The new Commerce Ministry rule banning the import of plastic waste is welcome news for the environment. The regulation has been in force since Dec 17. However, it should have been mandated as early as 2021. The responsible ministries delayed its implementation for three years to allow recycling businesses that rely on imported plastic scrap to prepare, arguing these businesses require certain types of plastic waste to sustain operations.
The three-year delay, however, opened the door to an influx of plastic waste, turning Thailand into a dumping ground for rubbish from other countries. The issue of plastic scrap imports became particularly alarming in 2017 when China implemented a policy banning the import of certain types of waste, including plastic scrap. As a result, Thailand experienced a surge in imported plastic waste. In addition to the increase in plastic waste, reports indicate some exporters concealed toxic materials -- such as used computers and electric wires -- within shipments.
The ban on imported plastic waste is part of a broader set of measures outlined in the Roadmap on Plastic Waste Management 2018–2030, which mandates that by 2027, 100% of plastic waste must be reusable. Whether this ambitious target will be met remains uncertain. As of 2018, Thailand's plastic recycling rate was just 17.6%, according to the World Bank. The influx of imported plastic waste has further complicated matters, with many recycling plants prioritising imported scrap over local plastic waste.
Nonetheless, the ban on imported plastic waste could help address the problem -- provided the responsible ministries take vigilant and serious action.
The first step for policymakers is to enhance the capacity to trace plastic waste. Civic and environmental groups, including Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH), Greenpeace Thailand, the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF), and Trash Hero, have petitioned the government to allocate more resources to improve customs inspections at Laem Chabang deep-sea port in Chon Buri province. Over the past five years, numerous reports have uncovered illicit shipments containing toxic waste at this port.
Secondly, the Ministry of Industry must strengthen the Department of Industrial Works by increasing its workforce and inspection capacity at recycling factories. In recent years, there have been numerous reports of toxic waste improperly handled at these facilities.
It is also time for the government to introduce a packaging tax on materials that contribute to waste, such as paper wraps, glass containers, and plastic sheets. Such a tax would enable a traceability system, enabling authorities to track and manage waste more effectively. The revenue from the tax could be used to improve waste disposal and management systems. Without traceability and a pollution tax, efforts to recycle plastics and manage waste will remain incomplete.
Notably, over two decades ago, the Ministry of Finance drafted legislation to collect fees from factories. However, the proposed law was shelved following heavy lobbying by the industrial sector.
Over the past two decades, no lawmakers have revisited the issue. Reviving and enacting this legislation would be a significant service to the environment and society.