The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) aims to talk with two ministries about waste imports after a ban on waste imported for recycling was announced a few months ago.
The FTI is seeking a resolution to manage waste from overseas in the long run and will propose a plan to the Industry and the Natural Resources and Environment ministries in the next few months.
Paradorn Chulajata, chairman of the FTI's plastics industry club, said he has fielded many complaints from plastic waste importers on how the ban has harmed their business.
"We understand the government's policy aims to preserve the country's environment, but the prohibition for all wastes was effective immediately, which is why businesses need time to adjust," he said.
According to Mr Paradorn, plastic waste importers have a quota of 10,000 tonnes that they have yet to fulfil, for which they want the government to ease up and delay the implementation of the ban.
"To resolve the overall impact, the government should allow only companies who hold licences to recycle waste, instead of prohibiting all wastes importers," he said.
Mr Paradorn said the FTI itself has a campaign to reduce and manage plastic waste in the long run and aims to propose the government enforce new laws for waste management and separation to be in line with developed countries.
"The club will create an environmental campaign to comply with a circular economy industry in the near future," he said. "The club will push for local convenience stores to charge for plastic shopping bags."
Separately, the FTI yesterday reported that the Thailand Industries Sentiment Index (TISI) hit the highest point in 62 months for July, driven by local purchasing power and exports.
Supant Mongkolsuthree, the FTI's chairman, said the TISI survey was conducted in July and the result showed that the index stood at 93.2 points, up from 91.7 in June.
Mr Supant said business operators were still concerned that increasing oil prices and bank interest rates would impact their operating costs and were worried about flooding.
The FTI forecasts that the TISI will stand at 104.5 over the next three months.