Evaluation of Plastic Waste Management in Thailand Using Material ...

Evaluation of Plastic Waste Management in Thailand Using Material
Flow Analysis
by
Kamala Rewlutthum
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Master of Science in
Environmental Engineering and Management
Examination Committee: Prof. Chettiyappan Visvanathan (Chairperson)
Dr. Thammarat Koottatep
Dr. Vilas Nitivattananon
Nationality: Thai
Previous Degree: Bachelor of Science in Environmental Health Science
Mahidol University, Thailand
Scholarship Donor: Royal Thai Government - AIT Fellowship
Asian Institute of Technology
School of Environment, Resources and Development
Thailand
May 2013

Acknowledgements
I would like to convey her deepest gratitude to her advisor, Prof. C. Visvanathan for his
valuable advices, continuous supervision and constructive criticisms throughout the study.
Grateful acknowledgement is due to thesis committee, Dr. Vilas Nitivattananon and Dr.
Thammarat Koottatep for the kind support and recommendation.
I also would like to convey her appreciation to Ms. Prakriti Kashyap and Mr.Paul Jacob,
the research assistants for their valuable guidance and idea sharing throughout the study.
Warm regard is passed to Khun Amornpong and Khun Somporn from TIPMSE, for their
useful information and warm welcome to Zero Baht Shop at Prawet district in Bangkok.
Kind appreciation goes to Khun Nittaya, the owner of Asia Paiboon Wong Co., Ltd. for the
valuable information and the recycled pellet factory visit at Prawet district in Bangkok.
Special thanks to Khun Rattikarn Thampanya, the officer of Industrial Waste Management
Bureau for information sharing and kind suggestions.
Sincere thank is due to Khun Chalong Sutapradidh, the responsible person of Sai Mai
transfer station for his kind supports and guidance for data and sample collection at Sai
Mai transfer station.
I express his great appreciation to Khun Athiwat, a plastic wholesaler for his valuable
information.
Thankful acknowledgement is due to all EEM secretaries and staffs for the excellent
support and cooperation which made the study undergo smoothly especially to
Ms.Suchitra, EEM senior secretary, for her creative suggestions and supports.
Thanks to all Prof. C. Visvanathan’s research group member, Supawat, Phonthida,
Phanwatt, Duc, Ahmad, Lalith, Tasawan, Pimchanok, Siripong, Kiattisak, Thorsten for
their suggestions, discussions, and assistance in preparing this thesis.
Finally, I would like to express my deepest thankfulness to all members in my family,
especially my mother for the support and encouragement given to me during preparing this
thesis at AIT.
ii

Abstract
Rapid increase in the usage of plastic products in urbanized and industrialized societies
causes many environmental problems. Plastic has almost become an invincible commodity
used in modern world. Plastic is used in almost every form as in packaging, automobiles,
electronic and electrical products, agriculture use of plastics, medical devices, housewares,
and many other applications. The three major sources of plastic waste generation are
agricultural, industrial and municipal waste.
Thailand is one of the significantly larger plastic manufacturers and consumers in Asia.
This study looks into the plastic waste generation and management situation of Thailand,
with 2010 as the base year. The aim of the study is to identify and quantify the flows and
stocks of plastic waste in Thailand. Other objectives include; identification and assessment
of the roles and importance of stakeholders that are relevant in plastic waste management
in Thailand. Various scenarios are also devised to present the possible cases of plastic
waste generation in future, also with possibilities of various management decisions to be
adopted to handle ever growing plastic waste in the country. The proposed scenarios look
into the issues of improvement in recycling rate as a policy target, need and use of
appropriate technologies, and simple assessment of the plastic waste management
economics.
The methodology of the study includes extensive literature reviews for familiarization of
the subject matter, and surveys, interviews and field observations (with key manufactures,
policymakers, informal and formal waste shops, plastic recycling units, and consumers) to
validate the existing information as well as collect first-hand data. Material Flow Analysis
is used to quantify the flows and stocks of plastic waste in Thailand
This study reveals that amount of municipal plastic waste generation in Thailand in the
year 2010 was 2.57 million tonnes (17% of the total municipal solid waste generated in
that year). Nearly 1.83 tonnes of plastic waste generation was from the industrial waste.
Total input of plastic materials of this system boundary is 4.86 million tonnes/year, and
amount of total stock of this system boundary is 2.34 million tonnes/year. Approximately,
2.52 million tonnes/year is the total output. Three plastic waste management scenarios
were proposed to predict the plastic waste management in 2016: scenario 1 of the business
as usual (BAU) case, increase in recycling rate by 30% as scenario 2, and increase in the
plastic waste to energy measures as scenario 3. Among these three scenarios, the potential
adoption of scenario 2 offers the best case scenario for plastic waste management in
Thailand, as this scenario promotes plastic (material) recycling offering the benefits of
material recirculation at the production process by reducing the dependency on the virgin
petrochemical products, offering private sectors to establish profitable recycling business,
offering environmental benefits of recycling, and thus supporting the local government
authorities to manage the plastic waste.
iii

Table of Contents
Chapter Title Page
Title Page i
Acknowledgements ii
Abstract iii
Table of Contents iv
List of Tables v
List of Figures vi
List of Abbreviations viii
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Objectives of Study 2
1.3 Scope and Limitations of the Study 2
2 Literature Review 3
2.1 Solid Waste Management 3
2.2 Plastics 5
2.3 Plastic Waste Management 14
2.4 Laws and Policies Related to Plastic Waste Management
25
in Thailand
2.5 Material Flow Analysis (MFA) 27
2.6 Stakeholder Analysis 30
3 Methodology 37
3.1 Introduction
37
3.2 Study Area
38
3.3 Sample Size 40
3.4 Material Flow Analysis 41
3.5 Stakeholder Analysis 46
3.6 Develop Plastic Waste Management Option 49
4 Results and Discussions 51
4.1 Current Situation of Plastic Industry and Plastic Wastes
Management in Thailand
51
4.2 Material Flow Analysis of Plastic in Thailand 61
4.3 Prediction of Plastic Waste Management in 2016 69
4.4 Stakeholder Analysis for Plastic Waste Management in
Thailand
87
5 Conclusions and Recommendations 96
5.1 Conclusion 96
5.2 Recommendations for Future Work 98
References 100
Appendix 107
iv

List of Tables
Table Title Page
2.1 Categories of Recycling 4
2.2 Codes, Characteristics of Plastics and Its Products 5
2.3 Plastic Formation Processes and Its Raw Materials and Products in
Thailand
7
2.4 Heating Values of Various Fuels and Wastes 17
2.5 The Rate of Recycling, Thermal-Treatment, and Landfilling 28
2.6 Stakeholder Table 32
3.1 Details of Needed Information for MFA of Plastic in Thailand 43
3.2 Results of Power and Leadership Analysis 47
4.1 Annual Data of Plastic Industries in 2010 52
4.2 Amount of Product Generation, Imported-Exported Products and
Virgin Material Used in Country in 2002, 2005, 2010 and 2011
54
4.3 Amount of Waste Generation in Thailand, 2003-2010 55
4.4 Percentage of Composition of Plastic Waste in Bangkok in 2004
and 2013
56
4.5 Prices of Recycled Resins Classifying by Color 61
4.6 Percentage of Plastic Waste Management of Each Scenario 70
4.7 Expenditure and Revenue of Plastic Waste Management Scenario 84
4.8 Importance and Influence of Stakeholders 89
v

List of Figures
Figure Title Page
2.1 Integrated solid waste management hierarchy 3
2.2 Blow molding 7
2.3 Injection molding 8
2.4 Extrusion process flow 8
2.5 Extrusion process for pipe/tube production 9
2.6 Rotational molding 9
2.7 Vacuum forming 10
2.8 Pressure forming 10
2.9 Mechanical forming 11
2.10 Laminate processing 11
2.11 Compressed molding 12
2.12 European plastics demand by segment in 2011 13
2.13 Pretreatment of each type of plastic wastes and plastic waste
15
recycling
2.14 Schematic diagram of the pretreatment process 16
2.15 Schematic diagram of a pelletizing process 17
2.16 Trammel 18
2.17 Separation machine 18
2.18 NIR sorting machine 18
2.19 NIR scanner machine 18
2.20 Gasification and melting furnace power generation system 19
2.21 Schematic diagram of a liquid fuel production plant 20
2.22 Oil recovery plant 20
2.23 Gasification process for converting plastic wastes to chemicals 21
2.24 Coke oven chemical feedstock recycling 22
2.25 Schematic overview of pelletizing 23
2.26 MFA procedure 28
2.27 Material flow of plastic wastes in Austria, 2004 29
2.28 Material flow of plastic wastes in India for 2000/2001 30
2.29 Key words for identifying stakeholder 31
2.30 Position classification of stakeholder 33
2.31 Recycler Flow of Trade and Flow of Recyclable Recycling 35
3.1 Research methodology 37
3.2 Seven selected provinces in Thailand 39
3.3 Four selected districts in Bangkok 39
3.4 Initial flow of plastic in Thailand, 2010 42
3.5 Proposed scenarios for the plastic waste management in Thailand, 49
2016
4.1 Percentage of plastic products in Thailand, 2010 51
4.2 Masterbatch 53
4.3 White HDPE masterbatch 53
4.4 Percentage of polymer consumption in Thailand, 2008 53
4.5 Percentage of major polymer consumption in Thailand, 2010 53
4.6 Percentage of municipal solid waste composition in Thailand,
2012
56
vi

4.7 Percentage of municipal solid waste composition in Thailand in
2013
56
4.8 Amounts of plastic waste generation and recycled plastic wastes 57
4.9 BMA waste collectors 58
4.10 Waste transferring process 58
4.11 Waste pickers 58
4.12 Landfill scavengers 58
4.13 Percentage of waste disposal method in Thailand in 2010 58
4.14 Mechanism of plastic recycling in Thailand 59
4.15 Plastic Waste shops at Pathumthani province 59
4.16 Wong Panit at Nakhon Ratchasima province 59
4.17 Sorting unit in pelletizing factory 60
4.18 Washing unit in pelletizing factory 60
4.19 Pelletizing process 60
4.20 Recycled resins 60
4.21 Material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 62
4.22 Manufacturing process of plastic material flow in Thailand, 2010 63
4.23 Plastic consumption process of plastic material flow in Thailand,
2010
64
4.24 Waste collection and transport process of plastic material flow in
Thailand, 2010
65
4.25 Recycling and plastic to oil processes of the plastic material flow
in Thailand, 2010
66
4.26 Material flow of plastic industry in Thailand, 2005 67
4.27 Material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 67
4.28 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 1 71
4.29 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 2A 73
4.30 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 2B 76
4.31 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 3 78
4.32 Relationships of stakeholders of scenario 1 80
4.33 Relationship of stakeholders of scenario 2 81
4.34 Relationship of stakeholders of scenario 3 83
4.35 Flows of expenditure for each waste management process in each
scenario
85
4.36 Percentage of public opinion on plastic waste management
scenarios
86
4.37 Stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand 88
4.38 Possible stakeholder network of plastic waste management in
Thailand
95
vii

List of Abbreviations
3Rs Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
4R Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Research
ABS Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene
AEC ASEAN Economic Community
AEDP Alternative Energy Development Plan
ATSME Association for the Promotion of Thai Small and Medium Entrepreneurs
BAU Business As Usual
BMA Bangkok Metropolitan Administration
BOC Business Opportunity Center
BOI Board of Investment of Thailand
BSID Bureau of Supporting Industries Development
DEQP Department of Environment Quality Promotion
DIP Department of Industrial Promotion
DIW Department of Industrial Works
DPC Department of Public Cleansing
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
E-waste Electrical and electronics wastes
FPRI Fiscal Policy Research Institute Foundation
FTI Federation of Thai Industries
GDP Gross Domestic Product
GHG Greenhouse Gas
GWF Green World Foundation
HDPE High Density Poly Ethylene
HS-code Harmonized System Code
IPW Industrial Plastic Waste
ISWM Integrated Solid Waste Management
LAO Local Administrative Organization
LDPE Low Density Poly Ethylene
LLDPE Linear Low Density Poly Ethylene
MBT Mechanical Biological Treatment
MFA Material Flow Analysis
MIT Ministry of Industry Thailand
MIU Machine Intelligence Unit
MPW Municipal Plastic Waste
MRF Material Recovery Facility
MSW Municipal Solid Waste
MSWM Municipal Solid Waste Management
MNRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
NECTEC National Electronics and Computer Technology Center
NGOs Non-Profit Organizations
NIA National Innovation Agency
NIR Near-Infrared
OIE Office of Industrial Economics
PA Polyamide
PC Poly Carbonate
PCD Pollution Control Department
PE Polyethylene
PEMRG Plastics Europe Market Research Group
viii

PETE Polyethylene Terephthalate
PIT Plastic Institute of Thailand
PIU Plastic Intelligence Unit Website
PMMA Poly Methyl Methacrylate
POM Poly Oxymethylene
PP Polypropylene
PS Polystyrene
PVC Polyvinylchloride
PTIT Petroleum Thai Institute of Thailand
RDF Refuse Derived Fuel
RMUTT Rajamangala University of Technology Thunyaburi
RPF Refuse-Derived Paper and Plastic Densified Fuel
SCC Siam City Cement
SCG Siam Cement Group
SPEE Single Point Energy Engineering Company
SWOT Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
STAN Substance Flow Analysis
TBIA Thai Bioplastics Industry Association
TCMA Thai Cement Manufacturers Association
TEENET Thailand Energy and Environment Network
TEI Thailand Environment Institute Foundation
TIPMSE Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable
Environment
TISTR Thailand Institute of Scientific and Technological Research
TPA Thai Packaging Association
TPFRIA Thai Plastics Foam Recycling Industries Association
TPIA Thai Plastic Industries Association
UNEP United Nation Environment Programme
WHO World Health Organization
WtE Waste to Energy
ix

1.1 Background
Chapter 1
Introduction
Significant increase of municipal solid wastes (MSW) is one of the main environmental
issues in both of developed and developing countries. Population growth, urbanization, and
industrialization are the causes of increasing solid wastes. Solid wastes which are not
disposed properly will cause water and air pollution. The solid waste is also the one issue
which causes global warming. Greenhouse gases (GHG) which are contributed by the
waste combustion become the one major cause of global warming. Thus, the solid waste
must be managed and disposed correctly to protect the environment and human life.
The plastic is the one material which is much used as products in many applications such
as packaging, construction, electronic and electrical appliances, housewares, automobile,
etc. The plastic packages are produced and consumed more because their products are
flexible and lighter than glass and metal products. Thai people used 975 million
bottles/year of PET bottle and 2,880 million bottles/year of PE bottle in 2007 (TIPMSE,
2013). In 2008, they consumed 70 kg/capita/year or around 4.44 million tonnes/year
(PTIT, 2008). Moreover, they also used 2.18 million tonnes/year of plastic bag (carrier
bag) or around 5,000 million bags/year in 2011 (FPRI, 2011). After consumption, these
plastics become wastes which must be properly managed.
In Thailand, 15.98 million tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) was generated in 2011
or around 43,799 tonnes/day. The amount of plastic waste generation was 1.84 million
tonnes/year (12%) out of which plastic recycling was 29% in 2011 (PCD, 2011). Bangkok
generated 9,237 tonnes/day out of which the plastic waste generation was 2,300 tonnes/day
(25%) (GWF, 2013). Plastic wastes become one of the major problems of solid waste
management in Thailand. Most of plastic wastes are disposed at landfill sites, and plastic
wastes require 3 times of areas in landfills as compared with food wastes because they are
durable and resist to compaction. The plastic lifespan is more than 100 years, so the
government must prepare the free space at landfill sites for plastic waste disposal.
Waste reduction, reuse, and recycling are methods to solve environmental impacts and
MSW management problems. 3R policy is the one method to solve plastic waste problems.
There were many projects related to 3R policy in Bangkok that are done by producers,
consumers, central government, and local governments, but these projects are not
sustainable because people do not practice and continue projects without rewards or
scheme promotions.
According to the environmental management plan in 2012-2016, the waste management
target is that the percentage of waste recycling will increase 30% within 2016. The 3R
policy is promoted to reduce the amount of waste generation and improve much the
material recycling, composting, and waste to energy. The Plastic Institute of Thailand
stated that the biodegradable plastic will be produced as the “Green Product” within 2015
followed by the environmental management plan in 2012-2016. The biodegradable plastic
can be degraded easier than normal products, but it will be the one factor which increases
the plastic consumption and plastic wastes. Nevertheless, this product is not economical for
buyers because the cost is higher than conventional plastics.
1

Plastic wastes are mostly recycled into pelletizing as raw materials for plastic manufactures
(e.g. PET, PP, PE) because they make money and require low investment costs. There are
many oil recovery plants that use landfilled plastic wastes to produce fuel oil for vehicles
(PE and PP waste). These recycling are not suitable to solve the impacts from plastic
wastes because the recycled products require post-treatment, and the recycling process also
releases much pollution. Therefore, feasible technologies and policies for plastic recycling
have to be carried out for the future planning works of plastic waste management.
This study aims to identify and quantify the material flow of plastics in Thailand. The clear
representation of various processes and flows of plastic waste gives an account of which
particular sub-processes to be focused in terms of making a management decision to
improve overall plastic waste management. The current situation and issues of plastic
waste management problems and possibilities of improvement in plastic recycling and
recovery had been analyzed from the perspectives and suggestions from the relevant
stakeholders. Finally, the scenarios of plastic waste management are proposed through
improved recycling rate by appropriate technology, policy, and financial measures.
1.2 Objectives of Study
The objectives of this study are:
1.2.1 To identify and quantify the stocks and flows of plastic in Thailand, and present the
overview of existing status of plastic waste management in Thailand
1.2.2 To analyze the roles, responsibilities and characteristics of relevant stakeholders
and their contribution in plastic waste management.
1.2.3 To propose the priority scenarios of plastic waste management based on the
material flow and stakeholder analysis.
1.3 Scope and Limitations of the Study
This study illustrates the status of plastic waste generation and management practices in
Thailand, however, considering the practicalities the field visits Bangkok Metropolitan
Administration (BMA) has been chosen for field visits. Case of BMA is also important
because the metropolitan areas like BMA typically generates more volume of plastic
wastes, and has many of the plastic recycling activities (junk shops, waste banks, recycling
units-both formal and informal sectors), occurring within its jurisdiction. Methods of the
study involved secondary research, and primary data collection through field visits and
interview with relevant stakeholders as in plastic manufacturers, informal and formal
waste shops, plastic recycling facilities, as well as consumers, policymakers, officials from
BMA office, and other related government organizations, private institutions and
associations. The quantification of plastic flow and stock is based on the material flow
analysis (MFA) result, which considered a set of assumptions and a system boundary.
2

2.1 Solid Waste Management
2.1.1 Background
Chapter 2
Literature Review
“Municipal solid waste” (MSW) is a term usually applied to a heterogeneous collection of
wastes produced in urban areas, the nature of which varies from region to region. The
characteristics and quantity of the solid waste generated in a region is not only a function
of the living standard and lifestyle of the region's inhabitants, but also of the abundance
and type of the region's natural resources. Urban wastes can be subdivided into two major
components such as organic and inorganic (Tchobanoglous, 1993).
Integrated waste management is a frame of reference for designing and implementing new
waste management systems and for analyzing and optimizing existing systems. Integrated
waste management is based on the concept that all aspects of a waste management system
(technical and non-technical) should be analyzed together (Tchobanoglous, 1993).
Integrated solid waste management (ISWM) has four hierarchy of SWM. These contents
consist of source reduction and reuse, recycling/composting, energy recovery, and
treatment and disposal (landfills, incineration with energy recovery) (EPA, 2013a). Figure
2.1 shows the integrated solid waste management hierarchy.
Figure 2.1 Integrated solid waste management hierarchy (EPA, 2013a)
2.1.2 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recovery
Waste avoidance, waste reduction, and recycling are the principles that the industrialized
and developed country applied when they had to reduce their high amounts of wastes. The
3

4R principle includes recovery, recycling, reduction, and reuse which cause a reduction of
environmental pollution. The ultimate goal of these four terms are providing good
environment to the public (Dev, 2007). The sequence of the order will be changed
according to different processes. The categories of recycling are shown in Table 2.1.
Table 2.1 Categories of Recycling (Pichonsajja, 2002)
Type of recycling Examples
Reuse of article Returnable, refillable bottle
Non-sacrificial recycling: reuse of material Color-sorted glass cullet, newspaper re-
at similar quality level
pulping from newsprint production
Non-sacrificial recycling: reuse of material Roofing felt from paper wastes, fiber glass
at a lower quality level
insulation from plastic bottles
Sacrificial recycling: new use of material Road paving material from glass,
Thermal recycling: Conservation to storable
fuel
composting of paper
Pyrolysis of urban waste
Thermal recycling: Direct incineration to
produce energy
Incineration of urban waste
2.1.3 Waste disposal
Wastes from household, commercial zones, agriculture, and other are collected and transfer
to transfer stations, or burnt in incinerators, and disposed at landfills. The transfer station is
the facility where municipal solid waste is unloaded from collection vehicles before wastes
are disposed at landfills or other treatment or disposal facilities. The transfer station is built
because the distances between waste generation sources and disposal sites are so far. The
government will save money on the labor and maintenance and operating costs. They can
also reduce the total number of vehicular trips traveling to and from the disposal site (EPA,
2013b).
Combustion or incineration is the one method to reduce waste volume through burning
process. In addition, the heat energy generated can be used to convert water into steam or
generate electricity. Burning waste at extremely high temperatures also destroys chemical
compounds and disease-causing bacteria. The regular test ensures that residual ash is nonhazardous
before landfilling. Ten percent of the total ash in the combustion process is used
as daily cover in landfills and road construction (EPA, 2013c).
Landfill is the one of waste treatment in order to dispose solid wastes. Many landfills are
also used for waste management purposes, such as the temporary storage, consolidation
and transfer, or processing of waste material (sorting, treatment, or recycling). In general,
wastes are disposed at landfills are (1) confined to as small an area as possible, (2)
compacted to reduce their volume, and (3) covered (usually daily) with layers of soil. The
landfill site needed the specific operation and maintenance because it will cause many
environmental impacts if there is the lack of operating and monitoring followed the local
regulations, especially bad odor, groundwater contamination, and waste expanding to
environment.
4

2.2 Plastics
2.2.1 Types of plastics
2.2.1.1 Types depending upon Molecular Structure
Plastics are natural/synthetic materials. They are produced by chemically natural
substances (petrochemical products), or they are synthesized from inorganic and organic
raw materials. On the basis of their physical characteristics, plastics are divided into two
types such as thermosetting and thermoplastics (Transport Information Service, 2013).
1. Thermosetting plastic: The structure of plastics is same as the web because there
are many cross-linked chains of polymers, and this plastic is produced into many
structure products. It is not melted again compared to egg which is a hard form
after boiling, and it cannot be recycled. Thermosetting plastic consists of epoxy,
melamine, urea, phenolic, and unsaturated polyester.
2. Thermoplastic: This plastic has linear or branched chain structures which
determine their strength and thermal behavior. It is be melted by heat and setting
when temperature decrease compared to candle or ice which can back to product
again after using. At approximately 120 - 180°C, thermoplastics become a
pasty/liquid mass. It can be recycled and is easy to produce in large amounts, so it
is popular to use. Thermoplastic is generated in liquid or pellet forms because it is
easy to produce many formats of products. This plastic includes of polyethylene
(PE), low density poly ethylene (LDPE), high density poly ethylene (HDPE),
polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), and polyethyleneterephthalate
(PET).
2.2.1.2 Types depending upon Manufacturing and Recycling (SPI Codes)
In an attempt to bring order to plastics classification for recycling purposes, the Society of
the Plastic Industry (SPI), (U.S.) devised some voluntary codes in 1988. They are
commonly called SPI codes, and the numbers within the recycling arrows refer to different
types of plastic resins (NatureWorks LLC, 2013). There are seven types of thermoplastic
that is recycled as new products. The characteristics, products, and recycled products of
each type of plastic are shown in Table 2.2
Table 2.2 Codes, Characteristics of Plastics and Its Products (NatureWorks LLC,
2013 and PCD, 2004)
Type of plastic Characteristic Product Recycled product
PET/PETE
(Polyethylene
Terephthalate )
Clear, hard, tough,
barrier to gas and
water, and
resistance to heat
and grease/oil
Water bottle, cooking
oil bottle, strapping,
soda bottle, fiber for
clothing, carpets
5
Carpet in textile
industry, jackets,
bedding, packaging,
and bottle or container

Table 2.2 Codes, characteristics of plastics and its products (NatureWorks LLC, 2013
and PCD, 2004) (continued)
Type of plastic Characteristic Product Recycled product
HDPE
(High Density
Polyethylene)
PVC
(Polyvinyl
chloride/Vinyl)
LDPE
(Low Density
Polyethylene)
PP
(Polypropylene)
PS
(Polystyrene)
Other
Barrier to water,
chemical resistance,
hard to semi-flexible,
strong, soft waxy
surface, low cost,
permeable to gas
Transparent, hard
rigid, good chemical
resistance, long term
stability, electrical
insulation, low gas
permeability
Tough, flexible, waxy
surface, soft-scratches
easily, good
transparency, low
melting point, stable
electrical property,
moisture barrier
Excellent chemical
resistance, high
melting point, waxy
surface, translucent,
strong
2.2.2 Plastic production
Clear to opaque,
glassy surface, rigid,
hard, brittle, high
clarity, and affected
by fat and solvent
Produced by many
kinds of plastics (one
plastic consists of
more than two
monomers)
Milk bottle, shopping
bag, jerry can, film,
milk packaging, toy,
bucket, rigid pipe,
crates, bottle cap
Pipe and fitting, carpet
backing, window frame,
water/shampoo/
vegetable oil bottle,
credit card, wire and
cable sheathing, floor
covering, shoe sole
Agricultural film, rice
and sugar bag, carrier
bag, refuse sack,
packaging film, foam,
bubble wrap, flexible
bottle, wire and cable
applications
Yoghurt container, food
bag, drinking straw,
medicine bottle, crate,
plant pot, car battery
case, woven bag
Packaging pellet,
yoghurt container, fast
food tray, disposable
cutlery, and coat hanger
Baby bottle, street lamp,
skylight, canopy,
electronic and electrical
devices, construction
parts, furniture,
automotive parts
6
Pipe, household
appliance, flower
vase, bin, furniture,
bottles (not for
food)
Trough for
agriculture, water
supply pipe, traffic
cone, cable,
cassettes, plastic
chair, furniture,
artificial wood
Waste bag, carrier
bag, furniture,
plastic slab,
agricultural plastic
sheet
Plastic broom,
brush, buffer, and
battery case
Ruler, panel power
switch, thermal
insulation,
thermometer bulb,
egg tray
Flexible pipe, case
of electronic
appliance, office
devices
The plastic formation of Thai plastic industries can be grouped or divided into 13 groups
based on the different production processes such as blow molding, stretch blow molding,
injection molding, blow film extrusion, film extrusion, sheet extrusion, pipe/tube extrusion,
profile extrusion, rotational molding, thermoforming, laminating, tape yarn/filament,
compressed molding, and other (PIT, 2013). Table 2.3 shows the plastic formation
processes and its raw materials and products in Thailand.

