Thai Ministry of Environment officials said that Thailand will ban the import of 432 kinds of waste electronic products within six months. At the same time, the official said that Thailand also plans to ban the import of plastic waste in the next two years.
It is reported that the e-waste ban in Thailand covers 432 kinds of circuit boards, old televisions and radio components. The resolution was held on Wednesday by the Thai Minister of the Environment, Surasak Kanchanarat. Completed. The complete list of prohibited imports will be announced soon.
Thai Ministry of Environment officials said that the country also plans to ban the import of plastic waste in the next two years, but he did not disclose the specific details of the plan.
Sulasak told the Thai media on Wednesday that if some electrical and used equipment can be repaired and reused, it is allowed to be imported. He said that scrap metal including aluminum, copper and steel can still be imported for industrial use, but it must be in the original Sorting and cleaning in the country of origin.
According to reports, Surasack has asked the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Commerce to issue ministerial regulations to make the provisions of the resolution a law. Sulasak acknowledged that the ban on imported waste will definitely affect the recycling industry and some business operators, but he added that It is now very necessary to implement a ban to ensure that Thailand does not become a world dump. “Before industrial development, we need to give priority to providing citizens with good environmental and health protection.” Surasak said that currently recycling plastic waste and old electronic parts It is indeed profitable. Some commercial operators can get a lot of profits from the recycling industry, but when the environment is polluted and people's lives are not happy, these will be meaningless. He requires the recycling industry practitioners to abide by and adapt to the necessary Regulatory change. At the same time, he said that the channel for the establishment of the words is unimpeded, provided that the practitioners have effective ways to control the environmental pollution and impact of business activities.
However, the industrial sector is concerned that the two-year preparation period for the plastic waste ban is too short. They believe that imported plastic waste is cheaper and higher quality than domestic plastic waste, and the plastic ban may cause Thai companies to face survival problems.
In this regard, Surasak said that he understands the situation facing the plastics recycling industry. The cost of imported plastic waste is only 6 baht, while the cost of domestic plastic waste is 12 baht. But he believes that if only considering the price factor, continue to import from abroad. Plastic waste, plastic waste in Thailand will not be properly disposed of, the already serious problem of garbage will be further upgraded.
It is understood that Thailand has recently launched e-waste operations, including inspection of recycling plants, raising public awareness of environmental protection and encouraging the public to report suspicious factories. In addition, the Thai government has set a goal of 2021, such as reducing the use of plastic bags and plastic bottles by government agencies and enterprises. It is forbidden to use plastic in tourist attractions, tax on plastic bags, and the recovery rate will reach 60% by 2021.
As early as a few weeks ago, Vietnam has announced that it will stop issuing import licenses and crack down on illegal imports. It is reported that the Central Bank of Vietnam announced on Wednesday that it has asked banks to tighten loans for projects deemed to be environmentally unfriendly and demand that by 2025, Banks must develop an environmental risk management strategy.