Rayong – 19 September 2020 – Dow Thailand together with the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and partners who are concerned for the environment has organized the annual International Coastal Cleanup Day in Rayong for 18 consecutive years. The activity aims to stop waste from entering our environment and cultivate awareness of waste as a valuable resource which should be correctly disposed of or segregated for recycling. Aiming at demonstrating sustainable action on marine debris, Dow’s 200 volunteers worked hand in hand with more than 800 volunteers to collect waste on the province’s coast for recycling in line with the circular economy concept.
Dow has partnered globally with the Ocean Conservancy in the International Coastal Cleanup which has been arranged annually on the third Saturday of September for 35 years. The activity marks the 18th year Dow has determined to protect our planet and encourage people to contribute to the “#PullingOurWeight” campaign in collecting at least 1.8 kg. of trash, which is roughly equivalent to the average daily waste from one person. The cleanup covered 5 km of the shore and popular beaches namely Sonkrasip in Map Ta Phut, Namrin, Phayun and Phla in Ban Chang District. Coastal waste weighing more than 3,362 kg was collected in just 2 hours.
Chatchai Luanpolcharoenchai, Dow Thailand President, said “Our 18,000 volunteers across the globe collected more than 80,000 kg. of trash last year. Over the past 17 years in Thailand, we have prevented more than 150,000 kg. of trash from entering the environment. Today’s effort is just the temporary restoration of natural beauty. What is more important is that people become aware of the current situation and responsible waste management, and then wholeheartedly begin to take action on proper waste segregation at source. We believe that together we can find sustainable solutions. So, as a leading global materials science company, we will continue to join forces with partners across the globe to recycle plastic waste more efficiently.”
Thailand is now ranked no.10 for the highest amount of marine debris in the world. Rayong, which is the key area of the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), is expanding as a result of infrastructure investment projects for industry, tourism and labor movement. More than 20 million tons of waste will have been generated across the province by 2037. Therefore, it is really critical that all parties have to work together to segregate and manage waste properly so that it will not leak into the environment.
Surasak Charoensirichote, Rayong Governor, said, “On behalf of Rayong’s citizens, I am proud to see companies, organizations and volunteers come together to collect trash in order to return beauty to our important beaches. The ocean waste problem can be solved if we protect it from the beginning. We can help by separating recyclable waste out of food waste at source so that the responsible government agencies can manage waste efficiently. In parallel, the private sector can develop and implement various technologies to help solve the problem. Everyone has an important role to play because the planet does not belong to any of one of us, but to all of us.”
“We are committed to driving activities to achieve our Sustainability Targets, particularly stopping waste from entering the environment. By 2030, Dow will help “stop the waste” by enabling 1 million metric tons of plastic to be collected, reused or recycled through its direct actions and partnerships,” said Poranee Kongamornpinyo, Southeast Asia Corporate Affairs Leader. “We don’t only support environmental conservation projects but also raise public awareness about responsible waste management and advance circular economy for plastics. Appropriately managing the lifecycle of plastics from design to disposal will help retain the many social and economic benefits of plastics for society without compromising the world’s ocean, rivers or streams.”
Like-minded partners who joined Dow in the 2020 International Coastal Cleanup in Ban Chang district consist of the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand, NS-Siam United Steel Co., Ltd, Solvay Group, and the Petrochemical Industry Club of The Federation of Thai Industries. Even in the difficult times of COVID-19, environmental conservation is still something we should not take for granted. This year, several preventive measures are being implemented for the activity, such as temperature screening, social distancing and wearing masks so that the volunteers can participate safely in the event.
About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation and leading business positions to achieve profitable growth. The Company’s ambition is to become the most innovative, customer centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company. Dow’s portfolio of plastics, industrial intermediates, coatings and silicones businesses delivers a broad range of differentiated science-based products and solutions for its customers in high-growth market segments, such as packaging, infrastructure, automotive and consumer care. Dow operates 109 manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employs approximately 36,500 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $43 billion in 2019. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit www.dow.com or follow @DowNewsroom on Twitter and www.facebook.com/DowThailandGroup/.
For further information, please contact:
Apiradee Poopirom
Dow Thailand Group
Tel: 02-3657296 / 081-8026933
papiradee@dow.com
Suttipong Krotintakom
Dow Thailand Group
Tel: 038-673315 / 081-7919626
skrotintakom@dow.com
Lalida, Tisadondilok
Dow Thailand Group
Tel: 02-365-7228 / 089-6687079
lalida@dow.com