The Industry Ministry is working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and related agencies to draft a plan to assist areas recently contaminated with chemical waste, its boss told media on Monday.
Nattapol Rangsitpol, permanent secretary of the Industry Ministry, went on to say that he is aware of the problems caused by the illegal dumping of hazardous substances in Rayong, Ayutthaya, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Ratchasima and Phetchabun. The ministry has dispatched a team to monitor complaint hotspots while it tries to find a lasting solution.
The ministry has teamed up with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Industrial Works, the Department of Pollution Control and the Department of Groundwater Resources to develop an action plan to prevent and finally resolve chemical leaks in priority cases in six places.
He said the locations are at Win Process Co in Rayong, a waste and hazardous substance storage warehouse in Ayutthaya, the Aek Uthai company in Ayutthaya, the Suntech Chemical and Logistics Company in Ayutthaya, and two areas where waste and hazardous substances were illegally dumped in Chachoengsao.
Nattapol said the plan was approved in the Pollution Control Committee meeting last Friday and will be submitted to the National Environment Board for further consideration this month.
He also said that the Hazardous Substances Management Committee had approved using a budget of 4 million baht to treat and eliminate all aluminium waste at Win Process in Rayong.
Additionally, another 6.9 million baht has been allocated to hire a disposal company to tackle waste and hazardous substances in Ayutthaya's Phachi district, along with 4 million baht to clean up the area around the Aek Uthai buildings.
The committee also instructed relevant agencies to assist those affected by the issues caused by Aek Uthai branch in Phetchabun, as well as work with the Royal Thai Police and other agencies to prosecute offenders.
While the operation is in progress, the Pollution Control Committee has instructed the Ministry of Industry to prevent any use of contaminated land around Win Prosess in Rayong under a court order.
Also, a working team has been formed to set guidelines to prohibit the use of polluted land until it is safe again.
