The transfer of the first lot of toxic tailings which had been illegally moved from a landfill in Tak kicked off yesterday and is expected to conclude in June, according to a source in the Industry Ministry.
The source said the first lot of cadmium and zinc tailings, which contains 270 out of the 13,000 tonnes found by authorities across several locations in and around the capital, was successfully transported from warehouses owned by J&B Metal in Samut Sakhon and LLT Metal Co Ltd in Bangkok, to pits owned by Bound & Beyond Plc in tambon Nong Bua Tai in Tak's Muang district yesterday.
The transportation of the first lot of cadmium began earlier than initially planned. The process was originally set to begin on May 7.
With regards to the tailings at LLT Metal, the ministry worked with Bangkok Metropolitan Administration to move 100 bags of waste, weighing a total of about 150 tonnes, using six 10-wheeled trucks.
The trucks are equipped to carry up to 20 bags of tailings per trip.
The source said that the bags were double-stacked to prevent the carcinogenic waste from leaking out. The trucks were also covered in canvas and secured with a rope to keep the bags securely in place.
The trucks' wheels were thoroughly cleaned before departing from LLT Metal. The six trucks would be joined by trucks carrying 120 tonnes of tailings from J&B Metal's warehouses at their first stop before proceeding to Tak.
The rest of the tailings will gradually be relocated from Samut Sakhon and Chon Buri to Tak. The operation is expected to wrap up on June 17, according to the earlier report.
Karit Pannaim, a Move Forward Party MP for Tak, said residents living near the pits in Tak said they weren't briefed about the early arrival of the tailings, so many are concerned about the risks posed by the waste.