Bangkok in the garbage fight: Citizens actively help with waste separation!

Bangkok in the garbage fight: Citizens actively help with waste separation!

A lot is happening in Bangkok when it comes to waste management. The progress in reforming the waste management system is being enthusiastically followed by the Environment Institute of Thailand (TEI). So reported Thaipr about the impressive participation of 896,876 households in the program “Don't throw this house together: sorting waste to reduce fees”. This is a remarkable number considering there are a total of approximately 2.48 million eligible households in the city. The participation rate of 36.17% is a first step in the right direction.

Dr. Wijar Simachaya, the director of the TEI, emphasizes that citizens' awareness of the waste problem is growing. The waste separation trend is also supported by a new initiative by the Bangkok Metropolitan Municipality, which has already resulted in a reduction in waste volume by more than 10%, such as Bangkok Biz News reported. In the future, the rule that those who do not separate their waste will have to pay higher fees and vice versa will provide additional incentive.

The new waste fees

A new regulation will come into force in mid-2025 that will adjust the fee structure for waste disposal. This regulation aims to motivate more citizens to separate waste and is getting louder Bangkok Biz News contribute to reducing the amount of waste even further. The fees should be divided into three groups:

• Gruppe 1: Abfallmenge bis 20 Liter/Tag oder bis 4 kg – Gebühr 60 Baht (bei Trennung 20 Baht).
• Gruppe 2: Abfallmenge über 20 Liter/Tag bis 1 m³/Tag oder über 4 kg bis 200 kg/Tag – Gebühr 120 Baht pro 20 Liter.
• Gruppe 3: Abfallmenge über 1 m³/Tag oder über 1.000 Liter oder über 200 kg/Tag – Gebühr 8.000 Baht.

Citizens can register for this initiative using the new BKK Waste Pay app and receive detailed information about fees and regulations. What better option is there than to actively contribute to waste prevention and save money at the same time?

“Mai Teh Ruam” composting initiative

But that's not all. With the “Mai Teh Ruam” composting initiative, Bangkok is relying on another success factor to reduce the amount of waste. As the Thailand Sun reported, over 600 restaurants and 184 markets have actively contributed to waste separation. By converting organic waste into compost, the city was able to save nearly 74,000 tonnes of waste, translating into financial savings of over 141 million baht.

The campaign not only aims at waste disposal savings, but also promotes citizens' awareness of environmental issues and enables them to participate in future-oriented development. The initiative also sets an example for other Thai cities that are struggling with similar problems.

Overall, it is hoped that the citizens of Bangkok will support this positive trend and actively participate in waste separation. Because every small step counts to keep our city cleaner and livable.