Table 2.3 Plastic Formation Processes and Its Raw Materials and Products in
Thailand (PIT, 2013)
No. Formation process Raw material Product
1 Blow molding PP, PE, PET, HDPE Shampoo bottle, oil tank
2 Stretch blow molding PET, PP, HDPE Water bottle
3 Injection molding PP, PE, HDPE, ABS, PS, PC Housewares, automotive
parts, electronic devices
4 Blow film extrusion HDPE, LDPE, LLDPE Carrier bag
5 Film extrusion PP, PE, LDPE, HDPE Thin film, adhesive tape
6 Sheet extrusion PP, PE, PS, PMMA Sheet, document case
7 Pipe/tube extrusion PVC, PE, PP Water and wastewater pipe
8 Profile extrusion PVC Rigid, HDPE Window frame, rain gutter
9 Rotational molding PVC, HDPE, PP Water tank, bin, box
10 Thermoforming PS, PE, PP, PET Food tray, water cup
11 Laminating PE, PP Snack bag, multilayer bag
12 Tape yarn/filament PP, HDPE, PA6, PA66, PET Woven sack, jumbo bag
13 Compressed molding Melamine Kitchen sets
From the above Table, each formation process is different and consists of the specific
machine and technical operation. The details of the major plastic formation processes are
described as below:
1. Blow molding: First, the plastic resin is melted at the extruder by heat from the
electrical heater. Second, the screw compress the liquid/melted plastic throughout
the die head, and then the parison will be generated from the die head. This step
based on the movement between screw and open-closing of mold with the
hydraulic system. Third, the mold adjacent and blow the parison until fulfilling the
parison in the mold. Finally, cooling water from the chiller are used to make the
products set followed by the mold. Figure 2.2 presents the blow molding process.
Figure 2.2 Blow molding (PIT, 2013)
7

2. Injection molding: First, the plastic resin is through the electrical heater by the
screw in the injection unit. The electrical heater makes the resin be melted, and then
the liquid/melted plastic is pressed through the nozzle into mold which is closed.
The mold is cold by cooling water from the chiller. Finally, products will be
adjusted at the end of process before sale. Figure 2.3 shows the injection molding
process.
Figure 2.3 Injection molding (PIT, 2013)
3. Extrusion: The extrusion process consists of six different process for different
products e.g., blow film extrusion, film extrusion, sheet extrusion, pipe/tube
extrusion, profile extrusion, and tape yarn/filament extrusion. The different point of
six extrusion process is the die head depending upon forms of products. For
example, the die head for pipe/tube extrusion is thick and a pipe shape, while the
die head of sheet extrusion is wide, thick and like plate. The extrusion process flow
is shown in Figure 2.4, and Figure 2.5 shows the extrusion process for pipe/tube
production.
Extruder
Die
Head
Adjust Cooling Pull out
Figure 2.4 Extrusion process flow (PIT, 2013)
8
Rolling
Cutting
Storing

Figure 2.5 Extrusion process for pipe/tube production (SubsTech, 2013)
4. Rotational molding: First, the plastic resin/liquid is put into the mold which is
hollow. Second, the mold is moved into the high temperature room to rotate twoaxis
along with melting the plastic resin/liquid, and then the plastic pellet/liquid is
distributed following the mold by the gravity of material (is not centrifugal force).
Third, the mold is moved into the low temperature room in order to cool a product.
Figure 2.6 presents the rotational molding process.
Figure 2.6 Rotational molding (DPTECHECOLE, 2013)
5. Thermoforming: The plastic film/sheet is heated and melted at the first step of
thermoforming process, and then the melted plastic is pressed into the mold to
conform melted sheet to the mold. Finally, cooling water is used to cool the mold
and make a product sets. There are three different methods of forcing to produce
plastic products from thermoforming process e.g., vacuum forming, pressure
forming, and mechanical forming. The details of each method are:
9

Vacuum forming: A vacuum is formed between the mold cavity and the
thermoplastic sheet. The vacuum pressure (typically 14 psi) forces the
sheet to conform to the mold and form the part shape. Figure 2.7 shows
the vacuum forming method.
Figure 2.7 Vacuum forming (CUSTOMPART.NET, 2013)
Pressure forming: In addition to utilizing a vacuum underneath the
sheet, air pressure (typically 50 psi, but up to 100 psi) is applied on the
back side of the sheet to help force it onto the mold. This additional
force allows the forming of thicker sheets and creating finer details,
textures, undercuts, and sharp corners. Figure 2.8 shows the pressure
forming method.
Figure 2.8 Pressure forming (CUSTOMPART.NET, 2013)
Mechanical forming: The thermoplastic sheet is mechanically forced
into or around the mold by direct contact. Typically, a core plug will
push the sheet into the mold cavity and force it into the desired
shape. Figure 2.9 presents the mechanical forming method.
10

Figure 2.9 Mechanical forming (CUSTOMPART.NET, 2013)
6. Laminate: This process uses the plastic liquid to coat materials (e.g., paper, plastic,
textile, etc.) depending on the demand of market. There are many methods for
coating materials such as electrostatic and heating. Figure 2.10 shows the example
of laminate processing.
Figure 2.10 Laminate processing (Best In Packaging, 2013)
7. Compressed molding: First, the plastic resin is weighted to set the certain weight
based on needs of market. Then, it is baked to remove the moisture content. Third,
it is put into the mold. After closing the mold, it is pressed following free space in
the mold. Next, the pressing should be slow to distribute the heat cover all a
product. Finally, plastic will be set and cool when the time is over. Figure 2.11
presents the compressed molding process.
11

2.2.3 Uses of plastic
Figure 2.11 Compressed molding (Newth Design, 2013)
Last few years have been disordered for plastics and petrochemical sector due to steep rise
in oil prices, which has adversely affected the global economies. Feed stock and newer
petrochemical are produced in Middle-east countries (i.e. Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc.).
The ethylene (PE) is produced about 35 million tonnes/year, and polypropylene (PP)
capacity reach to about 7 million tonnes/year in 2010. Asia has been world’s largest
plastics consumer for several years, accounting for about 30% of the global consumption
excluding Japan. North America is the second plastic consumer (26%), and then Western
Europe consumes 23% of plastic products (CIPET, 2013). In 2011, the consumption of
plastic increase because there are many development project and population rising. Plastic
material growth is the innovation of newer areas that have development such as increasing
plastics applications in automobile, transportation, defense and aerospace, medical and
healthcare, electrical & electronic devices, construction and furniture.
The consumption of plastic per capita is the one indicator which presents the amount of
plastic used. The highest consumption of plastics is the North America which consumed
147 kilograms/capita, this consumption rate was increased compared to 2010. Similarly,
the South East Asia used 10 kilograms/capita of plastics in 2010, and then it consumed 24
kilograms/capita of plastics in 2011. In the Western Europe, the plastic consumption rate
was 65 and 136 kilograms/capita in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
Plastics Europe Market Research Group (2011) mentioned that the total amount of plastic
production in the European was 4.7 million tonnes in 2011. The highest plastic production
was packaging (39%), and twenty one percent of plastic products were used for building
and construction. Figure 2.12 presents the European plastics demand by segment in 2011.
12

Other
27%
Automotiv
e
8%
Electrical
&
Electroic
5%
Figure 2.12 European plastics demand by segment in 2011 (PEMRG, 2011)
According to Plastic Institute of Thailand (2013), Thai plastic industries produce many
kinds of plastics which are used in different works such as packaging, construction and
furniture, automobile, electrical and electronic, housewares, medical devices, agriculture,
and other. A brief overview of the many uses for plastics is following:
1. Packaging: The packaging industry is the most popular in both oh Thailand and the
world. The plastic packages are usually produced from thermoplastics such as PET,
HDPE, LDPE, PP, and PS. The packages include bottle, film, bag, tray, box, and
other food containers. Certain plastic have excellent impenetrable properties, acting
as barriers to oxygen, water vapor, and other substances which are to be kept either
in or out of containers.
2. Construction and furniture: The building industry is the second largest consumer
of plastic products. The construction requires high density polyethylene (HDPE)
and polyvinyl chlorides (PVC) for pipes and siding sheets. Plastic are diversely
used as insulators, door and window frames, moldings, screws, and hardware all
contain plastics.
3. Automobile: A variety of plastic is used in the manufacture of automobiles, trucks
and even air planes. There are many types of plastic materials which are used to
produce motorcycles, passenger cars, and trucks e.g., ABS, PA, PBT, PC, PE,
POM, PMMA, PET, PVC, PP, PS, PU, etc. Plastic products of the automotive
industry include fuel lines, brake linings, windshield wipers, tires, bumpers,
speedometer gears, emission canisters, headlights, steering wheels, and fuel pumps
all contain tough plastics. More flexible plastics are used for interior paneling,
seats, and trim.
4. Electrical and Electronic Devices: Many plastics are used in the electronic and
electrical industries such as ABS, PA, PBT, PC, PMMA, POM, PP, PS, PU, PE,
PET, and others. The examples of plastic products in the electronic and electrical
devices are refrigerator, television, radio, computer, mobile phone, fan, microwave,
coffee makers and wires/cables of devices.
13
Packaging
39%
Building &
Constructi
on
21%

5. Housewares: This kind of product is the tools which are always used in household.
The plastic materials which used to produce housewares products include PP, PET,
PC, PS, and PE. The most popular products consist of tupperware, carpets, as
bottles, shower heads dishes, cups, glasses, toothbrush, toys, chairs, tables, cloth
hangers, combs, trays, skylights, eye glasses, keys, door knobs, shelf, bed, etc.
6. Agriculture: There are many kinds of agriculture products which are produced
from different materials such as metals, glasses, and plastics, but the plastic
products for agriculture are consumed more than metal/glass products because it is
strong and durable as well as metal/glass materials. PVC and HDPE pipes are the
most popular products for agriculture. The other products for agriculture work are
LDPE film, PP woven sack, HDPE bottles, plant pot, gutter, and PC roof
7. Medical devices: Plastic products are also used in the hospital, so this plastic
products must be safe and not cause any harmful with patients/consumers. There
are many plastic materials that are used to produce the medical devices such as
PVC, HDPE, PET, etc. The medical plastic products include flexible tube, saline
bag, medicine bottle, syringe, gloves, film x-ray, and others.
8. Others: this group consists of stationery product, footwear, toys, sporting goods,
textile, and wearing apparels. This group has low production capacity compared to
other groups. All plastic materials are used to generate the products in this group,
and the example products include pen, pencil, document case, racquet, clasper,
bracelet, necklace, rings, doghouse, and others.
2.3 Plastic Waste Management
After consumption, plastic products become wastes, and plastic wastes are generated from
different sources such as household/community, industries, and agriculture. The first waste
collection and storage is done at the street bins or industrial waste store, and there may be
waste separation by consumers and waste pickers. After that, plastic wastes are collected
and transported by the waste collection truck. Then, plastic wastes are properly disposed by
incineration and landfilling, or they are recycled into materials, chemicals, and energy.
The plastic waste recycling is the one suitable method to manage wastes through the 3R
principle in order to reduce the amounts of plastic waste generation and disposal.
Moreover, the material recycling also makes the petroleum resource consumption
decreases because plastics are produces from petroleum which is the limited resource.
There are four categories of recycling are considered as following (Dev, 2007):
1. Primary Recycling: It can be define as recycling of uniform, uncontaminated
plastic waste produced from manufacturing plastic products. Only thermoplastics
can be directly reprocessed. It can be used alone or mixed with virgin materials at
various ratios. Primary recycling can be performed in the plant itself through small
re-processor standard units.
2. Secondary Recycling: It can be defined as recycling by separated series of systems
of operation for plastic materials such as post-consumer waste recovered from the
municipal wastes. Post-consumer wastes are obtained from returnable packages and
industrial wastes which cannot be used for primary recycling that are single wastes
or mixed wastes.
14

3. Tertiary Recycling: This recycling can be defined as the extraction of chemicals
from plastic wastes. Some common methods of chemical extraction are pyrolysis,
hydrolysis, glycolysis, etc.
4. Quaternary Recycling: Quaternary recycling or recuperation of energy can be
defined as the recovery of energy from wasted. Some recovery of energy processes
is by burning the waste in steam-generated incinerators and in heat exchangers,
pyrolysis, hydrogenation, anaerobic digestion, etc.
There are many recycling technologies in order to convert plastic wastes into new
products, fuels, and energy. Recyclable plastic wastes sorted and collected before
converting to other products. The pre-treatment is needed such as separation, washing and
cleaning, size reduction, classification, drying, etc. Figure 2.13 shows about the pretreatment
of each type of plastic wastes and plastic waste recycling.
Figure 2.13 Pretreatment of each type of plastic wastes and plastic waste recycling
From above Figure, there are three ways to recycle plastic wastes such as material
recycling, chemical recycling, and energy recovery (waste to energy). The different
recycling has the different technologies, machines, processes, and operations. The details
of each plastic waste recycling are described as below:
2.3.1 Energy recovery (plastic waste to energy; WtE)
2.3.1.1 Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF)
According to UNEP (2009), the solid fuels are produced from solid wastes which have
high calorific values, and solid wastes that are used to covert to solid fuels are kitchen
wastes, used paper, waste wood, plastics, and other dry feedstock. There are two types of
solid fuels such as RDF (refuse derived fuel), RPF (refuse-derived paper and plastic
densified fuel). RDF is usually made from municipal solid wastes (wastes wood, paper,
plastics, etc.), while RPF consists of plastic and paper wastes. The solid fuel production
15

process usually involves two steps, pre-treatment (pre-treatment includes coarse shredding
and removal of non-combustible materials) and pellet production (pellet production
comprises secondary shredding and pelletizing (

Figure 2.15 Schematic diagram of a pelletizing process (UNEP, 2009)
Small-scale model (150 kg/hr)
This small-scale model does not have pre-treatment process, (as aforementioned, a sorting
process is not required if properly segregated waste can be collected) so the combustible
wood, paper and plastic waste is directly fed into the crusher of the facility. After crushing
the materials, they are transported through a pipe conveyor and are introduced into a twinscrew
pelletizer.
The heating value of solid fuels depends on the composition of the material contained
especially RDF. RPF heating values can be controlled easily due to using the dry and
sorted plastic wastes which have been collected and separated from industries and
companies. The heating values of various fuels and wastes are shown in Table 2.4.
Table 2.4 Heating Values of Various Fuels and Wastes (UNEP, 2009)
Fuel or waste Typical heating value (kcal/kg)
RDF 4,000-5,000
RPF 6,000-8,000
Coal 6,000-8,000
Heavy oil 9,500
Wood/paper 4,300
Plastics (PE) 11,000
MSW 1,000-1,500
17

Refuse Derived Fuel in Thailand
There are many RDF plants in Thailand such as Pitsanulok municipality, TPI Polene
Company, GEOCYCLE Company, etc. RDF can be produced from fresh MSW and
landfilled wastes. The processing includes pretreatment, separation, and size reduction.
First of all, wastes are unloaded at the unloading area, and then wastes are dried for 6-8
hours. The first size separation is operated by trammel (see Figure 2.16) to prepare 300
mm. wastes. Next, there is the separation between heavy waste and light waste by the
separation machine (see Figure 2.17). This step can separate the non-combustible wastes
(e.g., metal, glass, soil, stone, ceramic, etc.) out of combustible wastes. After that, the first
size reduction is started to prepare 90 mm. wastes by shredding machine.
Figure 2.16 Trammel
Figure 2.17 Separation machine (TPI Polene Ltd., Co., 2011)
The next process is separation by NIR sorting machine (see Figure see Figure 2.18) and
inspection by NIR scanner machine (see Figure 2.19). In general, the moisture content of
RDF is less than 25%, and wastes will be dried again if they have more than 25% of
moisture content. This step also inspects the calorific value and chloride contained of RDF
before using in the incineration. Finally, the size reduction machine is used to reduce the
size of wastes into 30 mm., and then RDF is stored in the silo.
Figure 2.18 NIR sorting machine Figure 2.19 NIR scanner machine
18

2.3.1.2 Waste incineration
Current widely used methods of power generation from waste incineration are stoker
incineration, gasification with melting furnace, and gasification with reformer furnace.
Gasification with melting furnace waste power generation first converts waste to gas at a
high temperature then uses the emitted pyrolysis gas and char as fuel to turn a steam
turbine and generate power.
This method turns the burned ash into a solid. Gasification with reformer furnace power
generation subjects the waste to pyrolysis, and then adds oxygen to the resulting gas,
carbonized solids, tar and other substances. Gas rich in carbon monoxide and steam is
recovered and used as fuel for power generation or as chemical feedstock. Any method of
gasification for waste material can be used with shaft furnaces, fluidized bed furnaces or
rotary kilns. Also, power can be generated not only via steam turbines, but also with high
efficiency gas engines, gas turbines and fuel cells. Figure 2.20 shows the gasification and
melting furnace power generation system.
Figure 2.20 Gasification and melting furnace power generation system (Plastic Waste
Management Institute, 2009)
2.3.2 Chemical recycling (feedstock recycling)
2.3.2.1 Liquid fuel production (plastic waste to oil)
Plastics are produces from petroleum, so they can be recycled into resources. The products
which are generated from this oil recovery are gasoline, diesel, benzene, naphtha, and fuel
oil. PE, PP, and PS, are preferred for this recycling. The production method for the
conversion of plastics to liquid fuel is based on the pyrolysis of the plastics and the
condensation of the resulting hydrocarbons. Pyrolysis refers to the thermal decomposition
of the matter under an inert gas like nitrogen.
Plastics are decomposed at 450 to 550 °C in the pyrolysis reactor. In the reactor,
hydrocarbon gases are produced, so the condenser unit is needed to change the form of
19

product from gas into liquid. The product produced in the reactor is crude oil, and then
crude oil must distilled to separate each kind of petroleum products depending on the
boiling point. The liquid hydrocarbons are then collected in a storage tank through a
receiver tank. Gaseous hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propylene and butanes can
be used as fuel for pyrolysis reactor or are incinerated in a flare stack (UNEP, 2009).
Figure 2.21 presents a schematic diagram of a liquid fuel production plant, and the
overview of oil recovery plant is shown in Figure 2.22.
Figure 2.21 Schematic diagram of a liquid fuel production plant (UNEP, 2009)
Figure 2.22 Oil recovery plant (PCD, 2011)
20

2.3.2.2 Gasification: Plastics are converted to gas for use as a raw material in the chemical
industry
The gasification process includes heating plastic wastes and supplying oxygen which is
limited. Most of plastic wastes are transformed into hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and
water. First of all, sand in the reactor is heated at 600-800 ºC, and it is circulated inside a
first-stage gasification furnace. Plastic wastes are fed into the furnace break down on
contact with the sand to form hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, hydrogen and char.
The gas from the low-temperature gasification furnace is reacted with steam at a
temperature of 1,300-1,500 ºC in a second-stage high-temperature gasification furnace to
produce a gas composed mainly of carbon monoxide and oxygen (see in Figure 2.23). At
the furnace outlet, the gas is rapidly cooled to 200 ºC or below to prevent the formation of
dioxins. Then, the gas passes through a gas scrubber and any remaining hydrogen chloride
is neutralized by alkalis and removed from the synthetic gas. This synthetic gas is used as a
raw material in the chemical industry to produce chemicals such as hydrogen, methanol,
ammonia and acetic acid.
Figure 2.23 Gasification process for converting plastic wastes to chemicals (PCD, 2011)
2.3.2.3 Coke oven chemical feedstock recycling: Plastic waste reused in coke ovens
This recycling makes a coke by baking coal and hydrocarbon oil which can be produced
from plastic wastes. At these plants, plastic waste collected from households is first
shredded, and the other wastes are removed such as iron and glass. The PVC waste is also
removed before heating plastic waste to 100 ºC and granulating. Then plastic wastes are
mixed with coal and fed into the carbonization chamber of a coke oven. The carbonization
chamber has combustion chambers on both sides which heat the content indirectly. This
method only makes plastic wastes crack inside the chamber at a high temperature in order
to produce coke for use as the reducing agent in coke ovens. Hydrocarbon oil can be used
as chemical feedstock in the chemical industry, and coke oven gas is used to generate
electricity (Plastic Waste Management Institute, 2009). Figure 2.24 shows the process of
Coke oven chemical feedstock recycling.
21

Figure 2.24 Coke oven chemical feedstock recycling (Plastic Technology Center, 2008)
2.3.2.4 Blast furnace feedstock recycling: Plastics used as a reducing agent
The process by which plastics are used as a reducing agent is as follows. Plastic waste
collected from factories and homes is cleansed of non-combustible matter and other
impurities such as metals, then finely pulverized and packed to reduce its volume. Plastics
that do not contain PVC are granulated, and then fed into the blast furnace with coke.
Plastics that do contain PVC are fed into the blast furnace after first separating the
hydrogen chloride at a high temperature of around 350 ºC in the absence of oxygen, as the
emission of hydrogen chloride can damage a furnace. The hydrogen chloride thus extracted
is recovered as hydrochloric acid and put to other uses, such as acid scrubbing lines for hot
rolling at steel mills.
2.3.3 Material Recycling
There are many treatments and processes for plastic waste recycling such as washing to
remove dirt and contaminants, grinding and crushing to reduce the plastic particle size,
extrusion by heat and reprocessing into new plastic goods.
Mechanical recycling is limited by the non-compatibility between the different types of
polymers in the mix. A higher quality of recycled plastics is achieved when there is the
separation of recycled resins prior to the remolding process. Moreover, the color of
recycled resins is also the one important issue of material recycling, especially grey color
of recycled resins which is an undesirable color. Recycled plastics cannot be used in food
containers, unless direct content with the food can be avoided. The recycled products are
usually produced by two plastic resins such as recycled resin and virgin resin, and the
proportion of both resins is based on the demand of market. Some material recycling are
described as below:
22

2.3.3.1 Pelletizing
Pelletizing can produce recycled plastic resins from plastic wastes in order to use recycled
resins for plastic production again. First of all, plastic wastes are sorted into seven specific
types followed by SPI code. Plastic wastes should be shredded to reduce the size of plastic
wastes from product form into flakes before pelletizing. Then, shredded and agglomerated
materials can be used directly for pelletizing processes to produce plastic resins/pellets.
The pelletizing process requires the extrusion machine to produce plastic pellets. The main
functions of the extrusion machine are mixing of various substances/homogenization,
compression, degassing, plasticization, and melt filtration. In the first step of pelletizing,
plastic flakes mixing with additives (e.g., pigments which are added to make different
colors of plastic pellets) are fed into the hopper of the extruder. Figure 2.25 gives a
schematic overview of the pelletizing process.
Figure 2.25 Schematic overview of pelletizing (Plastic Technology Center, 2008)
Plastic flakes are fed to the hopper, and then they go through a rotating screw. Next, they
are forced down the barrel to the extrusion die head. Electric heaters, water or air coolers
are fitted around the barrel to control the temperature. Heat from friction along with the
heat cremating from the heating elements fitted around the barrel cause plasticization.
Plastic flakes are compressed inside the extrusion, and then they are screwed to the die
head. There is a filter screen to remove any solid particles/residue wastes during
processing.
The spaghetti-like plastic strings that are sent out of the extrusion die head will be cooled
by passing them through water bath. The strings which are supported by rollers placed at
the end of the water basin are strained into the pelletizer. The pelletizer chops the strings
into short, uniform, and cylindrical pellets that are ready for use in the plastic
manufacturing. In addition, residue wastes generated by this process can be extruded again.
Figure 2.26 presents the recycled pellets from the extrusion process.
23

