65 Organizations Calling for Banning the Imports of Plastic Wastes

10 September 2020 | EARTH Team at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment

The Statement by 65 Organizations Calling for Banning the Imports of Plastic Wastes has been submitted this morning. 

The statement and recommendations endorsed by 65 organizations, including academics, and individuals, has been submitted to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment this morning.

Groups of representatives who are affected by the waste disposal industry have also gathered and presented their concerns outside the Ministry, calling for banning the imports of plastic wastes and proposing 8 key demands to the government.

8 Reasons and Recommendations

1. The 2-year industrial transition period resulted in overloaded import quotas and control failures

2. The industrial sector demands have no reasonable grounds

3. The importers must be certified and only allowed to import plastic scraps

4. Domestic recycled plastic is expensive and not subsidized as in other countries

5. The domestic recycled plastic supply is sufficient

6. Negative impacts to the recycling system in Thailand

7. The Basel Convention is set to ban imports of plastic waste

8. False declaration must be punished by loss of license

The group was also met by the director of the Pollution Control Department, Pralong Dumrongthai, who acknowledges the groups’ concerns.