Bangkok, The Pollution Control Board has approved a plan to solve the problem of contaminated areas from illegal dumping of waste and hazardous substances in Rayong, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Chachoengsao provinces. The Department of Industrial Works proposed it, along with an urgent budget for the disposal of waste in buildings and areas.
The Pollution Control Committee held a meeting to consider solving the problem of contaminated areas from illegal dumping of waste and hazardous substances, chaired by Ms. Chayanan Phakdijit, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, who was assigned by Mr. Chatuporn Buruspat, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, along with Ms. Priyaporn Suwannaket, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department, Mr. Chulaphong Thaweesri, Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works, representatives of agencies, and experts in the Pollution Control Committee.
Ms. Priyaporn said that from the c
ase of illegal dumping of waste and hazardous substances by Win Process Co., Ltd., Ban Khai District, Rayong Province, Ek Uthai Co., Ltd. and Suntech Chemical and Logistics Co., Ltd. in Uthai District, and warehouses secretly storing chemicals in the area of ??Pachi District, a total of 3 cases in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province, and 2 offenders according to the order of the Chachoengsao Provincial Court, all of which have not yet been able to enforce the law to dispose of the waste in their possession because the offenders intentionally ignored the law. However, it is an urgent problem that government agencies must urgently resolve because it has already affected the public and the environment. If left untreated, there is a high possibility that it will leak out to the outside, jeopardizing public health and severely impacting the environment on a wide scale.
Therefore, the Department of Industrial Works has presented a plan to prevent and solve the problem of chemical leakage and contaminated areas from
illegal dumping of waste and hazardous substances in these 6 areas to the Pollution Control Committee, along with a request for urgent budget from the central budget, the reserve fund for emergency or necessary cases, especially waste disposal work inside the building and surrounding areas, and the assessment of hydrogeological characteristics in contaminated areas to select appropriate methods to prevent the spread and remediate. The Department of Industrial Works will sue the factory operators for all operating costs.
The meeting also considered legal measures to prohibit landowners or any person from using or carrying out any activities in polluted areas. This is to prompt landowners or offenders to expedite the rehabilitation and elimination of pollution to return them to their original state as soon as possible, and to prevent new operators from neglecting or intentionally failing to comply with the law. In addition, the Department of Industrial Works provided information to the committee on measures to
prevent such incidents from occurring.
The Pollution Control Department will collaborate with the Department of Industrial Works to present the matter to the National Environment Board in the next step.
Source: Thai News Agency