participation.
	Conduct training and practice programs for relevant officials, the public, and the private sector, to ensure knowledge and understanding, and to enhance their technical skill to manage hazardous materials, particularly prevention and mitigation of accidents during production, transport, utilization, storage, and destruction of wastes, including training of government and private sector personnel to efficiently manage information related to hazardous materials.
	Continuously conduct public information programs to increase the public's awareness and attention to the problems of hazardous materials by collaborating with the mass media for dissemination of information to all regions of the country.