News

16 December 2020: AIS and the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment have joined forces to create the “Thais Say No To E-Waste” around the country, to build awareness and encourage participation to care for the environment sustainably, through two core collaborations:

• Expanding points accepting electronic waste at Provincial Offices for Natural Resources and the Environment all around the country. This will provide convenience to the public wishing to dispose of electronic waste correctly.
• Teaming up with the Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Volunteer Network as representatives communicating and building awareness of the correct storage and disposal of electronic waste.

Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, noted “The government has implemented solutions for the disposal of electronic waste, both for domestic waste and that imported from overseas. The National Environmental Board has appointed a subcommittee to manage the disposal of plastic and electronic waste, chaired by the Minister. This subcommittee has the obligations and powers to propose measures and methods, and to monitor and evaluate the results of operations of the relevant bodies to solve the problem of managing plastic and electronic waste. Driving operations to successfully solve the problem of electronic waste relies on the participation of every sector, whether the state sector, the private sector, the general public/society, the educational sector and network partners of the Ministry. Together, we conduct the program ‘Thais Say No To E-Waste’ to collect electronic waste which is old mobile phones and accessories such as chargers, batteries, headphones and power banks. This is then managed in an environmentally friendly way and revenue from the recycling is donated to the Chaipattana Foundation.

“Thailand generates over 400,000 tons of electronic waste per year, but only 500 tons of that is collected and disposed of correctly. The remainder is stored in homes and houses, sold as second hand goods, or sold to waste collectors. On top of this, is electronic waste imported from overseas, whose volumes have been greatly increasing. In 2014, 900 tons of electronic waste was imported, but by 2017, imported electronic waste ad increased to more than 50,000 tons. Investigations have found factories and workplaces separating and sorting electronic waste whose operations are not in line with scientific practice. This has caused impacts to the health of the general public and the environment. Therefore, the waste must be collected and disposed of in an environmentally friendly way.”

Somchai Lertsutiwong, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Info Service PLC.(AIS), commented that, “Today, the problem of e-waste from telecom and ICT equipment is a big problem affecting everybody in the world. Numbers from the Global E-Waste 2020 by the United Nations University, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, the International Telecommunications Union and the International Solid Waste association reported that in 2019, worldwide volumes of electronic waste were as much as 53.6 million metric tonnes, 7.3 kg for every person in the world. A meagre 17.4% of global electronic waste is correctly recycled, which is only 9.3 million metric tonnes. Meanwhile, information from the Situation Report on Hazardous Waste from Communities by the Department of Pollution Control in 2019 show that Thailand generates E-Waste volumes of 400,000 tons. We should prioritize this and manage it together, before it is too late.

“As a Digital Life Service Provider with the goals of conducting our business to show responsibility towards various stakeholder groups, the company also takes responsibility for the country’s society, economy and environment for sustainable development and growth. Thus we prioritize the management of all categories of waste, including E-waste, which is considered another category of waste requiring sorting and correct disposal according to standards. Previously, we volunteered to be the central hub and managed the program, ‘Thais Say No To E-Waste’. The goal was to raise Thai people’s awareness, to understand and consider correctly managed disposal of electronic waste. It also encouraged participation in waste disposal, by arranging E-Waste receptacles for the convenience of the public. They can dispose of their E-Waste, comprising mobile phones/tablets, mobile phone batteries, power banks, chargers and headphones, at AIS Service points and those of partners in the network, currently comprising over 2,300 points nationwide. From there it is sent for correct disposal according to international standards in the form of Zero Landfill.”

At latest, we have been honoured by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment providing support as one more partner in the network, and elevating the mission of ‘Thais Say No To E-Waste’ to a national agenda, in terms of expanding locations to dispose of e-waste, and integrating the dissemination of knowledge and raising awareness among Thai people. This is done through the work of the Natural Resources and the Environmental Protection Volunteer Network, who are the core representatives reaching the general public around the country, to communicate about the drawbacks and dangers of electronic waste. They give information on correct storage and disposal, and encourage sustainable knowledge and understanding in the community. AIS would like to thank the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment, and the group of Environmental Protection Volunteers who see the importance of this program and have given it good support. We ourselves are one more motivating force in this mission of the Ministry to protect the environment of our country, and improve the quality of life for our children and grandchildren in a more sustainable future.”

At present, the “Thais Say No To E-Waste” program has been able to collect over 6.3 tons of electronic waste. AIS has taken this collected E-Waste collected to recycling facilities including TES Company Limited. TES are experts in recycling electronic waste to standard in an environmentally friendly way. The waste is disposed of correctly with the process of Zero Landfill (reuse, or creation of new value).

For more details see www.ewastethailand.com