2.3.3.2 Re-melted to make products
PET bottles from sorted household wastes are collected, compressed and packed by
municipalities for transportation to plants operated by recycling businesses. At the
recycling plant, the waste is sorted to remove impurities, and the remaining PET bottles
then shredded and cleaned, foreign bodies are non-resins are removed and the remainder
turned into flakes and pellets for recycling. The recycled materials are then sent to textile
and sheet-making plants, where they are again melted down to make into textile and sheet
products (Plastic Waste Management Institute, 2009).
2.3.3.3 Monomerization: PET bottles to PET bottles
The method chemically decomposes the used PET bottles into their component monomers
(de-polymerization), and they are made into new PET bottles from this stage.
2.3.4 Case study of plastic waste recycling
2.3.4.1 Waste recycling in Thailand
Wongpanit Company is an example of success in recycling activities with the cooperation
of informal sector and public participation. The company buys at least 100 different kinds
of wastes, mainly plastic, paper, metal, and glass bottles. About 20 percent of recycled
materials are exported to China, the rest sold on domestic market. The company earns 200
million Baht in 1999. The business does not only increase the revenue of people, who
participate in recycling activities, it has, at the same time, halved the daily volume of waste
collected (Kittikanya, 2001).
The most plastic collected by the Wongpanit Company are Polypropylene (PP),
Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), and Polyvinylchloride (PVC). After collection, the
company always sorts plastic wastes into each of these four groups. In each group, plastic
wastes are also sorted into different colors such as clear, green, red, white, blue, and black.
Contaminants (e.g. aluminum, foils, etc.) must be removed. The plastic is then crushed,
washed, dried, packed and sent to a plastic recycling plant in Samut Prakarn province.
Some types of plastic are not recycled in Thailand, e.g. PVC because the quality of
recycled PVC is lower than the virgin materials. PVC plastic scraps are exported to
Myanmar, where there is a market for the lower quality products. Polyethylene plastic
(PET) from cooking oil and some water bottles are packed with a hydraulic compactor and
exported to China for making elastic fibers and textile fibers (Foppes, 2000).
2.3.4.2 Waste recycling in Hong Kong
About 1.6 million tons of plastic wastes were recovered in Hong Kong. The amount
recovered in 2010 increased by 366 thousand tons (or 30%) as compared with 2009. The
recovered plastic waste was mostly exported to the Mainland and Vietnam for recycling
(99.8% or 1.5 million tons).
Most local plastic recyclers consume only clean plastic wastes. The plastic waste recycling
process starts with the sorting by resin types. The plastics are rinsed to remove
24

contaminants. The sorted and washed waste is then crushed before melting and pelletizing.
The pellets produced will be sold to plastic product manufacturers as raw material.
The Government has been promoting waste recycling through the use of 3-colored waste
separation bins placed at housing estates and public places. Plastic recyclables to be
collected by bins include not only plastic bottles (e.g. beverage bottles, shampoo bottles),
but also used plastic bags, plastic containers (e.g. buckets), plastic toys, plastic flower-pots,
CDs and expanded polystyrene packaging materials etc. (Environmental Protection
Department, 2012).
2.4 Laws and Policies Related to Plastic Waste Management in Thailand
2.4.1 Related laws in Thailand
2.4.1.1 Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act, B.E.
2535 (1992)
Three chapters of the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality
Act should be amended. They are chapter 1 on the National Environment Board, Chapter 2
on the Environment Fund, and Chapter 3 Penalties (Proposed amendments are italicized
and boldfaced) (PCD, 1998)
1. Chapter 1 on the National Environment Board
Another subparagraph should be inserted in to Section 13 as follows: amended “(15) To
determine lists of goods and collection rates for packaging and waste residue tax,
subject to the cabinet’s approval”
2. Chapter 2 on the Environment Fund
The Section 23 bis are proposed for the Fund which shall be used for following activities
The Fund will support the packaging waste and waste residue management program
of local authorities/governments, as specified by the Environmental Fund
Committee.
The Fund will reimburse industrial operations and importers for their recovery of
packaging waste and waste residues from consumers when they meet the criteria
specified by the Environmental Fund Committee.
The Fund can be used to monitor, inspect and assess the Pollution Control
Department’s performance in packaging waste and waste residue management,
subject to the approval of the Environmental Fund Committee.
The Fund can be used to support activities undertaken by the Hazardous Substances
and Waste Management Division, Pollution Control Department, Ministry of
Science, Technology and Environment to develop systems, approaches and
methods to better manage and utilize packaging waste and waste residues, subject
to the approval of the Environmental Fund Committee.
The Fund will cover the administrative costs that may arise from the management.
25

3. Chapter 7 on penalties
It should incorporate a new section: “Section… A taxpaying person who fails to pay
packaging waste and waste residue tax, pays after the due date, or pays less than the
rate specified under Section 23 ter shall be liable to a penalty of…”
2.4.1.2 Excise Tariff Act, B.E. 2527 (1984) and Customs Tariff Act, B.E. 2530 (1987)
If the Excise Department and Customs Department are to collect packaging and residue
fees in addition to the current fees they are required law to collect, the laws should be
amended.
Case 1
The annex to the Excise Tariff Act (1984) should be amended so that packaging and
residue tax is added to the tax rate according to the value or the amount of the packaged
goods for local markets. There are eight parts of tax rate such as oil and palm oil, drinks,
electrical appliances, glass and glassware, automobiles, boats, fragrance and cosmetics, and
other.
Case 2
The annex to the Customs Tariff Act (1987) should be amended so that packaging and
residue tax is added to the duty rate according to the price or the condition of the imported
packaged goods from abroad. The goods are listed in Part 2 of Imported Tariffs, Categories
1-21 (Parts 1-97). Category 7: plastic and articles made of plastic, rubber and articles
made from rubber (Parts 39-40).
2.4.2 Related policies in Thailand
1. 4R policy
There is 4R policy that consists of reduce, reuse, recycle, and research. Reduce is less use
at sources, and Reuse is repeat use of products again and again. Recycle is new products
generation from used products, and Research is study and find the innovation to improve
the sustainable development (PCD, 2004).
2. Eco-design
Packaging Division from Bureau of Supporting Industries Development (BSID) in
Thailand provides “Eco-design or Design for Environment” to support the sustainable
development principle and reduce the environmental impacts from plastic wastes. Ecodesign
consists of single component product, recyclable product, and product that is easy to
dispose and separate (PCD, 2004).
3. Waste to Energy
Governmental policy has set renewable energy as the national agenda. It promotes
production and utilization of renewable energy by the Subsidy Adder.
26

Conversion of solid wastes to energy consists of 5 technologies which are incinerator;
refuse derived fuel (RDF), biogas production by anaerobic digestion, conversion of plastic
to gasoline, and Plasma Arc. Each type is suitable differently to f, depending on various
factors including quantity, component and separation of solid wastes, number of personnel,
investment cost operation cost, land requirement, local potentiality, network of
municipality neighbors, readiness of people-ware, acceptance of community and readiness
for use (PCD, 2011).
4. Public participation
Public participation level can be divided into 5 levels, which are informing, consultation,
involvement, collaboration, and empowerment. Local administration organizations have to
consider the level of participation that is appropriate to the project and local condition.
Conducting public participation or public hearing in the decision making process of the
governmental organization is mandated by law (PCD, 2011).
2.5 Material Flow Analysis (MFA)
2.5.1 Background of MFA
MFA is the tool to support resource management, waste management, and environmental
management. The flows and stocks of material are presented through the processing of
materials, and the quantities of each flow and stocked are assessed and illustrated in the
material flow. The important issue is the balance of input and output of material flow
which is carefully checked and calculated. A stock is a part of a process comprising the
mass that is stored within the process. The accumulation of material stocks is identified
either to take implementation or to promote future material utilization. The import is
materials that are imported in process or system, and the export is goods which are
exported out of processing or system.
MFA can be used to identify major changes in the material flow. Thus, it is also used to
analyze resources, cost-effective of waste management, and planning. The goal of waste
flow analysis is a design and planning of new waste treatment or recycling facilities. For
example, plastic wastes that contain high contaminants and cannot be recycled can be used
as secondary fuel in industries for energy recovery.
MFA procedure includes (see in Figure 2.26):
Definition of problem and specific objectives
Selection of relevant substances, system boundaries, processes, and goods
Assessment of mass flows of goods
Assessment of substance concentrations in goods
Calculation of substance flows
Consideration of uncertainties
Presentation of results
Simulation of scenarios
The system is defined by one or several processes, in the interaction between the processes
(fluxes of goods or substances) and the system boundary between these process and other
processes located outside the system border (Brunner and Rechberger, 2005).
27

Adjust system
Problem Definition
System definition Selection of
substances
Selection of
boundaries
Determination
of flows and
stocks
2. Refine
material flows
Adjustment
Selection of
goods
Determination of mass flows
Balancing of goods
Determination of Concentrations
Balancing of substances
Illustration and Interpretation
28
Selection of
processes
1. Refine
mass flows
1. Refine
concentration
Figure 2.26 MFA procedure (Brunner and Rechberger, 2005)
2.5.2 Case study of MFA for plastic waste management
1. Australia and Poland
In 2004, plastic wastes were generated 952 tons/year, and the plastic consumption rate was
116 kg/cap/year in Austria. There were 2,000 tons/year of plastic waste generation and 55
kg/cap/year of plastic consumption in Poland. Most of plastic wastes that were generated in
Poland were disposed at landfills, while plastic wastes were used to produce electricity
from energy recovery process in Austria. Although the plastic waste generation per capita
is in Poland 50 % lower than in Austria the difference is expected to diminish in the future
as the increase of plastics consumption has been significantly more dynamic in Poland in
the last decade (Bogucka and Brunner, 2007). These countries had the different waste
treatment and waste recycling rate. Table 2.5 shows the rates of plastic waste recycled,
thermally treated and land-filled in those both countries.
Table 2.5 Rate of Recycling, Thermal-Treatment, and Landfilling (Bogucka and
Brunner, 2007)
Waste treatment Percentage (%) of each rate
Austria Poland
Recycling 14 5
Energy recovery 60 4
Landfilling 26 91
2. Redetermine goods
Redefine problems

In 1994, the stock of plastic products in Austria was 7.1 million tons. While it reached 11
million tons after ten year later. In Poland, the stocks of plastic goods are estimated around
23 million tons. The annual increasing of stocks is approximately 9% in Poland and 3-4%
in Austria (Brunner, Bogucka and Kosinska, 2008). The material flow of plastic wastes in
Austria is shown in Figure 2.27.
Figure 2.27 Material flow of plastic wastes in Austria, 2004 (Brunner, Kosinska and
Bogucka, 2008)
The plastic waste management goals of this MFA study were to increase the stocks of
plastic products in consumption process (change from short-live product to long-live
product). The stock of plastic products increased into 60% within the period 1944-2004.
The second is to ban or limit the hazardous substances that contain in plastics products
such as cadmium, zinc, lead, etc. the plastic recycling will be done easily if the hazardous
substances are eliminated.
Most of plastic wastes in Poland are disposed at landfills (90%). The alternative methods
or treatment for waste management should be improved. Plastic wastes can be converted
into fuels, or used to generate electricity. There will have the new laws and policies to
increase the recycling rate. For example, the Austrian Landfill Ordinance implementation
in 2004 promoted thermal treatment of waste: at 60% of plastic wastes are incinerated and
used for energy recovery compared to energy recovery from incineration in 1994 (10%).
2. India
The relationship between plastic consumption rate and GDP per capita are used to identify
the amount of plastic wastes in the future. During the last decade the total consumption of
plastic grew twice as fast (12%) as the GDP growth rate based on purchasing power parties
(6%). The percentage of plastics in municipal solid waste has also increased significantly
from 0.7% in 1971 to 4% in 1995.
29

There are 0.25 million workers in recycling sector. More than 90% of the workers are
employed in the processing and recycling sector out of the total 0.45 million employees.
Informal enterprises are usually not registered and thus evade rules and regulations, e.g. tax
laws, minimum wage laws, accounting and workplace safety. Recycled products are
available at a 20–40% lower price than the same products manufactured from virgin
plastics. While the latter are preferred by the middle and upper classes, the cheaper
recycled products certainly serve the markets of the low-income classes of Indian society.
Figure 2.28 shows the material flow of plastic wastes in India for 2000/2001.
Figure 2.28 Material flow of plastic wastes in India for 2000/2001 (Mutha, Patel and
Premnath, 2006)
The policies are needed to manage the problem from plastic waste recycling in India. There
is the plastic ban in some cities, and the promoting of long-term of product used. For the
future trends, plastic waste disposal at landfill will increase and recycling rate will decrease
because the long lifespan of products will change the characteristic of plastic which is not
suitable for recycling (Mutha, Patel and Premnath, 2006).
2.6 Stakeholder Analysis
2.6.1 Background of stakeholder analysis
Stakeholders are any person, groups or organizations who can be positively or negatively
impacted, or cause an impact on projects or activities proposed. Stakeholders include
international/donors, national political (legislators, governors), public, social security
agency, ministry of finance), labor (unions, medical associations), commercial/private
sectors, non-profit organizations (NGOs, foundations), civil society, and users/consumers.
There are two kinds of stakeholders such as primary and secondary stakeholders. First,
primary stakeholders are most affected by positive (beneficiaries) and negative (losers)
impacts. Second, secondary stakeholders are the intermediaries/relatives of projects or
activities proposed. Key stakeholders are both of winner and loser who can significantly
influence, or are important for the success of the project.
30

Stakeholder analysis is a process to collect and analyze qualitative information for
determining whose interests should be taken into account when developing or
implementing a policy or program (Schmeer, 2013).
2.6.2 Methodology of stakeholder analysis
The analysis consists of knowledge of the policy, interests related to the project, position
for the project, potential alliances with other stakeholders, and ability to affect the project
process. Stakeholder analysis is used to identify the key actors and to assess their
knowledge, interests, positions, alliances, and importance related to the project. There are
four major steps in the process such as (1) Identifying key stakeholders, (2) Collecting and
recording the information, (3) Filling data in the stakeholder table, and (4) Analyzing the
stakeholder table.
1. Identifying key stakeholders
There are many key words that are used to consider and help to lists stakeholders of the
project. Figure 2.29 presents the key words for identifying stakeholders. First, importance,
influence, and strengths of stakeholders include roles/actions of stakeholders, results of
actions of stakeholders, and levels of those impacts. One stakeholder will be the most
important stakeholder if it can affect other stakeholders and has a driven force to directly
affect all stakeholders. For example, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment
provides funds to develop the plastic waste management project, and it also declares
policies and laws of this project. This fund helps others to do their works, and those laws
affect all stakeholders positively and negatively.
Second, types and stage of stakeholders are divided into two types such as primary and
secondary stakeholders. Third, networks and communication of stakeholders include
information exchange/linkage between stakeholders, and these stakeholders play a role as
third parties which are intermediate between stakeholders or are called secondary
stakeholders. Thirds, resources consist of providers/suppliers, resource preparers,
governors, and traders. These provide resources for the project. Finally, special
considerations and engagement levels of stakeholders are considers the relationship
between stakeholders and specific characteristics of special stakeholders.
Figure 2.29 Key words for identifying stakeholder (On Projects, 2013)
31

2. Collecting and recording the information
The stakeholder information or characteristics should be considered, and there are many
characteristics of stakeholders such as Internal/external stakeholders, knowledge of policy,
position, interest, alliances, resources, power, and leadership. These data from all
stakeholders should be reviewed and recorded in the stakeholder table which is shown in
Table 2.6.
Table 2.6 Stakeholder Table (Schmeer, 2013)
Before beginning primary data collection, secondary data are reviewed and collected on the
priority stakeholders. For primary data collection from interviewing, asking direct
questions may seem the most efficient method but could result in unreliable answers
because the stakeholders may not be comfortable to communicating in such a direct and
candid manner. Questions should be clearly stated, specific, and open-ended wherever
possible, requiring the stakeholder to provide more than a simple “yes” or “no” answer.
3. Filling data in the stakeholder table
After reviewing and data collection, information is added into the stakeholder table (see
Table 2.6) because it helps to analyze stakeholders of the project easily. There are many
methods to complete stakeholder table as following:
3.1 Determine the stakeholders’ position
The position and organization are filled by considering on works of stakeholder. Internal
(I) stakeholders work within the organization that is promoting or implementing the
project, and other stakeholders are considered as external (E) stakeholders. The level of
accurate knowledge of stakeholder has regarding the project under analysis. This
knowledge should be rated from 3 to 1 (3 = a lot, 2 = some, and 1 = none). The definition
column is use to record how each stakeholder defines the project.
The position column refers to the stakeholder’s status as a supporter or opponent of the
project. The position of the stakeholder can be obtained by gathering information directly
from the stakeholder (i.e., self-reporting), and through information gathered indirectly from
other stakeholders or secondary information (i.e., other perceptions). This column is
divided into three columns such as self (self-reported classification), other (classification
by others), and final (final classification considering both of self-reported and others).
The position of the stakeholder should be reported from this final classification.
32

There are many kinds of the position of stakeholders such as supporter (S), moderate
supporter (MS), natural (N), moderate opponent (MO), and opponent (O). The position
classification of stakeholder is shown in Figure 2.30.
Support
(S)
Moderate
Support (MS)
Neutral
(N)
33
Moderate
Opponent
(MO)
Figure 2.30 Position classification of stakeholder (Schmeer, 2013)
Opponent
(O)
From Figure 2.30, stakeholders who agree with the implementation of the project are
considered as supporters (S). Those who disagree with the project are considered as
opponents (O). Next, those who do not have a clear opinion, or whose opinion could not be
discerned, are considered neutral (N). Those who express some, but not total, agreement
with the project should be classified as moderate supporters (MS). Finally, those who
express some, but not total, opposition to the project should be classified as moderate
opponents (MO). Thus, these positions are filled in self, other, and final columns.
3.2 Determine the interest of stakeholder
This interest column is filled by advantages and disadvantages mentioned from each
stakeholder in as much detail as possible. This information is related to the implementation
of the project which makes stakeholders interested in advantages and disadvantages of the
project.
3.3 Determine alliances of stakeholder
Webster (1984) stated that alliance is “a union or relationship”. Alliances are formed when
two or more organizations collaborate to meet the same objective (both of support and
opponent of the project). Any organization that is mentioned by the stakeholder related to
this information should be entered in this column.
3.4 Fill in the resources column and create a power index for each stakeholder
There are many types of resources such as human, financial, technological, political, and
others. The accessibility of stakeholder to all resources is considered in order to complete
the resource column. The resource category is divided into two parts as following:
The quantity of resources that a stakeholder has within an organization or area, and
the ability to mobilize those resources. The quantity of resources are rated from 3 to
1 to fill information in stakeholder table (3 = many, 2 = some, and 1 = few).
The ability of the stakeholder should be quantified as following:
3 = the stakeholder can make decisions regarding the use of the resources in
his/her organization or area
2 = the stakeholder is one of several persons that makes decisions regarding
the use of resources
1 = the stakeholder cannot make decisions regarding the use of the
resources.

For example, if the stakeholder has workers that work for him/her, it can be concluded that
the stakeholder has the ability to mobilize these resources because he/she has direct
influence over them.
The power column refers to the ability of the stakeholder to affect the implementation of
the project due to the strength or force from stakeholder actions. This power is combined to
measure the amount of resources that a stakeholder has or his/her capacity to collect them.
The power index is rated from 3 to 1 (3 = high power, 2 = medium power, and 1 = little
power).
3.5 Determine leadership of stakeholder
Webster (1984) mentioned that leadership is specifically defined here as the willingness to
initiate, convoke, or lead an action for or against the project. The stakeholder either has this
characteristic ("yes") or lacks it ("no"). The leader column is represented with "yes" or
"no."
4. Analyzing the stakeholder table
The information in stakeholder table needs to be "analyzed." Such analysis should focus on
comparing information and developing conclusions about the importance of stakeholder’s
relative, knowledge, interests, positions, and possible allies of stakeholders regarding the
project. There are many steps for data analysis by considering:
Who are the most important stakeholders (from a power and leadership analysis)?
What is the stakeholders' knowledge of the project?
What are the stakeholders' positions on the specific project?
What do the stakeholders see as possible advantages or disadvantages of the project
(interest analysis)?
Which stakeholders might form alliances?
The "importance" of stakeholders is defined here as their ability to affect the
implementation of the project. Power and leadership are the characteristics that determine a
stakeholder's ability to affect or block the implementation of a project, and these two
characteristics are the basis for the first "importance" analysis. Stakeholders are divided
into three groups as following:
Group 1: who have leadership and high power (level 3)
Group 2: who have leadership and medium power (level 2)
Group 3: who do not have leadership but have high to medium power (level 2 or 3)
The information found in the knowledge data can be crossed with the power/leadership
analysis to highlight the importance level of the stakeholders with a low knowledge level.
This cross-analysis will result in an even smaller priority group for targeting
communication strategies. The knowledge data also can be cross-referenced with the
position of the stakeholders to determine if those opposed to the project have a consistently
low level of knowledge.
The interest data can be used advantages and disadvantages identified by the stakeholders
can be used to explain their positions or to emphasize their knowledge of the project (i.e.,
34

irrelevant advantages and disadvantages may represent a misunderstanding of the project).
The interest data also can be cross-referenced with the power/leadership data to indicate
what the most important stakeholders may have to lose or gain from the project.
The alliance information should be cross-referenced with the position data to identify those
alliances that may be potential sources of support, as well as those that may work together
to oppose the project. The alliance data can also be cross-referenced with the
power/leadership analysis results to highlight those alliances that are potentially the most
supportive or threatening to the project (Schmeer, 2013).
2.6.3 Case study of Stakeholder Analysis
1. Philippines
There are many stakeholders related to recycling system in Philippines such as waste
generators, primary junk shops, trader-consolidator/large scale junk shops, recyclerprocessor,
and manufacturers. The characteristics of stakeholders of recycling system
include location (e.g., resident areas, commercial areas, and industrial zones), business
organization (junk shops, recycling plants), capitals (economics, level of GDP), length of
operation (operational year of junk shop/recycling plant), labor force (numbers of
workers), and space (needed areas for junk shop/recycling plant). The recycler flow of
trade and flow of recyclable recycling is shown in Figure 2.31.
Figure 2.31 Recycler Flow of Trade and Flow of Recyclable Recycling (Kojima and
Rebullida, 2008)
There are other stakeholders related to recycling system, especially policy and law makers
and government sector. The Philippine Business for the Environment organizes the
Industrial Waste Exchange Network with related organizations such as Environmental
Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of the Environment and Natural Resources
35

(DENR). A pilot collection program for mobile phones has been conducted as a part of the
“Study on the Development of the Recycling Industry,” a joint project between the
Philippine’ Board of Investments and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (BOI-
JICA project) including mobile phone manufactures, and this project is done for many
types of recyclable wastes (e.g., plastics, paper, glass, etc.) The Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) formulates and implements a coding system for packaging material and
products to facilities waste recycling and reuse. The memorandum of understanding (MoU)
on the establishment of ecolabeling was signed by the Product Standards Office of DTI, the
Environmental Management Bureau of DENR, and NGO (the Clean & Green Foundation)
based on ISO14024. Moreover, the details of the green procurement programs carried out
by each organization should be reported to the National Ecolabeling Program Board
(ELPB).
2. Japan
Japan defines stakeholders of recycling system from the responsibilities of stakeholders by
laws. First, Law for the Recycling of End of Life Vehicles force two manufacturers
associations to collect the treatment fees for destroying coolants and disposing shredded
dust and air bags. Second, Construction Material Recycling Law requires contractors and
construction companies to sort out and recycle waste generated in the work of building
demolition. Third, Law for the Recycling of Specified Kinds of Home Appliances defines
the responsibilities of manufactures and consumers to collect and recycle products. Fourth,
Law for the Recycling and Related Activities for the Treatment of Cyclical Food
Resources emphasize the responsibilities of the waste generators such as restaurants, food
processing industries and other food service providers. Fifth, Law for the Promotion of the
Sorted Collection and Recycling of Containers and Packaging requires business entities
that manufacture and use containers and packages to bear the financial responsibility of
recycling.
The Industrial Waste Information Exchange Program links suppliers with users in the
industrial waste industry, in order to enhance the utilization of industrial waste. Local
governments have conducted such programs. The Eco-Town Projects are supported by the
Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, especially in
the development of advanced recycling facilities. Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS)
specify standards for industrial activities in Japan covering dozens of recycled products
and testing methods. Eco-Labeling and Green Procurement projects is introduced by the
Japan Environmental Management Association for Industry with the Ministry of Economy,
Trade and Industry based on ISO14021, ISO14024, and ISO14025 (Kojima and Rebullida,
2008).
36

3.1 Introduction
Chapter 3
Methodology
This study is based on collection of both primary and secondary data on plastic waste
management in Thailand. The material flow analysis was used to identify and quantify the
plastic waste management through a single process or via a combination of various
processes. The stakeholder analysis is the one part of methodology to present the relevant
stakeholders affecting on plastic waste management in Thailand. Finally, different
proposing scenarios were done through the material flow analysis and stakeholder analysis
including the improving best practices on plastic waste management in Thailand. The
duration of data collection started from September 2012 until February 2013. The main
process of this study included literature review, data collection, data analysis, conclusion,
and recommendation. The research methodology is presented in Figure 3.1.
Material Flow Analysis
(MFA)
Draw material flow
Review secondary data
Collect data from field
Calculate and finalize
material flow
Plastic Waste Management in Thailand
Stakeholder Analysis
List relevant stakeholder
Review secondary data
Interview important
stakeholder
Analyze importance and
influence of each
stakeholder
Figure 3.1 Research methodology
37
Develop plastic waste
management option
Collect primary and
secondary data
Propose scenarios of plastic
waste management
Analyze scenarios using
MFA and stakeholder
analysis
Conclude and recommend
scenarios
In order to achieve the objectives, the study was divided into three parts such as the
material flow analysis (MFA), the stakeholder analysis, and the developing plastic waste
management. Each study required both of primary data and secondary data collection. The
first step of data collection was considered the study areas and the sample sizes which were
explained at the next paragraph.

