Advanced Info Service (AIS) has partnered with the Football Association of Thailand, the Thai League and Waste Management Siam Co to launch a sustainability programme for collecting electronic waste (e-waste) and turning it into sports medals.
Members of the public are invited to participate in the "Thais Say No to E-Waste" programme and dispose of their e-waste with AIS. The effort marks the first time in Thai sports history that medals would be produced from e-waste.
Pratthana Leelapanang, chief consumer business officer at AIS, said he has witnessed the strength of Thai football fans in cheering on their favorite teams and players, as well as the commitment of every club and every athlete pouring everything into the competition.
"With the world focused on the environment, we invited Thai football to take the next step towards new standards in caring for the environment. We are expanding our 'Thais Say No to E-Waste' programme to football. Football fans can now play a part in disposing of e-waste with AIS, which has set up e-waste collection points at every club," he said.
Mr Pratthana said the e-waste would later go through a proper recycling process that is in line with zero landfill targets. Elements extracted from the recycling, such as silver and gold, would be used to make winners' medals.
"The medals have been designed meticulously, tastefully and beautifully, and produced by a manufacturing process which cares for the environment at every step. They will be honoured prizes in the 2021/22 season of the Revo Thai League football competition."
Korrawee Pritsananantakul, acting chief executive at Thai League Co, said the league is committed to prioritising environmental conservation.
"We are inviting football fans of Thai League 1 to dispose of their e-waste at drop-off points located in all of the 16 stadiums which are home to clubs in the Revo Thai League. We will collect and recycle this e-waste into the first winners' medals in Thailand containing materials extracted from recycled e-waste. Two [sets] of these medals will be presented to winning clubs competing in the 2021/22 Revo Thai League."
Mr Korrawee said this cooperation should raise environmental awareness in society and help grow sustainably in every aspect of sports.
Hiromitsu Takagi, executive director of Waste Management Siam, said his firm's partnership with AIS to collect e-waste for appropriate zero landfill recycling to international standards is part of Waste Management Siam's mission to dispose of every waste category correctly in the most environmentally-friendly way.
"We are delighted to be part of this cooperation between AIS and the Thai League which will showcase the benefits of recycling, as every part of waste can be given new value. As for winners' medals made from recycled e-waste materials, the DOWA factory in Japan has sent silver and gold minerals obtained from recycling to be used as raw materials for the production of the medal of honor with the same technology that produces medals used in world-class sporting events," said Mr Hiromitsu.
The "Football Club E-Waste Challenge Award" will be presented to participating clubs collecting the most e-waste for AIS before the end of this season, which takes place in the middle of the year.
Meanwhile, a "Football Club Green Ecosystem Award" will be given to the club with the most outstanding performance in the area of the environment and sustainable development.
Thai football fans can dispose of their e-waste in bins provided at all 16 stadiums of clubs in the Thai League nationwide from now until May 31. They also have another option of disposing of e-waste with their mail carriers and at post offices around the country for free, by boxing their e-waste and writing on the box, "Electronic waste for disposal" along with the name of their favourite club.