Collection of data and submission to the National Environment Board for consideration of Pollution Control Area
The National Environment Board for being considered whether the locality be designated as Pollution Control Area
 
  • Indicators of Pollution
    •
    Designated of Pollution Control Area
    Consideration of Pollution Control Area in Thailand


    National Environment Quality Act B.E. 2535


    Section 59 of Part 3 – Pollution Control Area in the National Environment Quality Act B.E. 2535 has specified that “in case it appears that any locality is affected by pollution problems and there is a tendency that such problems may be aggravated to cause health hazards to the public or adverse impact on the environment quality, the National Environment Board shall have power to publish notification in the Government Gazette designating such locality as a pollution control area in order to control, reduce and eliminate pollution”. The meaning of Section 59 can be presented in Figure 1-1 which points out that population, land use, socio-economic and traffics are main causes that create wastewater, air pollutants, solid wastes and hazardous wastes in any locality. The complexity and severity of problem may be different from place to place. Therefore, there must be some criteria to differentiate the pollution level. Such criteria should also be able to identify the level of combined pollution problem for further designation of pollution control area.

     
    Figure 1-1 : Methods to be Applied in Considering any Locality for Designation of Pollution Control Area as specified in Section 59 of the National Environment Quality Act


    1. Collection of data and submission to the National Environment Board for consideration of Pollution Control Area

    Local official in the locality where pollution problems appear to be severe or adversely affect the surrounding environment can collect data/information related to pollution sources and characteristics, existing mitigation and control measures, etc. As already described in details in the Manual for Preparation of Action Plan for Reduction and Eradication of Pollution which consists of the followings:-
  • Action plan for water pollution.
  • Action plan for air and noise pollution.
  • Action plan for solid waste.
  • Action plan for hazardous waste.
  • Pollution sources inventory and data base preparation.
  • Organization and finance
    • The local official can submit the collected data/information to the National Environment Board for being considered whether the locality be designated as pollution control area. In the process of consideration the National Environment Board may need more information or additional survey data. Such data will be evaluated and scored in accordance with the level of problem as suggested in the criteria for designation of pollution control area.

    2. The National Environment Board for being considered whether the locality be designated as Pollution Control Area

  • Indicators of Pollution

    • Indicators of pollution to be utilized in consideration of pollution control area should be those of being detectable or measurable with their measured results able to identify the pollution level. Those indicators include surface water, air pollution, noise, solid waste, hazardous waste and contamination in soil and groundwater. All the above-mentioned indicators will be evaluated and scored according to the level of problem.

    Number
    		 Indicators of Pollution Consideration
    Level of Pollution Problem/Scoring
    Severe
    Showing trend to be severe
    moderate
    trivial
    1
    		 Surface water A. Surface water
    1. Parameters
        2. - pH
        - Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
        - BOD
        - NH 3 - N
        - Fecal coli form bacterial
        - Zinc (Zn)
        - Copper (Cu)
        - Mercury (Hg)
        - Lead (Pb)
    2. Objectives/Condition and Beneficial usage
    B. Coastal water
    1. Parameters
        2. - pH
        - Dissolved Oxygen (DO)
        - BOD
        - NH 3 - N
        - Fecal coli form bacterial
        - Zinc (Zn)
        - Copper (Cu)
        - Mercury (Hg)
        - Lead (Pb)
    2. Objectives/Condition and Beneficial usage
    8
    6
    4
    2
    2
    		 Air pollution
    1. Concentration of Air Pollutants in Ambient Air Quality
    2. Air pollution Caused by Vehicles
    3. Number of Air polluting Factories
    4. Generation Rates
    8
    6
    4
    2
    3
    		 Noise
    1. Noise Level
    2. Number of Registered Automotive Vehicles
    3. Traffic Volume
    4. Industrial Noise Source
    4
    3
    2
    1
    4
    		 Solid waste
    1. Quantity of Solid waste
    2. Collection Efficiency
    3. Disposal Method
    4
    3
    2
    1
    5
    		 Hazardous waste
    1. Total number of hazardous waste generating factories
    2. Percentage of number of factories that have correct handling method for hazardous waste compared to total number of factories in the concerned locality
    3. Percentage of hospitals that have correct handling method for infectious waste compared to total number of hospitals in the concerned locality
    8
    6
    4
    2
    6
    		 Soil and groundwater contamination criteria Levels of concern for various pollutants in soils and groundwater.
    8
    6
    4
    2
    Range of sore
    >34
    25-<34
    16 -<25
    <16