3.2 Study Area
Seven provinces namely, Pathum Thani, Saraburi, Prachuab Khiri Khan,
Rayong, Chachoengsao, Nakhon Ratchsima and Bangkok were selected for this thesis.
Figure 3.2 shows seven selected provinces in Thailand. The characteristics of each selected
province are described as below:
- Pathum Thani Province: waste shops, recycling factories, and commercial zones
(department store, house estate, universities, etc.)
- Saraburi Province: cement factories and recycling machine company
- Prachuab Khiri Khan Province: tourist attraction, commercial zones, and municipal
oil recovery plant
- Rayong Province: waste shops, middle level dealers, and recycling factory
- Chachoengsao Province: oil recovery company (private sector)
- Nakhon Ratchasima Province: waste shops, middle level dealers, and recycling
factory
- Bangkok Metropolitan Administration: good practices on plastic waste
management and various characteristics of areas and organizations
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) is the major area has been chosen for field
visits. Bangkok is the capital city of Thailand and largest urban area in Thailand. Case of
BMA is also important because there are large amounts of plastic waste generation and
properly waste management. This area consists of many important organizations which
play the role for plastic waste management like BMA office, PCD, TIPMSE, etc. Today,
Bangkok is not only the political, social, and economic center of Thailand, but plays a
leading role in trade, commerce, culture, art, education, health care, and transport aspects.
There are 50 districts in BMA. Four districts in BMA were selected for this study such as
Prawet, Din Daeng, Saimai, and Bang Phlat. These four districts were expanded across
different locations of Bangkok hence were provided a snapshot of overall of plastic waste
management in Bangkok. Figure 3.3 presents four selected districts in Bangkok. The
factors which are considered for making selection are following:
- Existence of solid waste management (transfer station, incinerator, etc.) e.g.,
Prawet and Sai Mai district
- Existence of waste recycling (recycling centers, waste banks, waste shops, material
recovery facilities) e.g., Prawet, Bang Phlat, and Sai Mai district
- Existence of economic activities (department stores, private enterprises,
commercial zones) e.g., Bang Phlat and Din Daeng district
- Existence of recycling industries (plastic manufactures, plastic waste recycling
factories, recycling factories) e.g., Prawet, Din Daeng, and Bang Phlat district
38

Figure 3.2 Seven selected provinces in Thailand
(MAPNALL, 2013)
Figure 3.3 Four selected districts in Bangkok (GLOBAL TRAVEL MATE, 2013)
39

3.3 Sample Size
The sample groups were chosen from relevant persons and organizations related to plastic
waste management in Thailand such as waste collectors, waste buyers, waste recyclers, and
responsible authorities. There are waste collectors and waste recyclers play the different
role on plastic waste management. First, the waste collectors are people who collect and
sell plastic wastes to the waste recyclers. They also reduce and reuse plastic wastes before
disposing wastes at landfills. Moreover, the waste collectors sell and distribute plastic
wastes to the waste recycler for generating new products. Finally, waste recyclers use
plastic wastes as raw material to produce plastic products, and then they sell or distribute
recycled products to buyers (consumers/household, shops, department stores).
There was the survey of informal and formal sectors because these sectors recycle plastic
wastes in different ways. The data collection was done on all groups of sample to
complete the results of study. The sample sizes (data were collected from these sample
groups) are described as below:
(1) Waste collectors consist of
- 100 consumers/households
- 10 waste pickers , municipal waste collectors, and transfer station/landfill
scavengers
- 2 the networks of waste collectors (waste bank and waste picker network)
- 2 middle dealers
- 2 informal waste shops
- 10 formal waste shops
(2) Waste recyclers consist of
- One formal plastic waste recycling factory (pelletizing)
- One plastic product factory (there use recycled plastic pellets)
- 2 plastic waste to oil plant (municipality and private sector)
- One cement factory
- One recycling machine factory
(3) Government and private organizations consist of:
- Pollution Control Department (PCD)
- Department of Public Cleansing, BMA office
- Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable
Environment (TIPMSE)
- Plastic Institute of Thailand (PIT)
- Thai Plastic Industries Association (TPIA)
- Thai Plastics Foam Recycling Industries Association (TPFRIA)
- Industrial Waste Management Bureau, DIW
The next steps after identifying the study area and sample size include describing the
methods of material flow analysis, stakeholder analysis, and developing plastic waste
management. The details of each method are described as below:
40

3.4 Material Flow Analysis
3.4.1 Drawing the material flow
Initially, the secondary data related to plastic and plastic waste management were
reviewed. Then, the material flow of plastic was drawn as the initial flow which can be
improved when it is finalized. The initial flow of plastic included all possible activities that
were done on plastic waste management in Thailand. The draft of material flow should be
simple and easy to understand.
The tool which is used to draw and analyze the material flow of plastic is the STAN
software. This software is used for the material flow analysis considering the flows and
stocks of substances or goods. The initial flow was drawn by using the specific shapes and
lines in the STAN software (stan2web, 2013). For example, the rectangular box is used to
draw the process e.g., plastic production, plastic consumption, etc. The imported flow is
replaced by the line with “I” symbol, while the exported flow is replaced by the line with
“E” symbol. The system boundary is same as the rectangular box, but the line of that box is
the dash line. Figure 3.4 shows the initial flow of plastic in Thailand, 2010. The unit of
material flow is Tonne per year.
The initial flow of plastic in Thailand consists of many processes such as manufacturing,
plastic consumption, waste collection and transport, municipal incineration, industrial
incineration, landfill, recycling, plastic to oil, and open environment. The definition of each
processes of the initial flow is following:
Manufacturing: The plastic products are generated from plastic industries by
using virgin and recycled plastic pellets (masterbatch) as raw materials. The
imported pellets are also used in plastic manufacturing.
Plastic consumption: Plastic products are consumed, and then they become
plastic wastes. The imported products are used in country while, the exported
products are sold to other countries.
Collection and transportation: Plastic wastes are collected and transported to
recycle and dispose at recycling factory and disposal site. In this process, some
collected wastes are exported to other countries.
Municipal incineration: There are three incinerators in the municipality, and
plastic wastes are burnt in the municipal incineration.
Industrial incineration: Three cement companies out of which five cement
factories used the alternative fuels in the co-incineration. Plastic wastes from
landfill can be treated and used as RDF (refuse derived fuel), and then RDF is
burnt in the cement kiln.
Landfill: Most collected municipal wastes are disposed at landfill, so landfilled
plastic wastes are stocked in landfill for long time.
Recycling: Collected plastic wastes are recycled in recycling factories to produce
recycled pellets. The imported plastic wastes from other countries are also recycled
in the manufacturing.
Plastic to oil: There are seven municipal and 4 private oil recovery plants.
Landfilled plastic wastes and daily collected wastes are used to produce crude oil
at these plants. The residue wastes from a process are disposed at landfill again.
Open environment: Uncollected wastes and Improper disposed wastes (open
burning and open dumping) are expanded and stocked into environment.
41

Figure 3.4 Initial flow of plastic in Thailand, 2010
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
42

3.4.2 Data collection for MFA
Most of secondary data were collected to analyze the material flow of plastic in Thailand,
and the information from interviews and field observations were least used than the
secondary data. The secondary data for MFA were from the reports of organizations,
researches, websites, books, and newspaper. The available data should report the numbers
of each flow in 2010. During the data collection phase, the required background data for
the material flow analysis was clarified to improve the actual plastic flow in Thailand. The
material flow of plastic in Thailand was proposed following the review of existing data
which are the key processes and flows in the system boundary.
Secondary data were collected from the ministries, government departments, authorities,
and person of concern having roles and responsibilities with regard to plastic waste
management in the city and plastic waste reduction, reuse, and recycling. The secondary
data for MFA were from:
- Pollution Control Department (PCD)
- Department of Industry Work (DIW)
- Department of Public Cleansing, Solid Waste Disposal Division
- Petroleum Institute of Thailand (PTIT)
- Plastic Institute of Thailand (PIT)
- Thai Plastic Industries Association (TPIA)
- Thai Plastics Foam Recycling Industries Association (TPFRIA)
- The Office of Industrial Economics (OIE)
- Thai Cement Manufacturers Association (TCMA)
- The Custom Department
- The Plastic Intelligence Unit Website (PIU)
Moreover, the primary data for MFA were collected by field observation at waste shops,
plastic recycling factories, the cement factories, and oil recovery plant. The details of
needed information for MFA of plastic in Thailand are shown in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1 Details of Needed Information for MFA of Plastic in Thailand
No. Parameter Description Source of information
1 RMP Amount of raw material
(thermoplastic) which is used to
produce plastic products used
2 RMS Amount of raw material
(thermosetting) which is used to
produce plastic products used
3 IMP Amount of imported raw material
(thermoplastic)
4 IMS Amount of imported raw material
(thermosetting)
5 IP Amount of imported plastic
products
43
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Custom Department
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Custom Department
-Plastic Intelligence Unit Website
(PIU)
-Custom Department

Table 3.1 Details of Needed Information for MFA of Plastic in Thailand (continued)
No. Parameter Description Source of information
6 EP Amount of exported plastic products Plastic Intelligence Unit Website
(PIU)
-Custom Department
7 PP Amount of plastic products
(thermoplastic)
8 PS Amount of plastic products
(thermosetting)
9 Stock 1 Amount of raw materials or plastic
products which is stocked in the
plastic manufacturing process
44
-Plastic Intelligence Unit Website
(PIU)
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Plastic Intelligence Unit Website
(PIU)
-Petroleum Institute of Thailand
(PTIT)
-Office of Industrial Economics (OIE)
10 IPW1 Amount of industrial plastic waste
generation in the plastic
manufacturing
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
11 Stock 2 Amount of plastic products which is
stocked in the plastic consumption
process (using)
-Office of Industrial Economics (OIE)
12 PWP Amount of plastic waste generation
(thermoplastic) from plastic
consumption process
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
13 PWP Amount of plastic waste generation
(thermosetting) from plastic
consumption process
15 IPW2 Amount of industrial plastic waste
generation in the other industries
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
16 CUC Amount of uncollected plastic wastes -Pollution Control Department (PCD)
17 MI Amount of municipal plastic wastes
which is burnt at municipal
incineration
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
18 II2 Amount of industrial plastic wastes -Department of Industrial Works
which is burnt at industrial
incinerators and cement kiln
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
19 L Amount of plastic wastes which is -Department of Industrial Works
disposed at landfill
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
20 R Amount of plastic wastes which is
recycled
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
21 CUD Amount of plastic wastes which is
not disposed properly (open burning,
open dumping)
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
22 EW Amount of exported plastic wastes -Custom Department
23 Stock 3 Amount of plastic wastes which is
stocked in the collection and
transportation process
24 Stock 4 Amount of plastic wastes which is
stocked in environment

Table 3.1 Details of Needed Information for MFA of Plastic in Thailand (continued)
No. Parameter Description Source of information
25 Stock 5 Amount of plastic wastes which is
stocked in the recycling process
26 Stock 6 Amount of plastic wastes which is
stocked in landfill
18 OG1 Amount of off-gas generation from
municipal incineration
19 RW1 Amount of residue waste generation
from municipal incineration
20 II1 Amount of landfilled plastic wastes
which is burnt in industrial
incineration
21 OG2 Amount of off-gas generation from
industrial incineration
22 Stock 7 Amount of residue waste generation
from industrial incineration which is
stocked in the process
23 PO1 Amount of landfilled plastic wastes
which is used to recovery oil at oil
recovery plant
24 O Amount of crude oil generation from
the plastic to oil process (oil
recovery)
25 RW2 Amount of residue waste generation
from the plastic to oil (oil recovery)
26 PO2 Amount of fresh plastic wastes
which is used to recovery oil at oil
recovery plant
45
-Annual report of municipality
-Research of efficiency of incinerator
-Annual report of municipality
-Research of efficiency of incinerator
-Annual report of cement factory
-Field observation
-Thai Cement Manufacturers
Association (TCMA)
-Annual report of cement factory
-Field observation
-Annual report of cement factory
-Field observation
-Annual report of municipal oil
recovery plant
-Field observation
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
-Newspaper
-Annual report of municipal oil
recovery plant
-Field observation
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
-Annual report of municipal oil
recovery plant
-Field observation
-Pollution Control Department (PCD)
-The report from oil recovery plant
(private sectors)
-The field observation
27 IW Amount of imported plastic wastes -The Custom Department
28 RP Amount of recycled products
(pellets) which is used to produce
plastic products
29 RW3 Amount of residue waste generation
from the recycling process
30 RW4 Amount of residue waste generation
from the industrial incineration
3.4.3 Data analysis for MFA
-The researches/books
-The field observation
-The researches/books
-The field observation
-Annual report of industrial
incinerator
-Field observation
The material flow of plastic in Thailand considered all kinds of plastic products such as
plastic containing in automobile, agriculture, electronic and electrical devices, packaging,
housewares, furniture and construction. Both thermosetting and thermoplastic were studied
and quantified in this material flow. The material flow started from plastic production
process in the manufacturing to waste disposal and recycling processes. Data from

questionnaires, interview, field observation, and secondary data were used to quantify and
analyze the material flow of plastic in Thailand. All parameters or numbers were calculated
to complete the material flow, and the balance of material flow was checked carefully.
After calculation and finalization, the result of this step is the complete material flow of
plastic in Thailand, 2010 which was used as the base material flow in order to analyze the
scenarios for plastic waste management in the next step. For the data analysis step, the
important issue is a consideration process-by-process. There are nine processes in system
boundary, and each process was analyzed. The details of data analysis of nine processes are
shown in Appendix A.
3.5 Stakeholder Analysis
3.5.1 Stakeholder lists
This step is to identify and list all possible stakeholders involved in plastic MFA. There are
many key words that are used to consider and help to lists stakeholders of the plastic waste
management such as importance, influence, strengths, special considerations, resources,
networks, types, stage, communication, and engagement levels of stakeholders. One
stakeholder will be the most important stakeholder if it can affect other stakeholders and
has a driven force to directly affect all stakeholders. For example, Pollution Control
Department in Thailand declares policies and drafts laws related to plastic waste
management in Thailand. It also shares the information to the municipality.
There are two types of stakeholders namely, primary and secondary stakeholders. Some
stakeholders share information between stakeholders, and they play a role as third parties
or are called secondary stakeholders. Resource preparers, governors, and traders provide
resources for plastic waste management. For example, the private company provides waste
collection trucks, while BMA office provides the budget to rent waste collection trucks
from the private company.
There are many persons and organizations related to plastic waste management in
Thailand. The stakeholders of plastic waste management include waste generators, waste
collectors, waste recyclers, recycled product buyer, informers, resource supporters,
consulters, and functional participants, and interactive participants. This step was done by
listing all stakeholders related to plastic waste management in Thailand. The lists of
relevant stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand are shown in Table A-11 in
Appendix A.
3.5.2 Data collection for stakeholder analysis
3.5.2.1 Secondary data collection
Before beginning primary data collection, secondary data are reviewed and collected on the
priority stakeholders. These data should be more detailed, and it should include some
statements regarding the stakeholders’ positions, some goals or objectives of the
organizations, and data on the quantities or types of resources available to the stakeholders.
Secondary data were reviewed from the ministries, departments, authorities, and person of
concern having roles and responsibilities with regard to plastic waste management in
46

Thailand. Some data were presented by published books, journals, annual reports, internet
websites, and thesis. The secondary data that were collected in this study are following:
- The profile of organization: history, vision, objective, role and activity
- The law, policy and plan of organization
- The alliances of organization or the cooperation between organizations
- The knowledge related to plastic waste management in Thailand
- The leadership on plastic waste management in Thailand
- The strength of organization: resources, ability, knowledge and activity
- The weakness of organization: resources, ability, knowledge and activity
- The opportunity and treat which are countered by organization
- The problem and solution of organization during improving plastic waste
management in Thailand
- The recommendation and reference from the other organization
- The effect of organization on plastic waste management in Thailand
The data collection step required the initial analysis to focus on the specific stakeholders of
plastic waste management in Thailand, so the information of each stakeholder was
reviewed from secondary data sources such as the articles, websites of organizations, and
other documents. Available data of each stakeholder were filled in Table A-2 (see in
Appendix A), and then all information was firstly analyzed considering the leadership and
power of stakeholders. After analyzing the leadership and power of stakeholders, there
were four groups of stakeholders which were interviewed as following:
Group 1: who have leadership and high power (Level 3)
Group 2: who have leadership and medium power (Level 2)
Group 3: who do not have leadership but have high to medium power (Level 2 or 3)
Group 4: who do not have leadership, and have low power (Level 1)
3.5.2.2 Primary data collection
The stakeholders in each group (see Table 3.2) were chosen and interviewed in this step.
The primary data were collected from stakeholders in each group.
Table 3.2 Results of Power and Leadership Analysis
Group List of stakeholder
Group 1: TIPMSE, TBIA, MNRE, PCD
Group 2:
Group 3:
Group 4:
TPIA, FTI: Plastic Industry Club, PIT, PTIT, DIW, Waste shop, Pelletizing
factory, Plastic to product factory, Energy recovery plant
Green World Foundation, Plastic to oil plant, Biodegradable Packaging for
Environment Co., Ltd., Plastic to RDF plant
OIE, National Statistical Office, TEENET, BOC, Environnet, NIA, Thai SME
Franchise, NECTEC, ATSME, Thai-Plastic.com, Waste collector, Waste
generator
47

From Table 3.2, the stakeholders were interviewed are:
- Government and private organizations: PCD, Department of Public Cleansing of
BMA office, TIPMSE, PIT, TPIA, TPFRIA, Industrial Waste Management Bureau
of DIW
- Waste collector: waste shops, waste pickers and middle dealers
- Waste generator and recycled product buyer: households
- Waste recyclers: pelletizing factory, energy recovery plant, plastic to oil plant
The tool is used to interview stakeholders is a questionnaire. The primary data consist of
the current situation of Thai plastic industry and the overview of plastic waste management
in Thailand. The field observations were also done to collect data related to the actual
activity of stakeholder and recheck the secondary data. The questions in questionnaire
differ in each key person and key organizations, and the lists of questions are presented in
Appendix B.
3.5.3 Data analysis for stakeholder analysis
Stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand were listed and filled in stakeholder
table (see Table A-11 in Appendix A). Information of each stakeholder was reviewed from
secondary data, and the information from primary data collection was then added more in
stakeholder table. After filling stakeholder table, all parameters were analyzed, and
analyzed data were presented to complete stakeholder analysis.
The power and leadership analysis present the importance of each stakeholder.
Stakeholders are divided into four groups referred to page 11. Then, the level of
stakeholder knowledge and power/leadership of stakeholders are analyzed together. The
different level knowledge can present that stakeholders understand and can or cannot
operate the project by applying their knowledge.
3.6 Develop Plastic Waste Management Options
3.6.1 Data collection
Primary data collection was collected from questionnaire, interview, and field observation.
The questionnaire and interview were used at the field visit at transfer stations, waste shops
(informal and formal sectors), plastic production and recycling factory, plastic waste to fuel
plant, and plastic to energy plant.
The secondary data were collected from Thai organization, the websites, researches, books,
and annual reports. The secondary data from these organizations will relate to the statistics
of plastic wastes, plastic manufactures, recycling technology researches, and laws and
policies. Moreover, the available secondary data in other countries were also searched and
collected to complete this study.
3.6.2 Proposing scenarios
There three different scenarios proposed were set to evaluate the plastic waste management
situation in 2016 following the National Environmental Quality Control Plan in 2012-2016
(MNRE, 2013), the plastic bag taxation research in 2011, and Alternative Energy
48

Development Plan (AEDP) in 2012-2021. Figure 3.5 presents the proposed scenarios for
the plastic waste management in Thailand in 2016.
Plastic waste management (%)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
BAU Increase of 30%
Recycling Rate
with Promoting
Bioplastics
Increase of 30%
Recycling Rate
Figure 3.5 Proposed scenarios for the plastic waste management in Thailand, 2016
3.6.2.1 Scenario 1: Business As Usual (BAU)
This scenario presented the material flow of plastic in Thailand in the year 2016. There are
no changes in plastic waste management options. The percentage of each management way
in 2016 is the same as the percentage in base year 2010. This scenario assumes a
percentage growth in Thailand in the year 2016, with an estimated population of 65.6
million. With such increase in population the plastic waste generation will also increase in
2016.
3.6.2.2 Scenario 2: Increase in recycling rate by 30%
The second scenario was set by considering the concept of 3R law and the plastic bag
taxation rules. This scenario was divided into two parts; the scenario 2A is based on the
promotion of 3R laws but not promoting the biodegradable plastics, and the scenario 2B is
based on the promotion of 3R laws inclusive of plastic bag taxation along with the
promotion of biodegradable plastics.
The contents of this scenario 2A include:
- Waste recycling plan: The Pollution Control Department (PCD) showed a plan to
increase the recycling rate of waste into 30 percent within 2016
- Promoting the material recycling: The material recycling like pelletizing is promote
by government and cooperation of private sectors. The efficiency of material
recycling will be increased into high rate of production capacity by considering the
available technologies.
- Integrated waste management system: The Pollution Control Department showed
an annual report of the municipality which was set the material recovery facility
(MRF). This unit can make the recycling rate increase.
The scenario 2B presented that Thai government plans to collect the plastic bag tax from
both of producer and consumer. Before the declaration of this tax, Fiscal Policy Research
49
Increase in
Waste to Energy
Option
Open environment
Landfill
Reuse
Oil recovery
Recycling
Industrial incineration
Municipal incineration
Exported waste

Institute Foundation (FPRI) made a research by considering the positive and negative
effects of the plastic bag taxation. Now, this taxation is not used or formally declared in
Thailand, but it is known by plastic bag producers and the relevant organizations. In
addition, this taxation also promotes the biodegradable plastic products instead of plastic
bags from petroleum materials, and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) is the one
cooperation which affects the plastic package production. The biodegradable plastic
packages are promoted to use in the food industry. The biodegradable plastic products are
promoted as the alternative products when the plastic bag taxation is used for the plastic
waste management in Thailand.
3.6.2.3 Scenario 3: Increase in waste to energy option
According to Ministry of Energy plan (2012), the rate of energy recovery and the use of
alternative fuels will increase by 160 MW within 2021 from waste to energy e.g.,
anaerobic digestion, RDF production, waste incineration, and oil recovery from plastic
wastes (DEDE, 2013). This situation was taken as the Scenario 3, which explains how the
plastic waste flows will and accumulation will change if such waste to energy recovery
options are promoted.
3.6.3 Data analysis
3.6.3.1 Using MFA and Stakeholder analysis
In the material flow analysis, the amount of plastic flow were calculated and filled in the
STAN software. The new flows and processes were created and calculated in the material
flow of plastic depending on the details of each scenario. The stakeholders who play a role
on plastic waste management related to each scenario were analyzed and presented
combining with the material flow in order to present the important point/risk point of the
scenario. For example, the stakeholder at the manufacturing process includes PIT, PTIT,
PTIA, and TPFRIA, and this group of stakeholder may support and oppose the
law/policy/plan.
3.6.3.2 Comparison of each scenario
The primary and secondary data were used to explain deeply details of each scenario
before the comparisons. The analysis which was used to compare each scenario consists of
the financial analysis of scenario and evaluation of public awareness and opinions on each
of the proposed strategies for plastic waste management.
1. Financial analysis
The total costs of scenarios were considered and presented in this step. The costs include
the investment cost, operation and maintenance cost, revenue and profit, and taxes and
fees. The assessment of financial cost estimates total costs of all processes in the scenarios.
2. Evaluation of public awareness/opinion
This evaluation is the results of questionnaire responded by households, and interviews
with the relevant organizations. The acceptance of people on the scenario was presented as
a result, and their opinions on the plastic waste management were also described in the
next chapter.
50

