Thread: Universities agree on measures to reduce plastic waste

BANGKOK, 5 July 2018 (NNY) - Top universities in Thailand have signed a memorandum aimed at reducing disposable plastic waste at campus convenience stores, as part of the goal to become plastic waste-free universities.

President of the Sustainable University Network of Thailand, Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, said that the country has campaigned to encourage the use of canvas bags since 2005, but has an adoption rate of only 5%.

To increase adoption rates for canvas bags, the parties to the memorandum will now sell or lend plastic bags, provide two-baht discounts for people who bring their own cups, provide utensils and straws only when explicitly requested, and abolish the use of foam containers.

The universities have also signed a memorandum to reduce disposable plastic waste at campus convenience stores.


National News Bureau Of Thailand | Universities agree on measures to reduce plastic waste

Originally Posted by misskit

provide utensils and straws only when explicitly requested,

That's a start. How about refusing a straw for anything that can easily be drunk out of the bottle or can. Only the tetrapac cartons need a straw.

These types of well intended enactments only work if the population buys into it.
Deep conditioning is a terribly strong character to overcome.

The plastic is not so much as the disposing of said plastic. Littering is endemic here and its just not taught as a life skill, hence it cant be enforced.

The Costa Rican model.
Within five years, completely banning plastic products.

^ That is just single-use plastic bags.

We just did this in Australia recently, but the other bags remain on the market. It's a bit of a farce, really. We can only hope that it's the thin end of the wedge.

It would be better if a huge campaign was mounted to educate ordinary people in Thailand and Indonesia about the need to avoid throwing their plastic in the nearest river.

Originally Posted by Maanaam

That's a start. How about refusing a straw for anything that can easily be drunk out of the bottle or can. Only the tetrapac cartons need a straw.

I think the straw habit results from risk of contamination (leptospirosis, salmonella...) as rats may have been able to soil the container with urine or feces...if items were properly stocked or rinsed/washed before sale straw wouldn't be deemed necessary

Originally Posted by HuangLao

These types of well intended enactments only work if the population buys into it.
Deep conditioning is a terribly strong character to overcome.

They work when it becomes more expensive to use plastic items than to provide your own. Supermarket plastic bags at 5 baht each would have shoppers bringing their own canvas bags. It’s worked elsewhere.

The basic problem is educating the consumers that re-cycled plastic is a profitable business if managed correctly.

Both rigid and flexible plastic packaging can be converted into other products as proven in many global markets.

If you asked most Thai's here where the nearest refuse dump is they wouldn't know.

Originally Posted by Loy Toy

The basic problem is educating the consumers that re-cycled plastic is a profitable business if managed correctly.

Both rigid and flexible plastic packaging can be converted into other products as proven in many global markets.

If you asked most Thai's here where the nearest refuse dump is they wouldn't know.

The real base problem is that there is much too much plastic made available for everything and anything. Full stop.

Recycling doesn't solve anything. The technology doesn't exist to "recycle" most types of plastics, as such promotion is greatly an old wives tale and repeated over and again - still plastics are produced and distributed abundantly......especially, the accepted synthetic types [most of which can't be recycled].

There's nothing more disgusting than blatant apologists.

At Makro Wanghin they had zero bags. Unless I went on the day they ran out, which is doubtful.


They pointed in the direction of Tesco when I asked where they had any. Didn't even speak. Probably get a lot of customers expecting 5 bags for 3 products.



The plastic bag companies won't be happy.

Originally Posted by Begbie

Supermarket plastic bags at 5 baht each would have shoppers bringing their own canvas bags. It’s worked elsewhere.

Aldis sells cloth shopping bags at its locations here. $2 if I remember correctly. Still have and use mine bought 3 or 4 years ago.

I use my bags for life as bathroom bin bags.