Rayong - September 21, 2019 - Dow Thailand, together with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and business operators in Map Ta Phut and Ban Chang recently organized the annual International Coastal Cleanup Day in Rayong. The activity aimed at cultivating awareness of waste as valuable resources which should be correctly disposed and segregated for recycling. Dow’s 300 volunteers worked hand in hand with more than 4,200 volunteers, collecting waste on the province’s coast for recycling purposes in line with the circular economy concept. Plastics, glasses, and metals were sent for recycling while combustible waste was for fuel to generate electricity or for biogas and fertilizer production. Moreover, an exhibition on waste segregation and management at source was displayed, aiming at encouraging sustainable actions on marine debris.
The International Coastal Cleanup Day in Thailand has continued for 17 consecutive years. This year, it was under the “#PullingOurWeight” campaign. The cleanup covered 15.1 km of the shore from Saengchan Beach to Laemcharoen Beach in Muang District and popular beaches namely Namrin, Phayun and Phla in Ban Chang District. The coastal waste weighing 9,739 kg was collected in just 2 hours.
Mr. Chatchai Luanpolcharoenchai, Dow Thailand President, said: “Dow has been campaigning for public awareness around responsible waste management for many years. We engage our employees, customers, communities, and stakeholders in addressing plastic pollution. More than 5,600 volunteers collected more than 51,000 pounds of trash from 55 different locations last year. And for this year, our goal is to collect 100,000 pounds of waste from more than 100 sites around the world with the help of 10,000 participants – doubling our impact from 2018. Plastic is too valuable to be lost as waste and should be part of the circular economy. We believe that, together, we can seek sustainable solutions, so, Dow continues to join forces with partners across the globe to recycle plastic waste more efficiently.”
Dr. Wijarn Simachaya, Permanent Secretary of the Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, said: “The Thai government is aware of and places importance on ocean waste. We have tackled it at ASEAN level and driven the 2019 Bangkok Declaration which 10 ASEAN countries pledged to solve the problem together as well as creating the Plastic waste management road map. However, searching for sustainable solutions is a mission that cannot be accomplished by a single organization but requires collaboration from all parties. Today’s activities deserve admiration, particularly, the recycling of collected waste under the circular economy concept. It goes hand in hand with Thailand’s waste management roadmap 2018-2030 to recycle 100% of plastic waste within 2027. If we can build on the movement and keep it continued, it will be beneficial to the environment and economy as well as our citizens’ well-being.”
An exhibition entitled the “Public-Private Partnership for Sustainable Plastic and Waste Management: Success of Rayong communities’ waste management” was displayed at the activity venue. It featured solutions that turn waste to resources under the circular economy concept.
Throughout these 17 years, the coastal cleanup activities in Thailand have witnessed an increasing number of participants, including business operators, government agencies, and the general public. Together, they have collected more than 98,000 kg. Collected waste information has been submitted to the United States’ Ocean Conservancy, which is gathering data from across the world to develop sustainable ocean waste management solutions.
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