Chapter 4
Results and Discussions
This study was done on the plastic waste management in Thailand. The material flow
analysis was presented as results of the study including stakeholder analysis and scenario
developed. The current situation of plastic industry and plastic waste management in
Thailand were presented in this chapter. The material flow of plastics in 2010 was
illustrated and described by MFA. Then, the scenarios for plastic waste management in
2016 were proposed through the consideration of policies and plans of government
organizations. The comparison of each scenario was resulted based on the financial
analysis, sensitivity analysis and results of public awareness. Finally, the results of
stakeholder analysis were presented as the importance and roles and relationship between
stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand.
4.1 Current Situation of Plastic Industry and Plastic Wastes Management in Thailand
4.1.1 Current situation of plastic industry in Thailand
According to Plastic Institute of Thailand (2010), Thai plastic industries produce many
kinds of plastics which are used in different works such as packaging, construction,
automotive, electronics and electrical appliance, housewares, medical devices, agriculture,
recreation, footwear, and other. Each kind of product is used in country, and some products
are exported to other countries. These plastic products include the pure plastic products and
plastic containing products. Figure 4.1 shows the percentage of plastic products in
Thailand, 2010.
Agriculture
4%
Footwear
1%
Recreation
4%
Electronic &
Electrical
Appliance
12%
Housewares
10%
Construction
16%
Medical Devices
1%
Figure 4.1 Percentage of plastic products in Thailand, 2010 (PTIT, 2010)
From Figure 4.1, the plastic that is produced for packaging is the highest percentage (40%),
and the second production is the plastic for construction (16%). The percentages of plastic
productions for electronic and electrical appliance, housewares and automobile part are
51
Other
5%
Automotive
7%
Packaging
40%

12%, 10%, and 7% respectively. The following orders are the plastic for agriculture (4%),
recreation (4%), footwear (1%), medical devices (1%), and other (5%).
In 2012, there were about 5,778 plastic factories in Thailand out of which 400 were the
plastic recycling factories (6.92%). The plastic bag factory was 27.71% of all kinds of
plastic industries (DIW, 2012). 80% plastic factories are in the Central part of Thailand in
BMA region e.g., Bangkok and perimeters or around 80% of all factories, and 8% is in the
Eastern Thailand (OIE, 2011). The annual data of plastic industries in 2010 are shown in
Table 4.1.
Table 4.1 Annual Data of Plastic Industries in 2010 (PTIT, 2010)
List Value No. of factories
Amount of production labor (person) 205,566 1,874 factories
Amount of other labor (person) 52,084 1,509 factories
Production capacity (tonne/year) 2,310,185 1,749 factories
Actual production (tonne/year) 2,214,101 1,749 factories
Total sales (million Baht) 123,447 1,141 factories
Capacity Utilization (%) 95.84 1,740 factories
Amount of masterbatch used (tonne/month) 170,752 1,656 factories
The plastic industry can make 220,000 million Baht of revenue. The exported products are
the important issue to make the high revenue, and Japan is the biggest plastic exported
market, especially in 2011 when the disaster from Tsunami and earth quake was occurred
in Japan. The major partners of Thailand are America, Austria, China, and Japan, and the
main competitors of plastic markets are Malaysia and China (OIE, 2011). The revenue
from product exported were more than 80,000 million Baht, but the expenses from product
imported were more than 83,000 million Baht (OIE, 2010). The trade deficit was caused
from balancing of revenue and outcomes of imported and exported products because the
slow economic growth affects the ability of plastic industrial development.
Therefore, Plastic Institute of Thailand (PIT) proposed the plastic industrial development
plan for 2012-2016. The goal of this plan is that Thai will become a leader on plastic
industry in Asian and supporting the sustainable development of plastic industry within
2016. In 2016, the plastic product generation will be increased by 5% per year, or from
3.18 million tonnes to 4.48 million tonnes. The total revenue from plastic products will be
increased by 333,000 million Baht in 2016 (OIE, 2010).
The overview of plastic industry was presented by the trend of plastic production,
petrochemical industry and international markets. Table 4.2 shows the amount of product
generation, imported-exported products, and virgin material used in country in 2002, 2005,
2010, and 2011. The virgin material or masterbatch is used to produce the plastic products
in the plastic manufacturing.
Masterbatch or plastic resin is petrochemical products which are added the pigments
(colorizing) or other additives. Masterbatch is a mixture of pigments and/or additives
which is produced through a heat process generating a plastic resin. After processing, it is
supplied in granule form. Plastic producers usually use the needed colored masterbatch, so
they order either colored masterbatch or uncolored masterbatch from the petrochemical
52

industry. Figure 4.2 shows the masterbatch, and Figure 4.3 presents the white HDPE
masterbatch.
Figure 4.2 Masterbatch (PolyPacific, 2013) Figure 4.3 White HDPE
masterbatch
The amount of plastic product generation continuously decreased since 2005 until 2011
compared to 2002. On the other hand, the amount of virgin material used (masterbatch)
increased since 2005 until 2011 compared to 2002. The masterbatch is produced from Thai
petrochemical industry.
The downstream products from the petrochemical factory are used as raw materials in the
plastic industry such as HDPE, LDPE, PET, PVC, PP, PS/EPS, ABS/SAN, and
thermosetting resins. Figure 4.4 and 4.5 present the percentage of each type of polymer
used in Thai plastic industry in 2008 and 2010.
Other
36%
LLDPE
7%
LDPE/EVA
6%
HDPE
12%
PP
21%
PVC
10%
PS/EPS
5%
ABS/SAN
3%
Figure 4.4 Percentage of polymer
consumption in Thailand, 2008 (PTIT,
2008)
53
PE
56%
PP
19%
PVC
14%
PS/EPS
6%
ABS/SAN
5%
Figure 4.5 Percentage of major polymer
consumption in Thailand, 2010 (PTIT,
2010)
From Figure 4.4, in 2008, the thermoplastic polymer which is highest used is PP (21%),
and the next order of polymer used is HDPE (12%). These kinds of polymers are usually
used to produce the packaging plastics e.g., bottle, microwavable wares, detergent
packaging, glasses or cups, and plastic bags and films. 10% of PVC is the third
consumption to produce plastic furniture and pipes for construction and agriculture works.
Other polymers includes both thermoplastic and thermosetting such as epoxy glue, PC,
PMMA, silicone, POM, melamine, and nylon.

From Figure 4.5, this figure shows the major polymer used in Thai plastic industry in 2010.
PE (56%) is the famous polymer using in Thai plastic industry includes HDPE, LDPE, and
LLDPE. Most of them are used in the packaging industry, food industry and construction
works (HDPE pipes, and LDPE films). The following polymer used is PP (19%) and PVC
(14%) respectively. PS is sometimes used to produce the electrical and electronic parts,
especially air conditions. Finally ABS/SAN is used in the automotive and electrical and
electronic industries.
The recycled materials are the plastic pellets from the recycling factory through melting
process and forming a pellet shape. The amount of recycled material used is depending on
the plastic waste collection and recycling system because plastic factories mix the virgin
materials and recycled materials to produce plastic products, especially the plastic bag
industry. However, the recycled materials can be used directly to generate recycled plastic
products i.e., recycled PS resins are used to produce the plastic stationery or clothes
hangers/pegs wearing apparels. Recycled HDPE resins are used to produce plastic bags or
waste bags/bins. The amounts of imported and exported products are usually changed
followed by the international markets and competitions with other countries.
Table 4.2 Amount of Product Generation, Imported-Exported Products and Virgin
Material Used in Country in 2002, 2005, 2010 and 2011
List Amount of plastic products (1,000 tonnes/year)
2002 1 2005 2 2010 3 2011 4
Product generation 4,977 4,528 4,400 4,200
Imported product 467 260 421 453
Exported product 1,924 850 947 967
Virgin material used 3,099 3,000 3,431 3,561
Note: 1. All available data in 2002 are from the plastic and foam waste study (PCD, 2002).
2. The amounts of plastic product generation, imported and exported products, virgin
material used are presented in the PTIT presentation, 2005.
3. The amount of product generation was estimated from material flow analysis of
plastic in 2010. The amounts of imported and exported products and virgin material
used are present in the annual report of OIE, 2011-2012.
4. The amount of product generation is presented in the PTIT presentation, 2012.
The amounts of imported and exported products and virgin material used are
present in the annual report of OIE, 2011-2012.
From Table 4.2, the amount of plastic production decreased continuously because there are
many plastic producers in Asian which export plastic goods to Europe and America regions
such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, China, and Philippines. The amount of virgin
masterbatch had increased since 2005 because this amount of masterbatch is not only used
to produce plastic products, but it is also used to produce textile and leather, agriculture,
and plastic containing products.
According to PTIT (2010), the growing demand from electrical and the electronic industry
and an automobile industry causes the increase of plastic generation, especially large
amounts of electronic and electrical devices which are exported to other countries. The new
designed products are used as components of cars instead of the oldest plastic products
including the high demand of owner vehicles, so it causes the higher production of plastic
products in order to support the automobile industry.
54

In 2011, major flooding in BMA region affected to many plastic factories resulting in the
reduction of production. The furniture and construction plastics were consumed more than
other kinds of plastic products to renovate flooded houses and buildings. In addition,
furniture and construction plastics were imported in large amount compared to the previous
years (OIE, 2011).
Moreover, the last flooding in 2011 also affected the automobile industry because the car
factories in industrial estate were damaged from this flooding. The plastic wastes from
industrial sector were disposed around 9.3 million tonnes in 2011 and 18.3 million tonnes
in 2012 respectively (DIW, 2013). Therefore, the plastic automobile part industry has
increased the plastic production capacity since 2012. Similarly, the electronic and electrical
industry consumed a lot of plastics to increase amount of new products.
4.1.2 Current situation of plastic wastes management in Thailand
4.1.2.1 Waste generation and plastic wastes in MSW
Thailand developed the municipal waste management (MSW) continuously since 1993
until the present. The solid waste management information has collected by PCD, and PCD
also provides policies/plans for the waste management of all areas in Thailand including
municipal wastes, hazardous wastes, infectious wastes, and recyclable wastes. The amount
of solid wastes has increased since 1993 until 2010 because there are an economic growth,
social expansion, tourism development, and population growth. Both of them effect on
production and packaging followed by the consumption. Most products and packages are
plastics, and 50% of packaging plastics become plastic wastes after use for one time (FPRI,
2011). Amount of municipal waste generation in Thailand was 15.16 million tons of solid
waste or 41,532 tons/day in 2010 out of which 17% of municipal waste generation was
plastic wastes. There was 1.83 tonnes of industrial plastic waste generation in 2010. Table
4.3 shows the amount of municipal waste generation in Thailand, 2003-2010.
Table 4.3 Amount of Waste Generation in Thailand, 2003-2010 (PCD, 2013)
Areas Waste generation rate (tonnes/day)
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
BMA 9,356 8,291 8,403 8,532 8,780 8,834 8,766
Puttaya city 12,500 12,635 12,912 13,600 14,915 16,368 16,620
Outside of
municipality
18,100 18,295 18,697 18,200 17,369 16,208 16,146
Total 39,956 39,221 40,012 40,332 41,064 41,410 41,532
Municipal solid wastes consist of food waste, plastics, papers, glasses, metals, rubbers,
woods, textiles, and others. Each type of wastes is divided into many types. For example,
plastic wastes are divided into 8 kinds such as HDPE, LDPE, PET, PVC, PP, PS,
thermosetting plastic, and other plastics. The percentage of composition of municipal solid
waste in Thailand is shown in Figure 4.6. The percentage of municipal solid waste
composition from the filed observation at Sai Mai transfer station is illustrated in Figure
4.7
55

Plastic
17%
Paper
8%
Metal
2%
Glass
3%
Wood
1%
Rubber
1% Textile
1% Other
3%
Food
waste
64%
Figure 4.6 Percentage of municipal solid
waste composition in Thailand, 2012
(PCD, 2012)
56
Organic
waste
59%
Plastic
& foam
23%
Figure 4.7 Percentage of municipal solid
waste composition in Thailand in 2013
(Field observation, 2013)
From above figure, there were 64% of food wastes, 17% plastic wastes, and 8% of paper
wastes in 2012. While, the percentage of plastic wastes at Sai Mai transfer station was
around 23% in 2013, and it is similar to the percent of plastic waste in BMA in 2010
(25%). Most existing plastic wastes in MSW are plastic bags amounte up to 87%. Plastic
bags are not popular to collect and recycled, so all of plastic bags (HDPE and LDPE) at the
transfer station are disposed at landfills.
In 2004, the average percentage of plastic wastes in Bangkok was 15.68% out of which
5.89% of HDPE wastes and 4.98% LDPE wastes were generated. PET waste was only
0.29% in these areas because PET or water bottles are recycled more than other plastics.
The percentage of composition of plastic waste in Bangkok in 2004 and 2013 is shown in
Table 4.4.
Table 4.4 Percentage of Composition of Plastic Waste in Bangkok in 2004 and 2013
(PCD, 2004 and Field observation, 2013)
Year Percentage of each type of plastics in MSW (%)
PP PET PVC PS HDPE & LDPE Other
2004 14.5 1.8 2.1 7.3 63.2 5.1
2013 2.97 2.16 - 1.89 87.82 5.26
Glass
1%
Textile
&
Other
3%
Paper
14%
From Table 4.4, HDPE and LDPE wastes were the highest fraction (87.82%) of plastic
waste generation in 2013. The example of HDPE and LDPE wastes is plastic bag and film
which waste pickers and transfer station scavengers do not collect to recycle. There was
1% of thermosetting waste generation from households e.g., melamine wares. PP, PET, PS,
and PVC wastes were a little fraction in municipal plastic wastes in 2013 because these
kinds of plastic wastes can be recycled.

4.1.2.2 Plastic waste generation in industry and waste utilization
In 2010, there was 1.83 million tonnes of industrial plastic waste generation, and then it
was 1.84 million tonnes in 2011. The amounts of municipal and industrial plastic waste
recycling in 2010 were 0.35 (14%) and 0.16 (8%) million tonnes respectively. The
amounts of plastic waste generation and recycled plastic wastes in municipality and
industry are shown in Figure 4.8.
Amount of plastic waste (1000
tonnes)
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
2008 2009 2010 2011
Figure 4.8 Amounts of plastic waste generation and recycled plastic wastes (PCD, 2011)
From Figure 4.8, plastic wastes were generated a lot of waste amount, but plastic waste
were recycled in small amounts, especially industrial sector. Thus, plastic wastes are still
the problem of waste management because they affect the space areas in landfills which are
used to dispose waste, and they spent more time for degradation.
4.1.2.3 Plastic waste collection and disposal
Normally, local administrations provide the waste bins at roadsides to storage wastes from
household and institutions. the waste collection services are also provided by municipality.
During waste collection, BMA waste collectors always separate plastic wastes from
curbside bins, especially plastic bottles. The BMA waste collectors mix and sell sorted
plastic wastes to the waste shops in front of transfer station (field observation, 2013).
Figure 4.9 illustrates BMA waste collectors collect wastes and sort them for sale. Figure
4.10 shows the waste transferring process at Sai Mai transfer station.
Besides, there are waste pickers and transfer station/landfill scavengers who collect and
separate wastes from waste bin for sale. Figure 4.11 and 4.12 present waste pickers and
landfill scavengers respectively. BMA has a good solid waste management system because
the local administration can collect wastes coverall BMA areas. At the transfer station,
solid wastes are usually sorted by the scavengers who do the illegal waste separation in
transfer station areas. Therefore, the amount of wastes for disposal decrease and the
municipalities can save their expenditure for waste collection and disposal.
57
Municipal Plastic
Waste
Recycled
Municipal Plastic
Waste
Industrial Plastic
Waste
Recycled
Industrial Plastic
Waste
Year

Figure 4.9 BMA waste collectors
Figure 4.11 Waste pickers
58
Figure 4.10 Waste transferring process
Figure 4.12 Landfill scavengers
There are three favorite waste disposal methods in Thailand such as landfilling,
incineration, and open dumping and burning. Figure 4.13 presents the percentage of waste
disposal methods in Thailand in 2010. 5.77 million tonnes or 38% of solid wastes in 2010
was disposed properly out of which 37% of proper disposed wastes was disposed at
landfills. There were three incinerators in Thailand which are in Phuket province, Toa
Island and Samui Island.
Although, the solid waste management in other urban areas has a good disposal site, but
lack of the maintenance funds and skilled labors cause the increasing in percentage of open
dumping and open burning. Therefore, municipalities have to operate and monitor
continuously waste disposal to improve the best practice on waste management in
Thailand.
Open
dumping and
Open burning
61%
Municipal
incineration
2%
Landfilling
37%
Figure 4.13 Percentage of waste disposal method in Thailand in 2010 (PCD, 2010)

4.1.2.4 Plastic waste recycling
Material recycling
According to PCD (2004), the mechanism of plastic recycling in Thailand is shown in
Figure 4.14. First, waste generators like household, offices, business sectors, and
restaurants supply their wastes to waste buyers e.g., waste shops, plastic recycling
factories, and middle dealers.
Household
Offices
Business
Restaurant
Other
Sell to
recycling shop
Discard as
solid waste
Sell to plastic
melting
factory
Sell to middle
dealers
Sell to
recycling
factory
59
Sell to
market
Figure 4.14 Mechanism of plastic recycling in Thailand (PCD, 2004)
Use as
recycled
products
Waste pickers and landfill scavengers also sell plastic wastes to waste shops. (see Figure
4.15 and 4.16). Waste shops buy and store large amount of recyclable plastics. They supply
their plastic wastes to recycling factories. Some waste shops have to clean and reduce big
size of waste into small scraps, so they have to wash and cut their wastes. Wastewater and
dust are generated during washing and cutting. The local administration must monitor and
control those environmental issues carefully.
Figure 4.15 Plastic Waste shops at
Pathumthani province
Figure 4.16 Wong Panit at Nakhon
Ratchasima province

Similarly, some recycling factories want to clean plastic waste by themselves, hence they
build the pretreatment process in the factory. Figure 4.17 presents the sorting of plastic
wastes at the pelletizing factories, and Figure 4.18 shows the washing process of plastic
scraps.
Figure 4.17 Sorting unit in pelletizing
factory
60
Figure 4.18 Washing unit in pelletizing
factory
After cleaning plastic wastes, plastic scraps are melted through the thermal process. The
product from pelletizing factory is plastic resins (masterbatch). Finally, recycled resins are
used to produce plastics in the plastic industry again. For example, Asia Piboonwong Ltd.,
Co. has the plastic bags factories, so the owner uses recycled resins to produce plastic bags.
Figure 4.19 shows pelletizing process, and the recycled pellets are illustrated in Figure
4.20.
Figure 4.19 Pelletizing process
Figure 4.20 Recycled resins
Materials which are used to produce plastic goods are considered about contamination,
raw material prices that a used plastic cost will increase if raw material is the high cost, and
types of plastics (i.e., PP and PET costs are higher than PVC). The prices of used PP and
used PET are about 15-17 Baht per kilogram while the used PVC cost is around 8-11 Baht
per kilogram. Used plastics that are mostly contaminated have lower costs than high purity
plastic.
The quality of recycled resins affects the prices of recycled resins. Color of recycled resins
is the one factors used to set the middle prices. Table 4.5 shows the prices or recycled
resins classifying by color. Black color resins are cheapest compared to others because this
color is from the mixing of every plastic color. These black resins can be used to produce
only black plastic products like garbage bags, buckets, and pots.

Table 4.5 Prices of Recycled Resins Classifying by Color (Field observation, 2013)
Color of recycled resins Prices of recycled resins (Baht/kg)
Green, light blue, red, yellow 25
Black 22-23
White 30-35
Clear 35-40
Feedstock recycling
Plastic wastes in covered landfill are dug and fed into pyrolysis reactor in order to produce
oil which can be sold to petroleum industries. This project is a catalytic pyrolysis to
convert plastic bags into crude oil. This technology was created by Poland, and India
bought this idea and produced pyrolysis machines for selling. Only HDPE, LDPE, and PP
are fed into this reactor. PVC is not used for this machine because PVC contributes
chloride when it is burnt, and then chloride will react and damage equipment. This system
requires many catalysts such as zeolite, alumino-silicate clay, natural clay, metal-loaded
catalyst and hydro-cracking catalyst to reduce a burning time and temperature required for
combustion. Finally, this pyrolysis plant required around 150 million Baht including
building, pyrolysis reactor, machine imported, controlling system, and workers. The
operational cost is 15 Baht/L, and the selling cost is 18 Baht/L. This crude oil from this
plant is sold to the Integrate Refinery Petrochemical Complex (IRPC Refinery) in Rayong
and Bangchak Petroleum Plc.
4.2 Material Flow Analysis of Plastics in Thailand
4.2.1 The material flow of plastic in Thailand
The material flow of plastics was quantified by considering the amounts of plastics in the
specific system boundary. The system boundary of plastic flow in this study was “Thailand
in 2010”. Most available data related to plastics and plastic wastes were presented in 2010.
Nine processes in the material flow of plastics were shown in Thailand boundary. The
import of system boundary means that the materials are inputted in the system boundary
such as plastic resins from the petrochemical industry, imported resins, imported products
and imported wastes from other countries. Otherwise, the export of system boundary
includes the exported products, exported wastes to other countries, and the products from
processes which are not studied and focused in this material flow. Finally, the stock of
system boundary means that the materials are being used or stored in the system boundary.
The material flow of plastics in Thailand in 2010 consisted of nine processes such as the
plastic manufacturing, plastic consumption, waste collection and transportation, municipal
incineration, industrial incineration, landfilling, recycling, plastic to oil, and open
environment. Figure 4.21 illustrates the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010. The
details of each process in the material flow are described as following:
61

Figure 4.21 Material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
62

4.2.1.1 Manufacturing
The material flow of plastics in Thailand presented the plastic flows in plastic
manufacturing such as the amount of masterbatch used in the plastic factories and the
amount of plastic production. Figure 4.22 shows the manufacturing process of plastic
material flow in Thailand in 2010.
Figure 4.22 Manufacturing process of plastic material flow in Thailand, 2010
The total masterbatch generation in the petrochemical industry amounted up to 7.8 million
tonnes in 2010. The material flow of plastic in 2010 presented the different plastic flows of
thermoplastic and thermosetting. The amount of major thermoplastic consumption was
around 3.19 million tonnes, while the amount of thermosetting material used was 0.29
million tonnes in 2010 (PTIT, 2010-2011). These amounts of virgin materials including
recycling materials were used to produce the different kinds of plastic products, especially
packaging industries.
From Figure 4.22, 2.6 million tonnes of thermoplastic products was produced in the
manufacturing, while only 0.46 million tonnes of thermosetting products was generated in
2010. The amounts of imported and exported plastic goods were 0.42 and 0.95 million
tonnes respectively. The long-lived products were stocked in the plastic consumption
process. These stocked products may become plastic wastes in the next 3-5 years.
Lastly, this process presented the negative stock which means that plastic products
produced in the year 2010 were also taken by the stock from previous years.. For this
material flow, the amount of masterbatch stocked in country was reported by OIE, and this
amount was 0.14 million tonnes in 2010 that was presented as the upper stock in the
process box.
4.2.1.2 Plastic Consumption
There are two kinds of plastic products such as long-lived products and short-lived
products. The long-lived products include automobile parts, electrical and electronics
appliances, furniture and construction devices, housewares, and agricultural products. The
long term applications are accumulated in the system boundary of plastic material flow so
called stock “in use”.
The short-lived products consisting mainly of packaging and some medical devices
become wastes in limited time. Therefore, the assumptions of plastic waste generation
from long-lived products were set to complete the material flow of plastics. Only 5% of
electrical appliances, automobile parts, and construction products became wastes, while
63

50% of agricultural products was converted to wastes in 2010. Figure D-1 in Appendix D
presents the sub-process of the plastic consumption process. Table D-1 in Appendix D
shows amounts of plastic waste generation from each kind of plastic product of the plastic
consumption process. Most thermosetting products are the long-lived products, so the
assumption is only 1% of thermosetting waste generation from the plastic consumption.
Figure 4.23 shows the plastic consumption process in the plastic material flow in Thailand
in 2010.
Figure 4.23 Plastic consumption process of plastic material flow in Thailand, 2010
The negative stock of this process means that the amount of waste generation (reported by
PCD in 2010) is more than the amount of product input. The assumption of plastic
consumption of each activity was set, and the assumed stock from that assumption was
equal to 1.53 million tonnes. The amount of actual product stocked in this process was
present by OIE, and that amount was 24,981 tonnes in 2010. Thus, the total stock in the
consumption process was 1.55 million tonnes which was show at the upper line of stock
box in Figure 4.23.
The short-lived plastic wastes generated daily were collected and transported to waste
treatment and disposal facilities. According to PCD (2010), the amount of MSW
generation was 15.16 million tonnes in 2010 out of which 2.58 million tonnes (17%) was
municipal plastic wastes (MPW). The percentage of waste collection in Thailand was 80%
of total waste generation, and 20% of waste generation was not collected from
municipalities (PCD, 2012). Collected plastic wastes were managed by the different
options such as incineration, recycling and landfilling. Some collected plastic wastes were
not disposed properly, and then they expanded to the environment.
4.2.1.3 Collection, transportation and disposal
Plastic wastes contain high calorific value (37 MJ/kg), so they can be used as RDF to
generate electricity or heat energy at power plants and manufactures. RDF was produced
from landfilled plastic wastes or residue wastes of waste sorting unit. The material
recycling was done in recycling factories by using sorted plastic wastes to produce
recycled pellets. These recycled products are used again in the plastic manufacturing, while
the generated residue wastes from recycling factories are disposed at landfills.
Finally, the feedstock recycling from plastic wastes was operated at seven municipalities
and three private companies in 2010. Landfilled plastic wastes are converted to crude oil at
municipal oil recovery plants, as plastic wastes in collected MSW were fed into pyrolysis
reactors at private oil recovery plants. Figure 4.24 shows the waste collection and
transportation process of the plastic material flow in Thailand in 2010.
64

