Mr. Athapol Charoenshunsa, Director General of Pollution Control Department (PCD), revealed that H.E. Mr. Varawut Silpa-Archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE) as the chair of Plastic and Electronic Waste Management Sub-Committee under the National Environment Board, has clearly emphasized that MOMRE had a policy to promote the utilization of plastic scraps in the country as much as possible according to the previous resolution on banning of plastic scrap import by 2020 (mostly PET plastics). In the Meeting of Sub-Committee in January 2021, the Sub-Committee considered the banning to cover all kinds of plastic scrap. However, some kinds of plastic scrap were found that not enough in the country, so the import of plastic scraps was determined. The import of plastic scraps would be allowed only 50% of production capacity or no more than 250,000 tons in 2021. Moreover, it would be decrease 20% amount in each year namely no more than 200,000 tons in 2022, no more than 150,000 tons in 2023, no more than 100,000 tons in 2024, and no more than 50,000 tons in 2025. Finally, it would be totally banned from 1 January 2026 which the utilization of plastic scraps in the country would be 100%.
Mr. Athapol said that MONRE’s concerning about environment was the important factor in considering the import of plastic scraps in order to prevent Thailand from being global trashcan in receiving trash scraps from other countries. The Ministry of Commerce would consider determining the condition of issuing a notification of permitting all entrepreneurs who would like to import plastic scraps. The entrepreneurs in tax-free zone and free trade zone, which at present, approximately 70,000 tons of plastic scraps have been imported, must meet the same condition in the near term as well.
The consideration of lessening import of plastic scraps has concerned the balance of both parties, both those who would like to import and those who would not like to import plastic scraps due to the economic condition and the pandemic situation of COVID-19. However, the public sector would accelerate to promote waste segregation in order to obtain quality plastic that was not contaminated and could be used as raw materials. Moreover, the meetings between buyers and sellers would be organized to promote more efficient plastic recycling in the country in parallel with the reduction of plastic scrap imports from abroad to be sustainable, Mr. Athapol said.
