The Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Policy Committee has approved a waste management plan in the corridor's three provinces to deal with 5.57 million tonnes within 12 years.
Under the plan, the panel aims to set up a prototype project in Rayong for waste-to-energy power generation with a capacity of 10 megawatts, with the plan feeding 500 tonnes per day of solid waste to the project.
The prototype will be a joint cooperation between the Provincial Administration Organization of Rayong and PTT Plc, with a budget of 2 billion baht and an investment return of 9-10%.
The panel expects to increase solid waste to 2,000 tonnes a day for the prototype.
Moreover, the plan calls for development of six new waste-to-energy power projects in the EEC with a combined capacity of 95MW, being fed waste of 6,024 tonnes per day.
Speaking after the committee meeting yesterday, Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the EEC Office, said six power projects in Chachoengsao, Chon Buri and Rayong provinces will be public-private partnerships, especially between local administrations and the private sector.
"The panel ordered the office to cooperate with local communities, administrative offices and two ministries -- Interior and Energy -- while PTT's power business arm Global Power Synergy Plc is to study an EEC waste management plan and seek sites for the six power projects," Mr Kanit said. The plan is expected to be completed in three months.
"The Energy Ministry will consider a power tariff rate for purchase from the waste-to-energy projects in the corridor," he said. "The Provincial Electricity Authority will be the buyer."
Mr Kanit said the three EEC provinces urgently need a sustainable plan for local waste management because the corridor generates 4,200 tonnes of waste but only 60% is dealt with in a proper manner through landfills.
With this waste amount, the corridor needs another 1.66 rai of landfill to bury the daily waste.
The remaining 40% has never been destroyed in a proper method, Mr Kanit said.
"The panel forecasts the EEC waste to increase to 6,800 tonnes by 2037," he said. "Once the plan is implemented, the corridor can generate electricity from local waste of 130MW, reduce landfill sites to 317 rai per year and cut greenhouse gas emissions by 186 million tonnes per year."