Thailand breaking the cycle of plastic waste pollution

摘要

2016 marine litter report released by Ocean Conservancy implicated Thailand among one of the top environmental offenders that contributed more than half of the global plastic waste leakage.Industrial and household wastes continue to outpace the country’s capacity to recycle.The Ministry of Natural Resources has emphasised on the country’s efforts to increase its recycling rates recently.Thailand generates an estimated 2 million tonnes/year of plastic waste but recycled only a quarter to 500,000 tonnes of these wastes.Adding to the burden of piling up locally generated plastic waste is the imported waste,mostly from the UK,Japan and the US.In the first half of last year,Thailand’s plastic waste imports rose in light of China’s prior ban on importing waste.Given this,Thailand is now aiming to impose a total ban on imported plastic wastes by 2021.