Frequently Asked Questions 

1. How much solid waste is generated in Thailand?
Thailand produces almost 22 million tons of solid waste annually. Municipal solid waste, which is made up of the everyday waste produced by household and businesses, makes up about 67% of the total waste generation, while non-hazardous waste produce by industries accounts for 27%.

2. How much waste does an average person produce daily here in Thailand?
Nationally, the average person in Thailand produces around 0.65 kg of solids waste per day. This amount has grown an estimated 17% since 1994. On average, cities and towns in Thailand produce up to three times more (0.5 - 1.7 kg/person/day) solid waste per person than in rural areas (0.4 - 0.6 kg/person/day).

3. How much waste is generated by the people of Bangkok in relation to the rest of Thailand?
People in Bangkok produce the most solid waste of any others in the country. On average, the Bangkok generates comparatively the amount of waste per capita as people in Tokyo and Hong Kong (around 1.7 kg/capita/day).

4. How much of all the waste produced here in Thailand is actually recycled?
According to a recent study by the Pollution Control Department (PCD Recycling Study, 2001), around 11%, or about 2.4 million tons, of the total solid waste generated in Thailand is currently recycled.

5. How does recycling take place in Thailand?
According to the PCD study, currently 67% of this total is carried out by "saleng" (private second-hand dealers who drive tricycles through neighborhoods and collect recyclables from households and local businesses then resell to middlemen and/or recycling factories) and other second-hand dealer who drive pickups and who mostly pick up from offices and shops, 6% by waste pickers at dump sites, 13% by municipal garbage collectors who sort through the waste in their trucks on an informal basis and resale to supplement their income, and 14% from factories and stores recycling their own waste.

Slowly but steadily, community garbage banks are also appearing in some communities in Thailand, especially in more rural and suburban areas. Participants receive goods or money in exchange for their recyclable waste. According to the 2001 PCD recycling study, there were 87 garbage banks in the municipal areas of Thailand that processed a total of 2,500 tons of recyclables a year.

Garbage banks are set up in local schools and communities, whereby people/students are able to bring recyclable waste from home for collection. The person usually receives either cash or some form of coupons or reward points in exchange for their waste. Reward points can be redeemed for goods such as food (e.g. eggs), or in the case of students, things that they can use at school such as stationary and sports equipment. School garbage banks are typically managed by students, whereas community garbage banks are run be members of the community or the local authority.

Magic Eyes has for the past year worked with several companies in Bangkok (Future Park Rangsit Shopping Center) and Phuket (Big C Discount Store) and the local second hand dealers to set "Recycle Markets," whereby people who live around these centers, shops and restaurants located there, or customers coming to shop there, can also bring their recyclables to sell to the second hand dealers who are trained to run the market.

6. Why should I recycle?
Besides reducing waste, recycling also;

7. What is the biggest obstacle to effective recycling in Thailand?
The biggest obstacle to effective recycling programs in Thailand vary from region to region, and between urban and rural areas. But essentially, it comes down to community and government will and policy. What is lacking, and what is needed, is more coordination between intergovernmental agencies, tambon, district and provincial government, in addition to well thought out participatory, integrated waste management plans that include effective education and awareness programs and campaigns for the general public. This needs to be coupled with simple, convenient and appropriate waste separation equipment, infrastructure and facilities at the household, neighborhood, community and district level.

8. What types of materials can be recycled in Thailand?
a. Glass: Any glass container can be recycled, including all types of beer and liquor bottles, fish, soy and oyster sauce bottles, energy drink bottles, soda bottles, wine bottles, etc.. You can even recycle different colors of broken glass (green, brown, white). All bottles and jars should be rinsed. Recycled glass is used to manufacture new containers

b. Plastic: At present, plastic recycling technology is new and the market is limited. Recyclable materials include drinking water bottles, PET plastic bottles, fish sauce cap, PVC pipe (blue and yellow), PVC bottle, plastic cover electrical wire, saline plastic bottle, mixed types of plastic. Again, you should rinse the bottles first and remove caps.