Figure 4.24 Waste collection and transport process of plastic material flow in
Thailand, 2010
In the manufacturing process, there was 1.8 million tonnes of industrial plastic waste
generation out of which 155,000 tonnes (8%) was recycled in the recycling factories (PCD,
2010). Only 0.4% of industrial wastes was disposed at landfills in 2010, and 4% of
industrial plastic wastes (IPW) were reused as raw materials to produce plastic products
again (DIW, 2013). The industrial incineration was the favorite method to dispose
industrial plastic wastes (1.6 million tonnes) compared to landfilling and recycling.
Moreover, municipal plastic wastes (MPW) was also burnt in the industrial incineration by
using landfilled plastic wastes. There were five cement factories which used landfilled
plastic wastes as fuel substitutions (RDF). The RDF from landfilled wastes was produced
100,000 tonnes for two cement factories in 2010 (GEOCYCLE, 2011). The amount of
RDF used in the industrial incineration was 42,500 tonnes/year for five cement factories
(the details of calculation are shown in Appendix D).
From above figure, 9.5% of collected plastic wastes were exported to other countries. The
amount of waste combusted in the municipal incineration was 37,117 tonnes (2%). The
amount of waste combusted was estimated by considering the capacity of three municipal
incinerators at Phuket province, Koh Tao municipality, and Koh Samui municipality. The
most popular disposal method in Thailand is the landfilling consisting of sanitary landfill,
secure landfill, and open dumping landfill. The amount of plastic wastes are disposed at
landfills was 0.69 million tonnes (37%) in 2010 (PCD, 2010).
4.2.1.4 Recycling and plastic to oil
Approximately 14% of recycling rate based on the total collected municipal thermoplastic
wastes in 2010 including long-lived and short-lived products was estimated. This amount
of thermoplastic wastes was the aggregation of the amount of wastes for material recycling
(97%) and feedstock recycling (3%). Figure 4.25 presents the recycling and plastic to oil
processes of the plastic material flow in Thailand in 2010.
Thermoplastic wastes were used to produce the recycled materials in the recycling
factories. The formal form of recycled materials is a pellet form. The large amount of
thermoplastic wastes was not recycled, but it was only disposed and burnt at landfills and
incinerators. Therefore, the available policies and plans was considered to increase the
recycling rate of plastic waste from 14% to 30% within 2016 (MNRE, 2012)
65

Figure 4.25 Recycling and plastic to oil processes of the plastic material flow in
Thailand, 2010
From Figure 4.25, the feedstock recycling for plastic wastes in Thailand the pyrolysis
system to recovery crude oil from both of landfilled and collected MPW. There was 15,330
tonnes of landfilled plastic wastes which was fed into the pyrolysis reactor. Seven oil
recovery plants was built at the landfill site of those municipalities e.g., Samutprakan, Hau-
Hin, Ubonrachathani, Rayong, Pitsanulok, Khin Khaen, and Sa Kaeo provinces. The
capacity of the municipal oil recovery plants is 6 tonnes/day of landfilled waste used, and
the percentage of crude oil generation is 80% of amount of landfilled waste used (PCD,
2013).
The amounts of imported and exported of plastic wastes affected the plastic waste
management because the increase of plastic wastes will be occurred if large amounts of
plastic wastes from other countries are imported. On the other hand, the export of plastic
waste helps to reduce the amount of wastes which need to manage. The amounts of
imported and exported wastes in 2010 were 17,760 and 205,790 tonnes respectively
(Custom Department, 2013).
4.2.1.5 Open environment
The uncollected wastes and improper disposal are the main environmental issues from
plastic wastes because the amount of plastic wastes which were expanded to the
environment was 1.4 million tonnes in 2010. After the collection and transportation, 47%
of MPW was not disposed properly such as open dumping and open burning, so the
improper disposed wastes and uncollected wastes were expanded and stocked in the
environment. The future plastic waste management options will be the reduction of
uncollected waste and the improvement of best disposal methods.
4.2.2 Change of the material flow of plastics in 2005 and 2010
In 2005, the material flow of plastic industry in Thailand was studied to improve the best
waste management in Thailand. The plastic flows in Thailand were changed in 2010,
especially, plastic production, plastic waste generation, and recycling. The change points in
both of material flows in 2005 and 2010 were presented by the star points in Figure 4.26
and 4.27. Figure 4.26 presents the material flow of plastic industry in Thailand, 2005. The
plastic material flow in 2010 is shown in Figure 4.27.
66

Figure 4.26 Material flow of plastic industry in Thailand, 2005
(Chanchampee, 2010)
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
67
Figure 4.27 Material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)

From Figure 4.26, the material flow of plastic industry in 2005 consisted of four processes
such as the polymer production process, plastic production process, plastic consumption
process, and disposal process. The polymers or plastic pellets were produced by the
petrochemical industries. Raw materials of polymer production are ethylene, propylene,
benzene, styrene, butadiene, and others (Chanchampee, 2010).
The amount of plastic pellets (masterbatch) production from the petrochemical industry
was 7.8 million tonnes in 2005). The amount of petrochemical consumption was 7.75
million tonnes in 2005. The amount of plastic pellet consumption was 3.25 million tonnes
in 2005, while it was 3.5 million tonnes in 2010. Although, the amount of pellet
consumption increased, the amount of plastic production was still the same (3.98 million
tonnes) in 2005 and 2010. Approximately 89% of plastic products was used in country.
There were 0.34 million tonnes of imported products and 0.83 million tonnes of exported
products in 2005.
This study estimated the amount of plastic waste generation by considering the lifespan of
long-lived and short-lived products. The lifetime of short-lived products is less than three
year, while it is over three year for long-lived plastics. Thus, the assumption is all longlived
plastics were stocked in the plastic consumption process.
The amount of plastic waste generation was around 1.1 million tonnes in 2005 including
industrial wastes, municipal wastes, and residue wastes from recycling. This amount of
plastic wastes was disposed at disposal sites directly. In 2010, the amount of plastic waste
generation from industrial and municipal wastes was 4.4 million tonnes out of which 3.9
million tonnes was collected to recycle and disposed. The increase of plastic waste
generation from 2005 to 2010 may be caused from end of life of stocked products in 2005.
There was 2.78 million tonnes of stocked plastic products in 2005, as the amount of
stocked plastics was 1.5 million tonnes in 2010.
In 2005, the secondary plastics or recycled pellets were recovered from short-lived
products of industrial (IPW) and municipal plastic wastes (MPW). Approximately 11% of
plastic recycling rate base on the total plastic consumption in 2005 including long-lived
and short-lived products was estimated. The percentage of recycling rate raised 14% in
2010. The increase of recycling rate may be caused from the plastic and foam reduction
projects of PCD, expansion of recycling business, and activities of different stakeholders.
The reduction of plastic and foam project has started since 2004 by PCD. This project
studied the plastic and foam production, plastic and foam waste generation, the recycling
of plastic and foam wastes, and the opinions and activities of relevant stakeholders,
especially consumers and recyclers. This project promoted to reduce the plastic bag used at
department stores, markets, and minimarts. After promoting the project, the percentage of
plastic bag reduction in the department store was 3-4%, and 3.7 tonnes/month of plastic
waste generation at the department store was collected to sell to waste shops (PCD, 2007).
The numbers of plastic recycling factories raised from 230 factories in 2003 to 400
factories in 2012 (PCD, 2004 and DIW, 2013). The plastic wastes were recycled in the
recycling factories in order to produce recycled pellets. The amount of plastic wastes for
recycling was 457,000 tonnes in 2005, while the amount of plastic waste for recycling was
411,934 tonnes in 2010.
68

The amount of plastic waste for recycling in 2010 decreased compared to in 2005 because
this amount was estimated by the calculation through the assumed recycling rate (14%).
However, the actual amount of plastic waste for recycling which was reported by PCD was
506,780 tonnes in 2010 (PCD, 2010). The increase of plastic waste recycling in 2010
confirms the increase of recycling rate of plastic waste from 11% in 2005 to 14% in 2010.
The activities of stakeholders regarding to plastic waste management in Thailand consisted
of consumers, waste pickers, waste shops, recyclers, waste exporters, and policy maker. In
2005, there was not any plastic waste export, but 205,790 tonnes of plastic wastes was
exported in 2010. In 2008, there are 10,200 waste shops in Thailand (PCD, 2013). Waste
shops collect and sell their waste to recyclers, and they are the one important stakeholder to
increase the recycling rate of plastic wastes. They can collect 5 tonnes/month of plastic
waste (field observation, 2013).
In 2005, the environmental plan promoted to increase the recycling rate by 30% within
2011, but this goal was not successful because consumers did not concern on the
environmental problems and know any project and policy (Chanchampee, 2010).
Currently, the environmental plan in 2012 also promoted the 3Rs principle to increase in
recycling rate by 30% within 2016, and to reduce the waste generation per capita (less than
1 kg/capita/day) (MNRE, 2012). This plan may be successful if people concern and
participate to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic wastes. The networks of stakeholders help
to achieve the goals of policy because not only one stakeholder try to improve the best
practice on plastic waste management, but all relevant stakeholders also participate the
project.
The disposal methods for plastic wastes in 2005 included incineration and landfilling.
There was one incinerator to recovery energy from plastic wastes, and less than 0.2% of
plastic waste was burnt in the municipal incinerators. Two-third of plastic wastes was
disposed at landfill. Similarly 37% of municipal plastic wastes were disposed at landfill
sites in 2010. In 2010, industrial plastic wastes were usually burnt at the industrial
incineration or cement kiln, but only 2% of municipal plastic waste generation was burnt in
at the municipal incineration (PCD, 2010). Finally, uncollected wastes and improper
disposal wastes became the challenge for the improvement of plastic waste management in
Thailand.
4.3 Prediction of Plastic Waste Management in 2016
4.3.1 Plastic waste management scenarios
The plastic waste management scenarios were proposed to find the possible waste
management options. There are four proposed scenarios followed by the existing plans and
policies such as the National Environmental Quality Control Plan in 2012-2016 and the
alternative energy development plan in 2012-2021. The first scenario is the business as
usual (BAU) of plastic waste management in 2016. The second scenario was proposed to
increase in recycling rate by 30%, and the last scenario related to the increase of energy
recovery by incineration and oil recovery.
The first scenario related to the business as usual. The business as usual means that the
future view of current situation will be not change because everything will be done in the
69

future is the same as current situation. Therefore, the percentage of plastic waste
management of the scenario 1 in 2016 will be the same as the material flow of plastics in
2010 as showing in Table 4.6.
The scenario 2 was proposed to predict the effects of the National Environmental Quality
Control Plan in 2012-2016, 3Rs law (scenario 2A), and plastic bag taxation (scenario 2B).
Three issues have the same objectives like increase of 30% of plastic recycling rate. There
were two proposed sub-scenarios of this scenario such as scenario 2A and scenario 2B.
Table 4.6 presents the percentage of plastic waste management of each scenario.
Finally, the scenario 3 focused on the increase in waste to energy options based on the
alternative energy development plan (AEDP) in 2012-2021. The percentage of all waste to
energy scheme in the material flow of this scenario will increase in 2016.
Table 4.6 Percentage of Plastic Waste Management of Each Scenario
% Plastic waste management Scenario 1 Scenario 2A Scenario 2B Scenario 3
Exported waste 9.5% 15% 15% 9.5%
Municipal incineration 2% 2% 2% 10%
Industrial incineration 0% 5% 5% 10%
Recycling 14% 30% 30% 14%
Oil recovery 0% 0% 0% 10%
Reuse 0% 10% 5% 0%
Landfill 37% 30% 40% 37%
Open environment 37.5% 8% 3% 9.5%
4.3.1.1 Scenario 1: Business as Usual (BAU)
The concept of this scenario is "change nothing" compared to the plastic waste
management in 2010. Therefore, the percentage of waste management will be the same in
2010 such as 14% of recycling rate, 37% of landfilling, and 2% of municipal incineration.
Similarly, the industrial plastic wastes will managed by the same portion of waste
treatment and disposal in 2010. The calculation of each flow in the scenario 1 is presented
in Table E-3 in Appendix E.
The scenario 1 was created in order to show the effect of the plastic waste management in
Thailand in 2016. The first estimation was done with the amount of plastic production in
the manufacturing process. The growth rates of plastic pellet consumption and imported
pellets were 3% and 13% respectively. The growth rate of thermosetting pellets was 8%,
while the forecast of amount of thermoplastic pellets was done by deducting total plastic
pellet consumption by the amount of thermosetting pellets. The calculated amounts of
plastic pellet consumption and imported pellets are shown in Table E-1 in Appendix E.
Figure 4.28 shows the material flow of plastics in Thailand in 2016; the scenario 1.
Due to the increase of Thai population in 2016, the amount of municipal plastic waste
generation will increase to 2.6 million tonnes in 2016, while the amount of industrial will
be 2.1 million tonnes. The details of waste estimation from industry and municipality are
presented in Table E-2 in Appendix E.
70

Figure 4.28 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 1
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
71

From Figure 4.28, total plastic pellets consumption including imported pellets will be 5.9
million tonnes out of which 90% of this amount will be changed to plastic products in
2016. The amount of plastic products will be 4.2 million tonnes are consumed at the plastic
consumption process. The increase of plastic production will make the increase of plastic
waste generation in both of municipalities and industries. Total plastic waste generation
will be 4.8 tonnes in 2016.
The assumption of waste collection and transportation is 20% of plastic waste generation
will not be collected to treat or dispose in 2016, so these uncollected wastes will also
stocked in the environment as same as in 2010. The total stocked plastic wastes in the
environment will be 1.3 million tonnes in 2016. The most popular disposal of industrial
wastes is the energy recovery by incineration (95%), as 37% of plastic wastes will be
disposed at landfills in 2016. Assuming the same recycling rate of industrial and municipal
waste in 2016, the amount of plastic waste recycled will be 0.5 million tonnes. The
municipal and industrial incineration and oil recovery of plastic wastes will slightly
increase, so the assumption is the amounts of plastic wastes for these processes are still the
same in 2010.
4.3.1.2 Scenario 2: Increase in recycling rate by 30%
Scenario 2 presents the flows of plastics and plastic wastes based on the National
Environmental Quality Control Plan in 2012-2016 to achieve a 30% recycling rate in 2016.
This scenario was divided into two parts such as the scenario 2A based on the 3Rs law
(PCD, 2013) and the scenario 2B based on the plastic bag taxation (FPRI, 2011). The
amount of industrial and municipal waste generation in 2016 was estimated as same as the
scenario 1. Similarly, the amounts of total plastic production and plastic waste generation
are the same as the scenario 1. The details of plastic flows in the scenario 2A and 2B are
shown in Table E-7 and E-8 in Appendix E. Many percentages of plastic waste
management in each option of scenario 2A and 2B are the same, but three assumption of
percentage are different such as percentage of waste reused, landfilling, and open
environment.
For scenario 2A and scenario 2B, assuming 10% uncollected municipal wastes in 2016, the
amount of uncollected plastic waste in MSW will decrease by the reduction, reusing and
sorting at sources. On the other hands, all industrial plastic wastes will be collected to
dispose outside factories followed by the industrial waste management regulation of DIW.
The main assumption of this scenario is the increase of recycling rate to 30%, so the
amount of plastic waste recycled will be 1.34 million tonnes in 2016. Increasing the
material recycling capacity by 95% within 2016, the amount of recycled pellet production
will raise to 1.3 tonnes.
Scenario 2A: Increase in recycling rate by 30% without promoting bio-plastics
The 3Rs law forces people to reduce their wastes at sources based on the polluter pay
principle. The amount of waste generation will decrease if the government charges more
money for waste management services because nobody wants to pay more for unnecessary
things. The government can force people to separate plastic wastes before throwing plastic
wastes. Figure 4.29 illustrates the material flow of plastics in Thailand in 2016; the
scenario 2A.
72

Figure 4.29 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 2A
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
73

The one issue of plastic waste segregation is the mixed types of plastics in one product e.g.,
mixed of PMMA and PC in TV products, mixed of PET and fiber glass for automobile
parts (Field observation, 2013). The one method to promote plastic waste separation is that
seven plastic codes should be labeled on plastic products at the plastic manufacturing
before sales because these codes make the plastic wastes separation be easy for consumers.
Waste shops have knowledge on plastic waste separation, and some even shops train the
interest people and businessman to practice and improve the sorting skills of interest shops.
The most important issue affect the percentage of recycling rate is the prices and markets
of recycled materials. Some businessmen state that the recycling business is the risk
business because the prices of recycled materials are not steady depending on the demand
of plastic factories and prices of plastic wastes from waste shops. For example, PET scraps
can be sold for 25-30 Baht/kg in the winter because the textile factories in China use PET
scraps to produce the sweaters, whereas the price of PET waste is 15-20 Baht/kg in
summer (Field observation, 2013). The prices of recycled materials are set by considering
the quality of recycled pellets (e.g., Grade A and B) and colors of recycled pellets (e.g.,
black, white, red, blue, green, yellow, and clear). Therefore, the government should
establish the middle prices of recycled materials by set the center of recycled material
control to control the quality and prices of recycled products.
From Figure 4.29, the new flow of plastic wastes was set by considering the amount of
municipal plastic waste combustion at the industrial incineration. The amount of municipal
waste for industrial incineration is from the RDF production of integrated solid waste
management plants in municipalities (PCD, 2012). RDF can be used as alternative fuels in
the power plant of municipalities, or it is sold to the industry e.g., food industry, paper
industry and cement kiln. Approximately 5% combustion rate of thermosetting and
thermoplastic wastes will be burnt in the industrial incineration. The assumption is 20%
municipal plastic wastes will be burnt in the other industries excluding the cement kiln.
This scenario did not focus on the energy recovery from plastic wastes. Thus amounts
plastic wastes for municipal incineration, industrial incineration (cement factories) and oil
recovery will be assumed a slight increase. The percentage of municipal incineration in
2016 is still the same as in 2010 (2%), while the amounts of fresh wastes and landfilled for
oil recovery will be 7,300 and 15,330 tonnes respectively. Likewise, the amount of
landfilled wastes for burning in cement kiln will be 42,500 tonnes in 2016.
The promotion of waste recycling scheme will the amount of exported wastes increases,
but the amount of imported wastes will steady in 2016. The assumption is 15% of
municipal plastic wastes will be exported to other countries. Plastic wastes are exported by
middle dealers and waste shops. Chinese dealers sometimes come and buy plastic wastes
by themselves because they have knowledge and skills to sort the different types of plastic
wastes (Field observation, 2013). Imported plastic wastes should be banned because there
are large amounts of plastic waste generation in Thailand which are not recycling. Due to
difficulty of plastic waste segregation, people only separate the favorite three types of
plastic wastes such as PET, HDPE, and mixed plastic wastes. Thus, the best practice of
plastic waste separation and collection is important to increase the material recycling of
plastic wastes.
Before disposal, 10% of industrial wastes and 10% of municipal plastic wastes will be
separated and reused in the manufacturing and consumption processes. Approximately 1%
74

of industrial wastes and 30% of municipal wastes will be disposed at landfills, and the total
landfilled waste will be 0.73 million tonnes in 2016. Therefore, the amount of stocked
plastic wastes in the landfill process will be around 1 million tonnes out of which 0.67
million tonnes can be recovered to produce recycled pellets and crude oil.
Increasing of recycling rate will decrease the amount of improper disposal of waste in
2016. Approximately 8% of improper disposed wastes in MSW will be expanded and
stocked in the environment. The total stock in the environment will be 0.46 million tonnes,
as the total stock of the scenario 2A will be 4.39 million tonnes in 2016. The highest
amount of stocked plastics was shown in the plastic consumption process amounted to 1.97
million tonnes. This stock is from the long-live plastic products and reused/secondary
plastic products. This amount of stocked plastics will be highest in the next five or ten
years if the waste reduction and reuse policy stimulates people to use long-lived products
for over five or ten years.
Scenario 2B: Increase in recycling rate by 30% with promoting bio-plastics
The plastic bag taxation is not used now, but FPRI is the one organization who studied on
the feasibility of plastic bag taxation in Thailand in 2011. The proposed plan for the plastic
bag taxation includes banning conventional plastic bags, promoting the biodegradable
plastic products, collecting bag charges, and supporting plastic bag recycling. Figure 4.30
illustrates the material flow of plastics in Thailand in 2016; the scenario 2B.
From Figure 4.30, the amounts of MPW disposed of scenario 2B at the municipal and
industrial incineration and landfill sites are equal to those amounts of scenario 2A.
Likewise, the percentage of plastic waste recycling of this scenario will increase by 30% in
2016 as well as the scenario 2A because the plastic bag taxation promotes to charge the
plastic bag fee for supporting the plastic bag recycling. This scenario also did not promote
the waste to energy scheme, so the amounts of MPW for oil recovery and incineration are
the same as the scenario 1 and scenario 2A.
The amounts of MPW and IPW reused, landfilling and disposed in open environment of
the scenario 2B are different from the scenario 2A. 10% of industrial wastes and 5% of
municipal plastic wastes will be separated and reused in the manufacturing and
consumption processes. Approximately 1% of industrial wastes and 40% of municipal
wastes will be disposed at landfills, and the total landfilled waste will be 0.97 million
tonnes in 2016. Therefore, the amount of stocked plastic wastes in the landfill process will
be around 1.2 million tonnes out of which 0.91 million tonnes can be recovered to produce
recycled pellets and crude oil.
Although, there is the reduction of plastic waste generation from the banning plastic bag
strategy, the amount of waste generation may slightly decrease because there is the
promotion of biodegradable plastic products. This scenario followed by plastic bag
taxation which simulates the plastic manufacturing to decrease plastic bag production, but
increase to produce the amount of biodegradable plastics. Similarly, people have to use
biodegradable plastics instead of plastic bags followed by this taxation. The main
advantage of biodegradable plastics is that they can be degraded by anaerobic condition at
landfills within one year (NIA, 2008). The government must be careful on this taxation use
because it directly affects the recycling business and amount of stocked wastes at landfills.
75

Figure 4.30 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 2B
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
76

The amounts of plastic waste disposed at landfills will increase in 2016 due to the increase
of biodegradable plastic consumption. The recycling business of bio-plastics is not
profitable because low plastics are contained in bio-products, and they are not used to
recover energy in the incineration due to GHG emissions from incinerators. The available
way to used bio-plastic wastes is the composting in order to produce chemical fertilizers
for the agriculture works (Treewijitkasam, 2013).
Increasing of recycling rate will make the amount of improper disposed wastes decrease in
2016. Approximately 3% of improper disposed wastes in MSW will be expanded and
stocked in the environment. The total stock in the environment will be 0.34 million tonnes,
while the total stock of the scenario 2B will be 4.39 million tonnes in 2016 as same as the
scenario 2A.
The highest amount of stocked plastics was shown in the plastic consumption process
amounted to 1.8 million tonnes. This stock is from the long-live products and
reused/secondary plastic products. This amount of stocked plastics will be highest in the
next five or ten years if the waste reduction and reuse policy stimulates people to use longlived
products for over five or ten years.
In conclusion, the total input, stock and output of scenario 2A and scenario 2B were
presented in the similar amounts. Scenario 2A will stimulate people to reduce and reuse
plastic wastes by 10% with in 2016. The amount of MPW for landfilling of scenario 2A in
2016 will decrease from 37% in 2010 to 30% in 2016. Otherwise, the percentage of MPW
for landfilling of scenario 2B will be equal to 40% in 2016. Finally, approximately 8% and
3% of MPW of scenario 2A and 2B will be disposed in open environment.
4.3.1.3 Scenario 3: Increase in waste to energy options
In the scenario 3, the changes and impacts of as alternative energy development plan in
2012-2021 was were predicted. The goals of this plan include the energy recovery rate and
alternative fuel used will increase by recovery 160 MW of energy within 2021. This plan
promotes to use wastes as fuels in order to recovery energy such as biogas from anaerobic
digestion, municipal incineration, and alternative fuel production (coal, crude oil, RDF,
and carbon black) (DEDE, 2013). The amounts of plastic production and plastic waste
generation in 2016 were same as the scenario 1. The calculation of each flow in the
scenario 3 is shown in Table E-9 in Appendix E. Figure 4.31 shows the material flow of
plastics in Thailand in 2016; the scenario 3.
This scenario assumed that 10% of municipal plastic wastes in 2016 will not collected to
dispose as well as the scenario 2, but whole industrial plastic wastes will be collected and
disposed properly. The concept of this scenario includes the increases of municipal and
industrial incineration and oil recovery. 10% of municipal plastic wastes will be burnt at
both of municipal and industrial incinerators.
The amount of municipal plastic wastes for incineration will be 0.24 million tonnes in 2016
out of which 2,371 tonnes is thermosetting wastes. Almost industrial plastic wastes
(87.6%) will be combusted at the industrial incinerators, and 0.3 million tonnes of RDF
production from landfill sites will be burnt in the cement kiln.
77

Figure 4.31 Material flow of plastics in 2016; Scenario 3
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
78