    For any locality where all six indicators are considered and shows total score equal to or more than 25 point, that locality should be notified as pollution control area. However, some localities where groundwater is not utilized, groundwater quality should not be taken into consideration. In such case the same 8 points indicator scores will concern only soil contamination and the weight score of 2 points will be maintained with the same distribution of total scores. In addition, surface water in some localities may be related to both coastal water and river water. In this case water quality survey should be made for both sources and weight score equally divided into 4 point for coastal water and the other point for river water.

    3. Designated of Pollution Control Area


    The area that has total scores as evaluated in the case of severe situation or showing tendency to be severe should be brought to the National Environment Board for further decision marking whether it should be designated as pollution control area. In this step the evaluation may be made qualitatively without any more sore give. Points to ponder may include:-

      3.1 Public Health Condition in the Concerned Locality

      Air Pollutants may cause skin and respiratory tract irritation. Water pollutants e.g. heavy metals and bacteria can cause some serious diseases, for example, skin cancer, minamata, itai – itai, cholera, etc. Before the conclusion is made that the disease is causes by pollutants, diagnosis must be carefully carried out only by physicians. Complete and correct record of public health data can assist in determining causes of pollution exposed by human. It seems that the present method of recording health data is not able to identify actual causes of disease since it merely records number of patients in 17 types of diseases/symptoms.

      3.2 Location of the Locality

      If the locality to be considered is situated in sensitive area or conservation zone such as reserved forest, national park, sanctuary, Watershed forest of classes 1A and 1B, it should be notified as pollution control area.

      3.3 Complication of pollution Problem

      The area that has complication pollution problem and cannot be solved with available legal acts should be notified as pollution control area.

      3.4 Tourist Area

      Tourist places will have more people to visit and consequently more generated waste. Without good control, environment would degrade in its quality which will affect local people and may destroy the tourism business. Such places therefore should be notified as pollution control area.

      3.5 Future Large-Scale Development Site

      Some areas are already planned for development of large-scale project such as South Seaboard. Those areas need proper planning for efficient environmental control, therefore should be notified as pollution control area.

    4. Consideration of Pollution Control Area in Thailand

    1. Pattaya Map (in Thai)

    2. Phuket Map (in Thai)

    3. Hat Yai in SongkhlaMap (in Thai)

    4. Mueang Songkhla in Songkhla Map (in Thai)

    5. Ko PP Ao Nang
      Mueang Krabi in Krabi Map (in Thai)

    6. Samut Prakan Map (in Thai)

    7. BMA vicinity
      8. - Pathum Thani Map (in Thai)

      - Nonthaburi Map (in Thai)

      - Samut Sakhon Map (in Thai)

      - Nakhon Pathom Map (in Thai)
    8. Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan
    - Ban Laem in Phetchaburi Map (in Thai)

    - Mueang Phetchaburi in Phetchaburi Map (in Thai)

    - Tha Yang in Phetchaburi Map (in Thai)

    - Cha-am in Phetchaburi Map (in Thai)

    - Hun Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan Map (in Thai)

    - Pran Buri in Prachuap Khiri Khan Map (in Thai)

    9. Na Phralan Chaloem Phra Kiat in Saraburi Map (in Thai)

     
    further information please contact
    Planning Analysis and Evaluation Group
    Planning Analysis and Evaluation Division
    Tel 66 2298 2496 Fax 66 2298 2471
    E-mail : Pannathorn(dot)k(at)pcd(dot)go(dot)th