Mr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director General of Pollution Control Department (PCD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE), revealed that H.E. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, has issued the policy on warning to prevent solid waste disposal sites during flooding If they are not properly protected and managed, the impact on environment and health may be occur in those area. From October 2022 onwards, it is the winter season, causing heavy rainfall in the southern region (information from the Meteorological Department Forecast), which may cause flooding around houses and waste disposal sites of local government organizations in 16 provinces in the southern and the western regions.
Mr. Pinsak said local government organizations that risk of flooding in some southern and western areas must prepare to deal with solid waste management problems. There are a number of solid waste disposal sites that are at risk of flooding in 16 provinces, toatally 119 sites, as follows: 3 sites in Krabi, 6 sites in Chumporn,9 sites in Trang, 12 sites in Nakhon Si Thammarat, 16 sites in Narathiwat, 19 sites in Pattani, 3 sites in Phang Nga,7 sites in Phatthalung, 1 sites in Phuket, 2 sites in Yala, 4 sites in Ranong, 11 sites in Songkhla, 1 site in Satun, 11 sites in Surat Thani, 13 sites in Prachuap Khiri Khan, and 1 site in Phetchaburi.
PCD has coordinated with the governors of those 16 provinces, Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation and Department of Local Administrative Promotion to inform relevant agencies in the solid waste disposal site areas to prepare for dealing with solid waste management problems and coordinate with other local administrative organizations that accepting to temporary dispose municipal solid waste, which must be prepared at least 1 month in advance before and accident. Moreover, PCD has delivered guidelines on solid waste management in the flooding to take advantage of the operation the event. Infographic of the guidelines is promoted to public to know how to manage waste during flooding and to cooperate in waste separation including to report the situation of waste disposal sites affected by flooding through PCD Facebook, Fan page, Mr. Pinsak said.