The increase of municipal incineration may be caused from the promotion of integrated
solid waste management system. This system consists of waste sorting unit, composting
unit, and RDF production unit. There will be 10-20% of RDF production from municipal
solid wastes, if the efficiency of sorting unit is high (PCD, 2012). RDF can be used as fuels
at the municipal incineration and factories. Around 20-30% of recyclable materials are
separated from sorting unit, so this percentage makes the recycling rate increases.
Thermosetting plastic wastes are the available materials to support this scenario. Only 1%
of thermosetting waste generation in MSW was assumed for this scenario. This amount of
thermosetting wastes is divided into three parts for three different disposals e.g., 10% of
municipal incineration, 10% of industrial incineration, and 37% of landfilling. The waste
separation at sources is the best method to separate only thermosetting plastic wastes at
sources, and sorted thermosetting wastes should be burnt in incinerators because they
cannot be recycled.
Although there is the waste separation scheme at sources, less thermosetting wastes are
still burnt at the incinerator because the generation rate of thermosetting rate is very low.
Thus, these wastes cannot be used as main fuels to recover energy. Moreover, promoting
the thermosetting waste separation is not successful because there are many types of
thermosetting products as well as thermoplastic products. People do not have knowledge
on plastics cannot sort thermosetting products out of thermoplastic products.
In general, most industrial wastes from factories are always burnt in the industrial
incinerators and cement kiln. It is very convenient for factories in the industrial estates to
dispose their wastes by the industrial incinerators i.e., the industrial incinerator at Bang
Poo industrial estate is the fluidized bed system, and it can burnt both of hazardous and
non-hazardous wastes. The generated heat energy is used at factories in the estate again.
Due to the limited of petroleum and coal resources, the alternative fuels are considered.
The government must be carefully consider and compare the available ways for the waste
to energy scheme because plastics are produce from petroleum resources. The consumption
of petroleum resources will increase if most of plastic wastes are recovered into crude oil
or used as fuels because these fuels are transformed into gases and air pollution after
consumption. Unlike the material recycling, it can reprocess plastics over eight times
before littering and disposal (Goodship, 2007).
From Figure 4.31, the amount of exported plastic wastes will be 0.22 million tonnes or
9.5% of municipal waste generation in 2016. A slight increase of imported will be
presented by use the same amount of imported wastes in 2010. Approximately 24%
recycling rate was assumed out of which 10% of municipal plastic wastes will be
recovered to produce crude oil in 2016. The percentage of material recycling is the same as
a scenario 1 (14%). Furthermore, the important assumption of this scenario is 30 oil
recovery plants will be built at landfill sites to increase the amount of crude oil production.
Increasing the municipal and industrial incineration capacity by 90% within 2016, the
amounts of off-gas generation from municipal and industrial incineration will be 0.21 and
2.2 million tonnes respectively, Likewise, the capacity of oil recovery production will rise
to 90% in 2016. Therefore, the amount of crude oil generation will be 0.27 million tonnes.
There will be 0.52 million tonnes of available wastes in landfill which can be used as fuels
in the cement kiln and oil recovery plants.
79

Most municipal plastic wastes (37%) will be disposed at landfills, while only 0.4% of
industrial plastic wastes are disposed at landfills. After scenario done, the amount of
improper disposed wastes will decrease by 9.5% within 2016, and total stock in the
environment will be 0.5 million tonnes. In addition, total stock of this scenario will be 3.1
million tonnes in 2016. The most plastics are stocked in the plastic consumption process
because there will be large amount of imported products and product consumption which
are inputted to this process compared to the amount of waste generation. This stock is also
the use of long-live products from previous year.
4.3.2 Comparison of plastic waste management scenarios
This part presents the comparison of three plastic waste management scenarios based on
the financial analysis and public awareness of relevant stakeholders. To compare each
scenario, the financial analysis was done by considering the expenditure and revenue of
plastic waste management scenarios. The stakeholder diagrams of the plastic bag taxation
and the alternative energy development plan are predicted. Finally, the results of public
awareness consist of the acceptable rate and stakeholder’s opinions.
4.3.2.1 Stakeholder of plastic waste management scenarios
1. Scenario 1: Business as Usual (BAU)
In general, the main stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand include waste
generators, waste collectors, waste shops, waste recyclers, and private and government
organizations. Waste generators consist of consumers (e.g., household, minimart, hospital,
etc.) and industries. Waste pickers, municipalities, waste management company, and
industrial waste collector are the waste collectors. Waste shops and waste recyclers collect
and improve the recycling activities of plastic wastes. Waste shops and waste recyclers are
important stakeholders for the scenario 2, while, for the scenario 3, they play the same
roles as the scenario 1. Figure 4.32 presents the relationship of stakeholders of scenario 1.
Waste Generator
Waste Collector
Waste shop
Waste Recycler
Public-private sector
institution
Figure 4.32 Relationships of stakeholders of scenario 1
From above figure, the government organization like PCD and MNRE is the environmental
organization supports other stakeholders by providing budgets, information, and promoting
the waste management projects. The last group of stakeholders is the public-private sector
80
Government
Organizations

institution. This group includes the private sectors and government organizations such as
PIT, PTIT, TPIA, DIW, TIPMSE, and PIU.
Plastic wastes generated from waste generators are collected by waste collectors. For
example, municipalities collect daily plastic wastes to dispose properly. Waste generators
sometimes sell their recyclable wastes to waste shops. The environmental issues are caused
from processing of plastic industries and recycling factories should be monitored and
controlled through the environmental laws of the environmental organizations. Finally, the
public-private sector institutions concern on the plastic production and recycled products.
They focus on the demand of plastic products and acceptation of recycled product quality
of waste generators.
2. Scenario 2: Increase in recycling rate by 30%
Most stakeholders of this scenario relate to the 3Rs principle and plastic bag taxation such
as consumers, producers, importers, local administration, bio-plastic companies, plastic
bags and foam fund, environmental organizations, waste shops, recyclers, disposers and
public-private sector institutions. First, producers and importers support the alternative
plastic products like low-plastic containing bottles and recyclable plastic bags. Plastic bag
factories and importers have to pay plastic bag and foam tax when they produce and import
plastic bags. Consumers have three choices to consume plastic products followed by the
3Rs law and plastic bag tax such as pay for plastic bag charge, reuse plastic products, and
use bio-plastics and recycled products. Figure 4.33 shows the relationship between
stakeholders of the scenario 2.
Plastic bag & Foam
Fund
Producers &
Importers
Minimarts &
Department
stores
Consumers
Figure 4.33 Relationship of stakeholders of scenario 2
81
Local admin
Private sectors &
Bio-plastics
companies
Recyclers & Disposers
Waste shops
Reuse plastics
Pay for plastic
bag charge
Use bio-plastic
Public-Private
sector institution
(TPFRIA, TIPMSE,
TBIA, PIT, TPIA)
Environmental
organization
(PCD, MNRE)

From Figure 4.33, the revenue from plastic bags and foam charges is collected by the
plastic bag and foam fund. This revenue is provided to local administration, bio-plastic
company, and recyclers to support the plastic waste management. Minimarts and
department stores play the important role on charging plastic bag fees and reducing plastic
bags because 70% of Thai consumers get plastic bags from minimarts and department
stores (Thai Health Promotion Foundation, 2011).
In China, the government forced the plastic industry, and consumers to produce, sell, and
use HDPE bags, so 66% of plastic bags were reduced in 2009 (China Daily, 2009).
However, the amount of plastic bags was increase again in 2011 due to lack of monitoring,
awareness of consumers, and strict regulation (Jinran, 2011). While, the big department
stores in England; Marks and Spencer volunteered to charge the plastic bag fees from
consumers (BBC News, 2008). Therefore, the project’s monitoring and voluntaries of
stakeholders lead to success on the plastic bag taxation in Thailand.
Moreover, in Thailand, the “No Bag No Baht” campaign was promoted by BMA office in
2012. This project stimulates department stores in BMA to reduce the plastic bag used.
Department stores can propose their projects to BMA office. For example, Central Retail
Ltd., Co. charged one baht from customers who want to use plastic bags, and all charges
are given for the environmental foundation (VOLUNTEERCONNEX, 2013). Some 5,000
to 8,000 shops in Chatuchak willingly participated in the project. Bangkok Governor gave
away 5,000 cloth bags and flyers to customers in order to promote the scheme at the
market (PATTAYA TODAY, 2013). This project confirms that the department store and
small shop are the important stakeholders who help the government to promote and
achieve the goals of plastic waste reduction.
There are two types of waste shops such as informal and formal waste shops. The formal
waste shops register with the government followed by the antique trade law. The informal
waste shops do not register with the government, and they do not pay any tax or fee for
their business. Form the field observation, the informal waste shop collects and cleans
plastic bags from municipal bins, and then it sells those plastic bags to the recycling
factory. This activity of informal waste shops will support the plastic bag taxation if the
government decides to use that taxation. Like the formal waste shop, it plays the roles on
collecting the recyclable plastic wastes and supporting the government to increase
recycling rate by 30% within 2016.
Consumers, department stores, minimarts, and plastic producers can sell their plastic
wastes and bags to waste shops, and then waste shops supplies their wastes to recyclers.
The recycling sector is the highlight of this scenario because it helps to increase the
recycling rate of plastic wastes. The incentives for increasing the recycling business are
provided to recyclers such as revenues from a plastic bag and foam fund. The
environmental organizations force consumers to reduce, reuse and sort plastic wastes at
sources followed by the 3Rs law, and they also control the environmental pollution from
recycling factories. Moreover, they force producers to follow that law as well as
consumers.
Lastly, the public-private sector institutions of this scenario consist of TPFRIA, TIPMSE,
TBIA, PIT, and TPIA. The organizations relate to promoting the bio-plastic used are TBIA,
PIT, and TPIA because the bio-plastic companies/industries set the cooperation
82

organization to share information and create modern production and innovative products.
TIPMSE and TPFRIA promote the recycling activities in both of municipality and industry.
TIPMSE focused on the plastic packaging products, while TPFRIA is the cooperation of
foam recycling companies.
3. Scenario 3: Increase in waste to energy options
There are eight groups of stakeholders of the scenario 3 such as Board of Investment of
Thailand (BOI), government organizations, banks, local administration, private sectors,
electricity authorities, customs, and environmental organizations. The alternative energy
development plan focused on the increase of energy recovery from wastes. Oil recovery
plants at landfill sites are the local administration that excavates plastic wastes from
landfills. Some local administrations produce RDF through MBT (mechanical biological
treatment) e.g., Phitsanulok province. Figure 4.34 presents the relationship between
stakeholders of the scenario 3.
BOI-
Investment
Incentives
-Ministry of
Energy
-Ministry of
Natural
Resources and
Environment
-Pollution
Control
Department
Information
sharing and
Funds
Technical support
Private
Investor:
-Firm
-Non-Firm
Banks
Local
Admin
Loan
Figure 4.34 Relationship of stakeholders of scenario 3
From Figure 4.34, local administration can sell crude oil and RDF to the electricity
authorities in order to generate electricity. Private sectors can invest for oil recovery
business or RDF production. TPI Polene Ltd., Co. is the one company operating oil
recovery plants from plastic wastes and producing RDF. To increase the energy recovery
rate in 2016, BOI and government organizations should provide the incentives for private
sectors and local administrations such as budget, technology development, profitable
policies/plans, and product standards. Small/medium business sectors sometimes borrow
money to set their business, so banks provide loans for them based on the guarantee of
energy recovery business from BOI and Ministry of Energy.
The main government organization of this scenario is Ministry of Energy which provides
the alternative energy development plan. The technical support is provided for private
83
Licenses
Offices giving licenses
ONEP
(EIA)
Electricity
Authorities
ERC
Consumer
s

sectors by the government organizations, and it confirms this plan to banks in order to
increase the investment of energy recovery business. These organizations also support the
municipalities by providing training and learning the case study plants and budgets.
Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) and Office of Natural Resources Environmental
Policy and Planning (ONEP) consider the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of
energy recovery plants. The environmental issues from oil recovery plants like air pollution
and residue waste generation are controlled and monitored by these organizations. The oil
recovery plants need to clear EIA requirements before the establishment. Thus, interest
investors have to propose the EIA report and environment protection methods to these
organizations before constructing energy recovery plants.
4.3.2.2 Comparison of plastic waste management scenarios by financial analysis
The results of financial analysis were presented to compare the expenditure and revenue of
each scenario. The waste management expenditure was estimated by considering the
payment of each waste management flows such as collection and transportation, recycling,
landfilling, municipal and industrial incineration, RDF production (integrated waste
management system), plastic to oil, and open environment (hidden cost). Similarly, the
revenues from waste management scenarios were calculated from Baht/tonne of revenues,
and then multiplying by the amounts of plastic wastes of each flow. The details of waste
management costs and revenue are shown in Table E-10 in Appendix E. Table 4.7 shows
the expenditure and revenue of plastic waste management scenarios.
Table 4.7 Expenditure and Revenue of Plastic Waste Management Scenario
Scenario
Waste management
expenditure
(Million Baht)
84
Revenue from waste
management
(Million Baht)
Net present
value
(Million Baht)
Scenario 1 7,816,537 2,554 7,813,983
Scenario 2A 5,419,182 6,163 5,413,019
Scenario 2B 5,420,911 6,163 5,414,748
Scenario 3 10,866,320 8,346 10,857,974
From Table 4.7, 11 trillion Baht will be the expenditure of scenario 3 for promotion of
waste to energy scheme in 2016. This number is highest compared to the scenario 1 and
scenario 2 because the investment costs of waste incineration and oil recovery are over 4
million Baht/tonne of plastic wastes (PCD, 2011). According to PCD (2006), the revenues
from electricity sales of Phuket waste incinerator were 6.4 million Baht in 2006. Revenues
from incineration of each scenario were calculated by multiplying Baht per tonne of
revenue from incinerators by the amount of plastic waste for incineration. The net present
values of each scenario were presented in above table, and they are net expenditures which
are provided for each process of plastic waste management in 2016.
The cheapest scenario is the scenario 2 because the net present value will be 5 trillion Baht
(Both of 2A and 2B) in 2016 compared to 7.8 trillion Baht of scenario 1 and 11 trillion
Baht of scenario 3. This scenario focused on the increase of recycling rate, and most
revenues will be from the sales of recycled products (Revenues of scenario 2 do not
include the revenue from plastic bag taxation). Moreover, the investment and operational
costs of recycling sectors are cheaper than waste incineration, landfilling, RDF production,

and oil recovery. As a result, the scenario 2 is the possible waste management way based
on the financial analysis. This scenario also helps to reduce the consumption of
petrochemical products. The amounts of plastic waste generations in this scenario will be
reduced to decrease the expenditure for plastic waste management in 2016. Figure 4.35
illustrates the flows of expenditure for each waste management process in each scenario.
Input Output
10,866,320
5,420,911
5,419,182
7,816,537
3,921
950
RDF
production
14,857
14,857
Open
envionment
3,168
3,076
3,076
2,979
357
189,899
168,799 (1) (2A & 2B) 949,496 (3)
49,548
248
333
Municipal incineration
Collection and
transportation
Recycling
85
6,776
7,418
6,031
2,404,029
5,604
181,081
6,207
2,138 (1) (2A & 2B) 2,307 (3)
Unit of flow: Million Baht/tonne
7,450,639
181,081
Industrial
incineration
5,018,124
5,018,124
Landfilling
181,081
Plastic to Oil
7,450,639
8,346
6,163
6,163
2,554
Scenario 1 Scenario 2A Scenario 2B
Scenario 3
Figure 4.35 Flows of expenditure for each waste management process in each scenario
From above figure, the large arrow at the left side is the total expenditures of each scenario
which will be spent for plastic waste management in 2016. On the other hands, the large
arrow at the right side is the revenue of each scenario that will gain from waste
management facilities. The expense of waste collection and transportation of scenario 1
will be 2,979 million Baht in 2016 because only 80% of plastic wastes will be collected
compared to 90% of collected plastic wastes of scenario 2 and 3. There will be the hidden
costs of waste management which are from uncollected wastes and improper disposed
wastes in 2016. The highest hidden cost was presented at the open environment flow of a
scenario 1 amounted to 950 million Baht in 2016. Increasing 30% of recycling rate in the
scenario 2 will make the amount of improper disposed decrease in 2016, so the hidden cost
of scenario 2 is less than the scenario 1 and 3.
The expenditures of landfilling of each scenario will not different because the percentage
of landfilling of each scenario is in range of 30%-40%. Similarly, the expenses of

industrial waste incineration of each scenario will be around 5-7 trillion Baht in 2016.
However, the waste to energy scheme will make the expenditures of municipal
incineration, RDF production and oil recovery increase dramatically in 2016 as illustrated
as the expenditures of scenario 3.
In conclusion, the government must carefully consider on the possible ways for plastic
waste management because each scenario requires a lot of money to invest and operation.
Gaining profits from waste recycling and waste to energy business is the incentive for
private sectors and local administration. The regulator should provide the profitable
regulation to increase the interesting of private sectors and local administration. The
foundation, banks, and BOI have to promote these businesses by providing the best
available technologies, budgets, markets, and networks. The government cannot improve
waste management projects by considering only financial economics, but it have to survey
the public awareness of projects to reduce the complaining from people.
4.3.2.3 Evaluation of public awareness on plastic waste management scenarios
The questionnaires based surveys were carried out among household, waste pickers, waste
shops, middle dealers, waste collector networks, and recycling factories. 125
questionnaires were conducted. The results of public opinion survey on plastic waste
management scenarios are shown in Figure 4.36.
Percentage of public opinion
(%)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
46.4
Ban plastic
bags
88
Increase
recycling
business
60
Agree with
waste to
energy
Figure 4.36 Percentage of public opinion on plastic waste management scenarios
From the results of public opinion, most schemes of the scenario 2 were accepted based on
the public opinion such as use of bio-plastics, increase of recycling business, and banning
plastic bags. Approximately 90% of 125 samples agreed with the bio-plastic used instead
of pure plastic products, but they concerned on the cost of bio-plastics products which are
expensive than conventional products. Increasing the recycling business is the next
acceptable scheme for plastic waste management scenarios because most people think that
the recycling activities help to save the environment and reduce the global warming.
Next, people have knowledge on the waste to energy scheme from the promotion of biogas
production in household project including anaerobic composting in schools, and housing
86
12.8
Pay plastic
bag charge
15.2
Pay waste
collection
fees
90.4
Use Bioplastics

estates. People though that the oil recovery from plastic wastes is better than plastic waste
incineration because of the high consumption rate of fossil fuels. In waste shop’s view, the
waste incineration is good to dispose plastic wastes because the residue wastes from
sorting can be sold to cement industry. According to waste shop respondents, the waste to
energy project is difficulty in giving continuity because the waste to energy scheme does
not promote continuously. The weaknesses of energy recovery from plastic wastes are
lacks of information sharing and project monitoring. Therefore, people do not know on oil
recovery from plastic wastes or waste incineration. Some people do not understand the
meaning of waste to energy, and they cannot imagine on the energy recovery from oil
recovery plants and waste incinerators.
Banning plastic bag used in Thailand, this scheme relates to the scenario 2 in order to
reduce the plastic bag wastes in municipal wastes. Approximately 46% of 125 samples
agreed with the plastic bag banning. Some department stores in Bangkok like The Mall and
Central stimulated their customers to ban plastic bags. For instance, The Mall reduces one
Baht per bill for customers who refused plastic bags (Thairath, 2013). The Central
department store promoted “Central No Bag Day Sale”, and it gave 5% discount for
participated customers (THANONLINE, 2013).
Only 13% of 125 samples agreed with the plastic bag charge followed by the plastic bag
taxation. In 2009, the public opinion survey on the plastic bag taxation was done, and the
result was that Thai consumers opposed the plastic bag taxation (Boonyaraks, 2009).
Therefore, Thai people still oppose with the plastic bag taxation. This scheme in the
scenario 2 may be less success than the recycling business scheme. It is not only
consumers who opposed the plastic bag taxation, but it is also the plastic bag producers
who lose their profits from this taxation.
Finally, the waste collection and transportation of the scenario 2 and 3 will be improved to
collect over 90% of plastic waste generation in 2016. The waste collection fee is the
important factor to support the waste collection service, but the municipalities, in fact, gain
a little revenue from waste generators. The waste collection fee is the one proposed scheme
of scenario 2 and 3. Only 15% of 125 samples agreed with the waste collection fee. People
did not satisfy with the existing waste collection services, so they do not want to pay more
for the poor waste collection services. Hence, the government has to focus on this issue
because the budgets/funds are important to improve plastic waste management facilities
and projects.
4.4 Stakeholder Analysis for Plastic Waste Management in Thailand
The primary data and secondary data were analyzed to present the relevant and important
stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand. This section consists of the lists of
important stakeholders, their roles and responsibilities and the relationship and networks
among each other. Stakeholder analysis is very critical in terms of assessing the practices
of plastic waste management at current setting as well as in terms of planning futuristic
direction of the plastic waste management As a general rule of thumb, each stakeholders
when follow their roles and responsibilities aids the success of a project, better plastic
waste management in this context.
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4.4.1. Lists of stakeholders and their relationships
The important stakeholders in plastic waste management include waste generators, waste
collectors, waste recyclers, recycled product buyer. The existing lists of institutional
stakeholders for plastic waste management in Thailand consist of local administrations,
government organizations, private sectors, NGOs, and Public-Private sector institutions.
Figure 4.37 below shows the complete list of stakeholders.
Government
organizations (DIW,
DIP, OIE)
NGOs (Green
World
Foundation,
TEI)
Private sectors (Waste
shops, inventors,
waste pickers, waste
traders, garbage
banks, waste collector
networks)
Private sectors
(Oil recovery,
pelletizing,
plastic
producers)
Recycling:
- Mechanical
- Chemical
Plastic
Manufacturing
Plastic
Consumption
Waste collection
and
transportation
Figure 4.37 Stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand
4.4.2 Importance and influence of stakeholders
After the initial identification of all related stakeholders, it is important to analyze the level
of importance and influence of those identified stakeholders. A complete list of
stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand is presented in Table A-11 in
Appendix A. Analyzing the importance of stakeholders is based on the power and
leadership levels. Based on these criteria, the relevant stakeholders were divided into four
groups as following:
88
Waste disposal:
- Landfilling
- Incineration
Public-Private sector
institution (TPIA,
PIT, TPA, PTIT,
TBIA, PIU)
Plastic consumers
(household,
institutions, traders.
minimarts,
department stores)
Local administration
and government
organizations (MNRE,
PCD, DEQP,
TIPMSE, Ministry of
Energy)
Private sectors
(RDF
producers,
industrial
incinerators)

