Thailand - September 26, 2018 - The wave of marine debris is currently a rising concern for the global community. The issue has escalated and received a lot of attention from people around the world. More than 100,000 volunteers in over 100 countries have participated annually in the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) which is the world's largest, one-day volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment along beaches, rivers, lakes and canals in order to show their commitment to cleaner waterways on the third Saturday of September.
Dow Thailand Group, Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand (IEAT), entrepreneurs in Map Ta Phut and Ban Chang together with local volunteers joined forces to clean up trash on the International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 15th, 2018 which has been held for 16 consecutive years. This year highlights the #PullingourWeight campaign, an initiative to keep waste out of the environment. Apart from being an industrial province, Rayong still relies on fishery and tourism. Therefore, saving and protecting marine and coastal ecosystems is vital to the well-being of community people.
#PullingOurWeight is a collaboration within the global plastics industry and our partners to raise awareness about plastics in our oceans and motivate the public to help solve this issue. Dow Chemical’s participation is part of the company’s commitment to creating sustainable communities. Therefore every year, the company gathers its employees, friends and family to participate in the coastal clean-up event. Dow delivers innovative products that help make the world a better place by delivering sustainable products based on scientific knowledge starting from how to produce them to how they are treated at end of life.
Chatchai Luanpolcharoenchai, President of Dow Thailand Group, commented “Everyone can help keep waste out of the ocean once they start separating trash in their households. This problem can be prevented if we go back to where it begins. Dow invites all sectors to change their behavior and be more aware of the impact caused by plastic waste. No single organization can tackle this problem solely, it must be built up from partnerships. As for Dow, we have been committed to the International Coastal Cleanup for 16 consecutive years and we expect that the debris amount is significantly decreasing.”
More people have joined the International Coastal Cleanup every year and less debris is being found on the Rayong coast. Around 4,191 volunteers participated in the event this year. Dow employees and families and locals collected over 90,807 pieces of debris and roughly 5,790 kilograms along the 15.1 kilometers coast at Saeng Chan-Laem Charoen beaches and Namrin–Phayun-Phla beaches which are considered Rayong’s main tourist attractions. Along with that of other countries, the waste will be segregated properly and the data will be sent to Ocean Conservancy in the USA in order to find local solutions and raise awareness about conserving the ocean sustainably.
“Consumers should consume plastics and packaging wisely, and at the same time, learn about waste sorting such as separating recyclable plastics from other materials. Public and private sectors must work closely to bring the most efficient integrated waste management concepts and educate local people on good practice. Dow has reached out to fishermen in Rayong and taught them how to collect discarded plastics while they are sailing in the ocean. More importantly, they must not create more waste and be responsible for the environment of their community” Decha Panichayapichet, Site Director of Dow Thailand Group, added.
Dow is committed to its Sustainability Goals. Our employees are doing their best to deliver positive economic and social impacts. We will continue our collaborations with like-minded partners to advance the well-being of humanity, marine ecosystems and our planet as a whole.
About Dow Thailand Group
Consisting of Companies of Dow Chemical Thailand and the SCG-Dow Group, Dow Thailand Group, the leading science group of companies in Thailand, is the largest manufacturing base of Dow Chemical in the Asia-Pacific region and a leading importer of chemical products for diverse industries in Thailand, such as packaging, transportation, infrastructure, automotive, medical and consumer care. The group is committed to developing science-driven innovations and strives to form effective collaborations and networks to bring about sustainability for its business as well as society.