c. Paper: Recyclable paper products include cardboard, note book paper, book paper, computer paper, newspaper (brown and white), box paper, cement bag paper, black & white paper. Paper with food residues, carbon paper, cellophane, self-stick adhesives, wax plastic or foil coatings can not be recycled.

d. Metal: Recyclable metal products include most iron, all aluminum, lathe steel, galvanize steel, cast iron, copper wire, soft lead, galvanized lead.

e. Motor Oil: Motor oil never wears out, it only gets dirty. Drain into a container with a sealable lid. Some garages and service stations accept used oil. Once impurities are removed, used oil can be marketed as re-refined oil or industrial fuel oil.

f. Other: used vegetable oil, coconut refuse, rubber tubing, rubber shoes/boots, candles and candle remnant, kapok mattress, batteries (car, motorcycle, mobile phone)

• To see a more specific list of recyclable items and current purchase prices for each item, go to http://www.wongpanit.com/ (Price)

9. How do I recycle at home and where do I take it?
Recycling uses only a small amount of space and requires only a few seconds a day. An area in the garage, a corner in the kitchen or a storage closet are convenient places to locate your own "recycling center." Your home recycling center can easily be set up with thee sturdy cardboard boxes, plastic containers or specially designed recycle bin from Magic Eyes. Of the three, one is for paper, one for cans, one for glass. If you have children at home, recycling can become their special project.

Most people who recycle either give their recyclables to the second-hand dealer (in Thai they are referred to as "Salaeng") that comes around your neighborhood, or you can go to a nearby recycling center or Magic Eyes' supported "Recycling Market." If you don't know who the second-hand dealer is in your community, ask a neighbor or your "mae ban." They may know them and may be able to help you set up a schedule for regular pickup. For the nearest recycle center or "recycling market" you can call us here at Magic Eyes and we can try to steer you to the closest one. Often you can combine this trip with other errands that you have to do that day.

There is also a very sussessful private company that has set up a number of regional branch outlets throughout Thailand. The list of branch factories and current prices can be found at http://www.wongpanit.com/ . However, due to BMA laws, recycling business cannot be established in the BMA area. Though there is a blind eye given to the small saleng dealers that work in Bangkok communities, no big business can be established, thus making it difficult for the city that produces the most waste to be able to reduce the amount that goes to the landfill.

10. What is considered community or household hazardous waste?
Community or household hazardous waste includes such items as batteries, light bulbs, spray cans, paints, cleaning solvents, glues, motor oil and pesticides.

11. How can I properly dispose of hazardous waste?
This is actually a big problem in Thailand. According to the PCD (Community Waste Study, 1998), each year an estimated 140,000 tons of community generated hazardous waste is either co-disposed with normal garbage or discharge to the sewer and klongs or directly to the environment. Officially, it is the responsibility of the local government for each district to receive household hazardous waste then to dispose of it properly. However, in reality no one knows where to take this type of waste and there isn't a simple, convenient ad safe way for a common homeowner to dispose of it. So, usually all of this materials usually ends of with the regular garbage and to the landfill, which then, because most landfills in Thailand are open landfills, this material can contaminate the soil and water around the landfill area. With motor oil, most gas stations or garages will accept your used motor oil, as they are already responsible for the proper disposal of this type of material. Also, in the case of mobile phone batteries, there are efforts by the PCD working with mobile phone retail stores to accept used batteries for recycling. You will need to check with your local retailer about this.

12. Where can I purchase recycled paper products?
HQ PAPERMAKER
3/31 Samlan Road, Tambon Phrasing, Amphur Muang, Chiangmai 50200 Thailand
Tel:(66-53) 814-717/8 Fax:(66-53) 814-719 Email: sales@hqpapermaker.com

Sources:
World Bank. Thailand Environment Monitor 2003: Solid and Hazardous Waste.

13. How can myself, my school or my group join with some Magic Eyes activities?