Thai officials say seized electronic waste came from US
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Thai officials say seized electronic waste came from US

Customs authorities looking to find importer and send back 238 tonnes of illegal hazardous goods

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A worker digs through imported electronic waste in a container at the Customs X-ray and Technology Center in Klong Toey, Bangkok, on Wednesday. The department said the 238 tonnes of waste worth an estimated 18 million baht had been shipped from the United States. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)
A worker digs through imported electronic waste in a container at the Customs X-ray and Technology Center in Klong Toey, Bangkok, on Wednesday. The department said the 238 tonnes of waste worth an estimated 18 million baht had been shipped from the United States. (Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb)

Thai officials say that 238 tonnes of illegally imported electronic waste seized earlier this week at Bangkok Port in Klong Toey came from the United States.

The waste, in 10 large containers, was declared as mixed metal scrap but turned out to be circuit boards mixed in huge piles of metal scrap, The Associated Press news agency quoted Theeraj Athanavanich, director-general of the Customs Department, as saying.

Mr Theeraj said authorities were looking to press charges including falsely declaring imported goods and illegally importing electronic waste. The waste, which was found on Tuesday in a random inspection, would be returned to its country of origin, he said.

“It’s important that we take action on this kind of goods,” he said. “There are environmental impacts that are dangerous to the people, especially communities around factories that might import these things for processing, then recycling.”

Thailand passed a ban on the import of a range of electronic waste products in 2020. The cabinet in February approved an expanded list of banned materials.

China banned imports of electronic waste in 2018, which has led to an increase in shipments to other destinations, including Southeast Asian countries. 

Sunthron Kewsawang, deputy director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, said officials suspected at least two factories in Samut Sakhon province were involved in importing the waste.

Electronic waste creates many health hazards. Many components are laden with lead and mercury, cadmium and other toxins. Recyclers are after gold, silver, palladium and copper, mainly from printed circuit boards, but lax controls mean that facilities often burn plastics to release encased copper and use unsafe methods to extract precious metals.

A United Nations report last year said electronic waste is piling up worldwide. It estimated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste was generated in 2022 and forecast the figure would reach 82 million tonnes by 2030.

The report said only 22% of the waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022 and that quantity is expected to fall to 20% by the end of the decade due to higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, and inadequate management infrastructure.

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