Group 1: key stakeholders that have high power and high leadership, which can
highly affect the plastic waste management e.g., MNRE, PCD, Ministry of Energy,
and DIW.
Group 2: stakeholders have the leadership and medium power, and this group
plays the role of moderate supporters or moderate opponents such as PIT, TPIA,
TBIA, and local administration.
Group 3: this group has a lot of resources, but do not have leadership to influence
plastic waste management by themselves e.g., RDF producers, waste shops,
pelletizing factory, oil recovery plants and NGOs.
Group 4: stakeholders have fewer resources and may or may not have leadership.
Most of them play the role of information providers, disseminators such as PTIT,
NIA, waste generators, waste pickers, and garbage banks.
The different important stakeholders have the different influence on the plastic waste
management. The importance and influence in Table 4.8 presents the overview of different
stakeholder groups.
Table 4.8 Importance and Influence of Stakeholders
High importance
Low importance
A
*PIT *Oil recovery plants
*Waste pickers RDF producers
*Waste shops *Local
administration
*Pelletizing factory
*Garbage banks
D
*PTIT *NGOs
*NIA
89
B
C
*MNRE *TBIA
*PCD
*Ministry of Energy
*DIW
*Waste generators
Low influence High influence
Group A: Stakeholders with high importance and low influence will require
special initiatives to protect their interest. In case of plastic waste management
stakeholders like waste collectors, waste recyclers, and PIT affects the plastic waste
management, but do not hold high influence on overall plastic waste management
strategies. Nevertheless, these are important stakeholders in plastic waste
management.
Group B: Normally government and semi-government organizations fall under the
category of stakeholders with high importance and high influence. For instance
PCD, MNRE etc. These groups of stakeholders have the influence to even make
changes at policy level in order to influence plastic waste management scenario.
These stakeholders should have good relations with all the relevant plastic waste
management aspects and actors for the successful plastic waste management.
Group C: Stakeholders with low importance but high influence may be sources of
significant risk and must be monitored so that no negative influence occurs because

of them. For example, one individual waste generator may not seem to be as
important as policy makers or recyclers, but can cause high effects/influence on the
plastic waste management by generating reckless amount of plastic waste, not
participating in source separation and recycling activities.
Group D: Stakeholders with low importance and low influence are unlikely to be
the direct subject of plastic waste management schemes, but can help in
information sharing and raising awareness hence supporting the plastic waste
management strategies and goals. NGOs normally fall under this Group.
4.4.3 Roles and opinions of stakeholders
Identification of roles and their respective opinions have great influence on overall plastic
waste management. Some stakeholders in Figure 4.37 who were interviewed are classified
into five components/processes of plastic waste management: plastic manufacturing,
plastic consumption, waste collection and transportation, recycling, and waste disposal.
Plastic Manufacturing Stakeholders
These stakeholders are the plastic producing organizations/companies. Not only the actual
plastic manufacturers, but the technology providers such as Thai Plastic industries
association (TPIA) fall under this category. Stakeholders like TPIA supports the plastic
manufacturing factories by providing technology knowledge, product designs, markets,
information sharing, and producer networks. Similarly, Thai Bioplastics Industry
Association (TBIA) and Plastic Institute of Thailand (PIT) provides similar support to the
plastic manufactures. TBIA only focuses on the biodegradable plastic products and
producers.
The petrochemical industries who supply the plastic resins (raw materials) to plastic
converters and are the members of Petroleum Institute of Thailand (PTIT) are also the
stakeholders in this group. PTIT is the information sharing stakeholder for plastic waste
management in Thailand because it collects the information from plastic industry and
presents the petrochemical consumption and plastic production of plastic industry.
Department of industrial Works (DIW) and Department of Industrial Promotion (DIP)
support the Public-Private sector institution and plastic companies. The environmental
issues from plastic industry are control by DIW, while, DIP provides funds and markets for
plastic industries including the promotion of investment in both of country and foreign
countries.
Office of Industrial Economics (OIE) is an information sharing stakeholder who shares the
plastic industry statistic and evaluates economic trends of plastic industry. Plastic
Intelligence Unit (PIU) is under OIE and PTIT. It presents information on Thai and world
plastic production such as plastic knowledge and technology, prices of plastic resins,
import-export statistics and plastic production data base.
PIT stated that the plastic industry should label seven codes of recyclable plastics on
plastic products. These codes will make people separate plastic wastes easily. The green
production and green products are the related projects of industrial sector to save the
environment. The biodegradable plastics will become the new issue of plastic waste
management because there are TBIA and NIA which are studying the possible production
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and promoting the investment on this kind of plastics. The packaging industry is the
biggest plastic production to supply the food and beverage industries in both of country
and Asian countries. PIT and TPIA also support to increase the biodegradable plastic
production in Thailand. Similarly the petrochemical industry increased the bio-plastic
resins from 10,000 tonnes of bio-plastic resin in 2010 to 75,000 tonnes of bio-plastic resin
in 2013.
Plastic Consumption Stakeholders
Plastic consumers or waste generators are the main stakeholders of this process because
they consume plastic products and then generate plastic wastes depending on their
consumption pattern and behaviors. For example, people may help to reduce the amount of
plastic waste generation by refusing plastic bags or reuse plastic products. Packaging
plastic wastes are generated in communities, department stores, minimarts (seven-eleven
shops), and markets. According to field survey, of the 100 households interviewed, 90%
respondents said they use a plastic carry bag only once and throw it as litter, whereas
according to FPRI (2011), 50% of packaging plastics was also used once before disposal in
2011 (FPRI, 2012).
One of the most widely used plastic products is plastic carry bag. On an average, 2-3
plastic bags per day were thrown. Even though people were aware of the recycling
possibility of grocery bags and/or milk bottles, they were not willing to collect such plastic
waste saying their lifestyle (living standard) did not support waste collection. They also
lack space to store large volume of plastic bottles. Thus, they felt easy to throw every
plastic package to waste bins.
Consumers who used recycled plastic products claimed they were satisfied to use recycled
products and biodegradable plastics, but they do not know the actual difference between
conventional products and recycled and bio-plastic products. A label on plastic products
that reads “this bag is degradable” was the only way for them to differentiate between bioplastic
and conventional plastic. The respondents were ready to use bio-plastics instead of
conventional products if there saw a specific label on bio-plastic products, and such
products were easily available at an affordable rate
Non-government organizations (NGOs) sometime support the plastic waste management
by sharing information on the plastic waste reduction and separation. Nevertheless, they
sometime opposed plastic to waste projects.. Green World Foundation and Thailand
Environment Institute (TEI) are the information sharing stakeholders. They shares articles
regarding to global warming, illegal waste dumping, plastic wastes from plastic bags, green
products, and environmental news.
Waste collection and transportation stakeholders
The local administration has a responsibility to provide waste collection and disposal
services. This organization can provide drop-off centers for separated recyclable wastes.
They also provide mixed plastic separation training for interested groups such as waste
generators and collectors. The simple waste collection services which are provided by the
municipalities include waste bins and waste collection trucks. Moreover, the local
administration also has a responsibility to dispose collected wastes as proper as possible.
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Local administrative bodies are also authorized to issue rules and regulations that helps in
reduction and recycling of plastic waste generated in its area.
There are two different government organizations e.g. policy and planning organizations
and environmental organization. MNRE, PCD, and Ministry of Energy are the policy and
plan organizations. They provide policies and plans regarding to plastic waste management
in Thailand such as the alternative energy development plan in 2012-2021 (DEDE, 2013),
the national environmental quality control plan in 2012-2016 (MNRE, 2013), and the
plastic and foam reduction projects in 2004 (PCD, 2004). MNRE provides budgets,
environmental laws/policies, and waste management knowledge for local administrations
and private sectors.
PCD can be both of policy and environmental organization because it provides guidelines
on waste recycling, waste disposal, and pollution control. It also sets the environmental
standards to force polluters, especially plastic industry and recycling sectors. Moreover, it
stimulates plastic consumers to follow the 3Rs principle through plastic waste reduction
and separation projects.
TIPMSE is the environment organization under the Federal of Thailand Industries (FTI).
This organization concerns on the amount of packaging waste generation and recycling
activities in Thailand. It provides budgets, recycling markets and information on waste
sorting and recycling for waste pickers, and waste scavengers. It supports the waste picker
networks, garbage banks in schools and communities. Moreover, it also cooperates with
private companies who use packaging products in their companies such as Coca Cola Ltd.,
Co., Unilever Ltd., Co., ThaiBev Public Company Limited, Nestle Ltd., Co., Dutch Mill
Ltd., Co., etc.
TIPMSE stated that the plastic waste management is not good now due to lack of
incentives for reduction of plastic waste generation and recycling. The government
organizations do not support any money, and project to improve the plastic waste
management in Thailand. The one goal of TIPME is increase 25% of recycling rate in
Thailand within 5 years. Waste collector networks are the successful projects of TIPMSE,
especially the Zero Baht Shop, school garbage banks, and community waste bank.
Moreover, TIPMSE supports a center’s post, a jacket, a member identification card, and
license plate for Saleng tricycle (waste pickers) for the unity including tools needed in the
profession such as gloves, a surgical mask, a reflector and weight apparatus. TIPMSE
trains and advises the center management, and it supports fundamental regulations training
and knowledge on hazardous materials for Saleng members. It helps waste pickers to
register their status at police station, and it also register the waste shop from the Pauper
Bank to Zero Baht Shop. It makes the name “Zero Baht Shop” as a license of TIPMSE.
Private sectors for this process consist of waste shops, inventors, waste pickers,
landfill/transfer station scavengers, waste traders, garbage banks, and waste collector
networks. Waste pickers and landfill/transfer station scavengers collect recyclable plastic
wastes to sell at waste shops.
The results of interview of waste pickers presented the waste pickers are the profitable
jobs. They have to follow the strict legislation such as waste picking time of municipality
for them. They collect only the main types of recyclable plastics such as PET, HDPE,
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PVC, and mixed plastic wastes. Furthermore, some of them collect only plastic bags from
waste bins and clean by washing and drying followed by the standards of plastic waste
from the recycling factory. They mentioned that mixed plastic bags can be sold for 10-12
Baht/kg of plastic bag wastes, while PE plastic bag wastes can be sold for up to 19 Baht/kg
of plastic bag wastes (field observation, 2013).
Some scavengers at transfer station stated that this job make them get money easier than
their own jobs (farmers). From the field observation, most scavengers at transfer station are
women and a wife of waste collection truck drivers. They are one stakeholder who helps to
reduce the amount of plastic waste before disposal. They mentioned that municipality
waste collectors separate plastic bottles, cups, and glasses to sell during waste collection at
sources. They only find the remaining plastic waste and collect to sell to waste shops. They
dislike collect plastic bag waste because it contains food and wet wastes, and it needs to
clean before sale. There is not any regulation which forces waste pickers, but waste pickers
in BMA must have the identification card and pick wastes at the established time followed
by BMA regulation. They need to joint with the supporting organization who gives money
or welfare for them, but they do not want to pay any charge followed by the regulation.
Waste shops and garbage banks are the most important stakeholders to improve the plastic
waste recycling scheme. These sectors are the business sectors that collect and send
recyclable plastic waste to recyclers directly. The amount of collected plastic waste from
these stakeholders is converted to the recycling rate of plastic wastes because all waste
generators and collectors always sell recyclable plastic wastes to waste shops and waste
banks. From the interviewing, the owners of waste shops mentioned that this is the
profitable business because it is easy to start, and it does not require knowledge and skills
on waste separation. They have to register their shops with the municipality and
environmental organization followed by municipal regulation and health hazard business
laws. They do not want to pay their money for many organizations, and they need to pay
for one time and one organization.
There are waste shop networks at Rayong and Nakhon Ratchasima province in Thailand.
The waste shops who are memberships of these networks share their experience and
problems of this business in the meeting. One member of networks likes this network
because he can apply the information from those networks to make more profits for his
waste shop. Moreover, the owners of waste shop also suggested that the government
should do the promotion of recycling scheme continuously because people and waste shops
usually follow that promotion when the government did the projects. They also stopped to
follow the project when government organizations stopped to promote those projects (Field
observation, 2013).
Recycling stakeholders
Oil recovery, pelletizing factories and Thai Plastics Foam Recycling Industries Association
(TPFRIA) are the recycling sectors of plastic waste management. Oil recovery from plastic
is the feedstock recycling to produce crude oil. This kind of business is mostly done by the
local administration by using the plastic wastes from landfills. The pelletizing factory is a
material recycling to generate recycled resins in order to supply for plastic producers.
TPFRIA is the cooperative organization of foam industry. This organization promotes the
foam recycling scheme to local administration, waste shops, and foam industry. This
organization has promoted the foam recycling since 2001 which 8% of foam recycling rate
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was presented, and the percentage of foam recycling rate has increased to 15% in 2007
(TPFRIA, 2008).
Asia Piboonwong Ltd., Co. is the pelletizing factory and plastic bag producer in Thailand.
The owner of this company stated that this business is the risk business because the prices
of recycled pellets are not stable. Due to low quality of plastic waste, the recycled pellets
are low quality and refused from the plastic producers. She has to prepare the pretreatment
process to clean plastic wastes before processing, and she has to build the waste water
treatment for washing wastewater.
In addition, she mentioned about the plastic bag banning policy that she heard about this
policy at the conference. She mentioned that it is not easy to ban 100% of plastic bag used
because this policy affects many plastic bag industries in Thailand. The largest plastic bag
producer like Thai Nam Group may become the leader to argue this policy. Other plastic
bag producers in the eastern of Thailand do not agree with this policy as same as Thai Nam
Group. In her opinion, she planned to stop this business in the next five years by sale it to
interest people because she will gain money if she sells her factories to businessmen before
this policy is adopted.
Waste collectors are the related stakeholders of this process, and they supply plastic wastes
to recycling factories. Local administration and government organizations also support
stakeholders in this process. Local administrations have to promote the recycling sector in
community and control the environmental issues from the recycling factories. Similarly,
the government organizations provide budgets and guidelines to promote the investment of
plastic recycling business, and they force the recycling sectors to follow the environmental
laws.
Waste disposal stakeholders
Local administration and government organizations operate and maintain the waste
disposal system. The local administration has a responsibility for providing waste disposal
services. The environmental organizations like MNRE and PCD provide the budgets
related laws/policies, monitoring, and waste management guidelines. The different waste
disposal methods consist of landfilling, incineration, and open dumping. These methods
are operated by municipalities.
Private sectors of this process include RDF producers and industrial incinerators. In the
integrated waste management system, the residue wastes from sorting unit are used to
produce RDF, and then it is sold to factories or use in the power plant. Industrial estates
have the industrial incineration collect and burnt industrial plastic wastes at the industrial
incineration. PCD has a responsibility to control the environmental issues from both of
integrated waste management system and industrial incineration. Finally, Ministry of
energy supports the alternative fuels from wastes by providing budgets, technology
information, and RDF production guidelines for interest municipalities and private sectors.
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4.4.4 Possible plastic waste management networks
The possible network of stakeholders is presented in Figure 4.38 based on the roles and
importance of stakeholders. These stakeholders are from waste generators, waste
collectors, waste shops, waste recyclers, and government organizations, private sector
organizations and public-private partnership institutions.
Figure 4.38 Possible stakeholder network of plastic waste management in Thailand
From Figure 4.38, the government organization (e.g., MNRE, PCD, Ministry of Energy
and TIPMSE) can cause high effects on other stakeholders in the network. It sets laws,
policies and plans to force other stakeholders and control the environmental issues from
each stakeholder including the promotion of recycling activities. Waste shops have the
medium power to support the plastic waste collection and recycling, while waste recyclers
produce recycled products through the supporting from government organization, waste
shops and cooperative organizations. Waste collectors collect plastic wastes from waste
generators and then supply recyclable plastic wastes to waste shops.
Finally, waste generators are the low power stakeholder, but they are important to improve
the best plastic waste management in Thailand. Most projects stimulate waste generators to
reduce and reused their waste at source. Increasing public awareness on plastic waste
recycling is the one project was done with waste generators. For example, the reduction of
plastic packaging in department stores and minimarts was promoted in 2007 by PCD
(PCD, 2007).
In conclusion, the success of plastic waste management is dependent on these identified
stakeholders and their networks. Mandatory or voluntary involvement of these relevant
stakeholders can help achieve the goal of better plastic waste management in Thailand.
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5.1 Conclusions
Chapter 5
Conclusions and Recommendations
A detailed situational analysis of plastic waste management in Thailand reveals there are
drivers and barriers, both of which needs to be considered in designing a sound
management system. Plastic waste generation is increasing steadily in line with population
growth, urbanization and increasing consumerism. It is to be noted that the study focused
on the plastic waste management situation for the particular year of 2010, nevertheless,
similar situation prevails in recent years also, and hence the conclusions and
recommendations drawn are timely. The conclusions are according to the Material Flow
Analysis performed within the system boundary of the year 2010 at country level data.
Similarly, stakeholders in plastic waste management were approached to understand the
situation of plastic waste management in the country.
1. Amount of plastic production in 2010 was 2.2 million tonnes in Thailand out of
which 40% of plastic products were the packaging plastics. Approximately 16% of
construction plastics were produced in the plastic industry, and 12% of electronic
and electrical plastics were also generated in 2010. The amounts of imported and
exported products in 2010 were 0.42 and 0.95 million tonnes respectively.
2. In 2010, Out of 15.16 million tonnes (or 41,532 tons/day) of Municipal Solid Waste
generated in Thailand, 17% e.g., 2.58 million tonnes was Municipal plastic waste
(MPW). Similarly, the industrial plastic waste (IPW) accounted for 1.83 million
tonnes out of 12.76 million tonnes of total industrial waste generated in that year.
General trend of municipal plastic waste management remained as disposal at
landfills, while large amount of industrial plastic wastes were utilized as industrial
incineration.
3. The material flow of plastics was analyzed by using STAN software. The material
flow of plastics consists of nine processes such as the plastic manufacturing, plastic
consumption, waste collection and transportation, municipal incineration, industrial
incineration, landfilling, recycling, plastic to oil and open environment. The system
boundary of this material flow covered the flows of plastic materials in Thailand for
the year 2010. Total input of plastic materials of this system boundary was 4.86
million tonnes/year. The amount of total stock of this system boundary was 2.34
million tonnes/year. Finally, total output of this system boundary is 2.52 million
tonnes/year.
4. From the material flow of plastics in Thailand, total amount of plastic pellet
consumption for plastic manufacturing was 4.42 tonnes in 2010. The amount of
plastic product generation from plastic manufacturing was 3 million tonnes out of
which 0.95 million tonnes of plastic products was exported to outside the system
boundary. The actual stock of plastic resins in the manufacturing process was 0.14
million tonnes.
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5. From the material flow analysis, the existing account of plastic waste management
was observed. The municipal plastic waste generation was found to be of 2.58
million tonnes in 2010. The amount of thermoplastic and thermosetting waste
generation within MPW was 2.55 million tonnes and 25,771 tonnes respectively.
Approximately 14% of thus collected municipal plastic waste was recycled in 2010,
whereas 37% of these wastes was disposed at landfills. 15,330 tonnes of landfilled
plastic wastes which was used by 7 plastic to oil recovery plants. 2% of municipal
plastic wastes was burnt in three municipal incineration plants. A huge amount of
nearly 1.39 million tonnes of municipal plastic waste was dispersed into the open
environment.
6. As far as the industrial plastic waste goes, approximately 87.6% was co-incinerated
at the industrial incineration facilities, while 8% of industrial plastic wastes was
recycled. Only 0.4% of industrial plastic wastes was disposed at landfills in 2010.
7. Three different plastic waste management scenarios were proposed to predict the
plastic waste management in the year 2016. Scenario 1 was the business as usual
(BAU), scenario 2 was the increment of plastic recycling rate to 30%, and third
scenario explored the case of plastic waste to energy generation as one of the
plastic waste management options. Scenario 1 showed the amount of municipal
plastic waste generation will increase by 2.63 million tonnes in 2016. The amount
of plastic production will rise to 5.94 million tonnes in 2016.
8. The second scenario anticipated the recycling rate to increase to 30%, following the
National Environmental Quality Control Plan (2012-2016). This scenario was
divided into 2 parts such as scenario 2A and scenario 2B, and these scenarios based
on the 3Rs law to reduce amount of waste generation and the enforcement of plastic
bag taxation scheme to lower consumption of plastic bags. The percentage of
recycling rate in 2016 will change from 14% of municipal recycling rate and 8% of
industrial recycling rate in 2010 to 30% of plastic recycling rate. The amount of
recycled product generation will be 1.28 million tonnes in 2016.
9. For scenario 2B, around 40% of municipal plastic wastes will be disposed at
landfill, whereas 59% of industrial plastic wastes will be burnt at the industrial
incineration. For scenario 2A, the percentage of municipal plastic waste for
landfilling will be equal to 30%, and approximately 8% of municipal plastic waste
will be disposed in open environment. Furthermore, the percentage of municipal
incineration will be the same as in 2010 (2%). Similarly, the amounts of plastic to
oil and landfilled waste to RDF will not change in 2016.
10. The last scenario presented that 10% of municipal plastic wastes will be incinerated
at both municipal and industrial incineration facilities. The percentages of
municipal plastic waste recycling and landfilling will be 14% and 37%
respectively. However, the amount of industrial plastic waste utilization at
industrial incineration facilities will be the same as in 2010 (87.6%). The amounts
of RDF production from landfilled wastes and fresh plastic to oil in 2016 will be
0.3 and 0.23 million tonnes respectively. Finally, the numbers of plastic to oil
plants will increase by 30 plants in 2016.
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11. A simple revenue-expenditure analysis of each scenario was also conducted to
present the cost-benefit implications. The scenario 1 estimated a 7.82 trillion Baht
of expenditure to be spent in collection and disposal of plastic waste generated in
the year 2016. The expenditures of the scenario 2 and scenario 3 will be 5.4 and 11
trillion Baht respectively. The revenue gain from the sale of recycled products
(materials and energy), waste collection fees, was also estimated. The highest
potential revenue in the scenario 3 was the highest, amounting 8,346 million Baht
in 2016. While, the increase in recycling rate by 30% will make private sectors in
scenario 2 gain 6,162 million Baht of revenue. Finally, the revenue of the scenario
1 will be 2,554 million Baht in 2016.
12. Level of public awareness and public opinion on the elements of proposed
scenarios were also explored as one of the factors to evaluate the success of plastic
waste management scenarios. Out of 125 respondents, only 12.8% were positive on
the plastic bag charge in department stores and minimarts. Approximately 90.4%
and 88% of 125 samples showed their approval to use the biodegradable and
recycled plastics respectively. 60% of the respondents were positive about
promotion and development of waste to energy schemes as one of the management
options to tackle plastic waste. When asked about the ban over use of plastic bags
over 45% agreed to it.
13. Many relevant stakeholders (government, semi-government, private sector, NGOs,
and their network, etc.) were identified. Stakeholders like waste generators, waste
collectors, waste shops, waste recyclers, government organizations, private sector
organizations and public-private partnership institutions and their level of
importance and influence was evaluated in order to understand each of their roles
and stakes in designing a successful plastic waste management system. It was
observed that both mandatory and voluntary involvement of these relevant
stakeholders is required to achieve the goal of better plastic waste management in
Thailand.
The above conclusions and recommendations are drawn from author’s familiarization of
the issues on plastic waste, field observation, interactions and discussions with key
stakeholders, and the key processes of plastic waste management (with specific attention to
plastic waste recycling processes). The recommendations are addressed to all relevant
actors that have stake in plastic waste generation and management, including policy
makers, plastic manufacturers, plastic waste management/recycling industries,
environmental organizations etc.
5.2 Recommendations for Future Work
Plastic waste management is an extensive process. It therefore requires further research in
order to understand the subject matter in better ways with more accurate and reliable data.
Following are few of the areas scoped for future research:
1. A detailed technology assessment of the available plastic waste recycling
technologies in Thailand can give the actual picture of the recycling capacity. This
study can further support whether the scenario 2 proposed in this study (i.e.,
increasing recycling rate to 30%) will be possible or not from the technology point
of view. Such study can provide the options for best available technology (BAT) or
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other clean technologies for waste recycling, thus providing climate co-benefits of
plastic waste management through Clean Development Mechanism and/or other
carbon credit measures.
2. The material flow analysis depends on various assumptions, as not every data is
readily available. In such case, it is beneficial to cross-check the MFA by the
plastic waste management experts for attaining maximum accuracy.
3. Further studies should be extended to other areas of plastic waste management, as
in the study on environmental issues and occupational health aspect of plastic waste
management (especially from recycling activities). Detailed cost-benefit analysis of
each of the proposed scenarios is useful in understanding and convincing the
private business sector as well as the government authorities to implement the best
scenario at ground level.
Due to lack of secondary data on many components of plastic waste management
activities, it is advisable to conduct a demonstration study, with the intention of first-hand
data collection, and its extrapolation at country level. This can add accuracy, reliability of
the flow and stock assessment, as well as developing much more realistic future scenarios.
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106

Appendix A
MFA Data Analysis, Harmonized System Code, Stakeholder Table and Interest Grid
A-1: MFA Data Analysis
Manufacturing
This process consists of raw materials (materbatch), imported pellets, and recycled
products which are inputted to this process. Plastic products are also produced from the
plastic manufacturing.
Figure A-1 Manufacturing process
Table A-1 Details of parameters and calculation method for manufacturing process
Parameter Calculation
RMP The amount of thermoplastic masterbatch which is used to produce plastic products.
Thermoplastic pellets consist of PET, HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS/EPS, ABS/SAN, and others.
This available data was presented in PTIT report. This report showed the amount of pellet
production, consumption, import, and export in Thailand. In the material flow of plastic, the
amount of plastic pellet consumption was used as a raw material to input in the
manufacturing
RMS The amount of thermosetting masterbatch which is used to produce plastic products.
Thermosetting plastic pellets include epoxy resin, polyester resin, phenolic resin (e.g.,
phenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde, and melamine-formaldehyde), alkyd resin,
styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyimide resin, polyurethane resin, and silicone.
This available data was presented in PTIT report. This report showed the amount of pellet
production in the petrochemical industry in Thailand, 2009 and 2011. In the material flow of
plastic, the amount of thermosetting pellet generation from petrochemical factories was used
as a raw material to input in the manufacturing
IMP The amount of imported thermoplastic pellets which is used to produce plastic products in
the plastic manufacturing. The available data were shown from two sources such as the
Custom Department and Petroleum Institute of Thailand (PTIT).
The amount of imported thermoplastic pellet means that amount of thermoplastic pellet
which is imported from other countries. The number was shown in the Custom Department
website. It was searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic pellets (HS-Code).
The HS-code of thermoplastic pellets is in range of 3901-3908 and 3911-3914. Table A-10 in
Appendix A presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste.
107

Table A-1 Details of parameters and calculation method for manufacturing process
(continued)
Parameter Calculation
IMS The amount of imported thermosetting pellets which is used to produce plastic products in
the plastic manufacturing. The available data were shown in the Custom Department website.
The amount of imported thermosetting pellets means that amount of thermosetting pellet
which is imported from other countries. The number was shown in the Custom Department
website. It was searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic pellets (HS-Code).
The HS-code of thermosetting pellets is in range of 3907, 3909 and 3910. Table A-10 in
Appendix A presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste.
RP The recycled product means that plastic wastes from collection and transportation process are
recycled into plastic pellets (pelletizing) because most plastic products are produced from
plastic pellets.
There are two ways to calculate the amount of recycled product. First, the amount of recycled
product was calculated by using the percentage of recycled pellet generation from recycling
factory multiplying by the total amounts of waste for recycling which are recorded and
presented by PCD. The second is using of the average amounts of recycled product
generation per factory multiplying by the amount of recycling factory in Thailand.
PP The amount of thermoplastic product in 2010 generation was reported by PTIT. The amount
of thermoplastic product generation was calculated by using the percentage of production
capacity multiplying by the amount of raw material (thermoplastic) inputted or using the
actual amount of thermoplastic product which was produced in 2010.
PS The amount of thermosetting product in 2010 generation was reported by PTIT. The amount
of thermosetting product generation was calculated by using the percentage of production
capacity multiplying by the amount of raw material (thermosetting) inputted or using the
actual amount of thermosetting product which was produced in 2010.
EP The amount of exported product means that amounts of plastic products which are exported
to other countries. The amount of exported products was assumed to exclude the amount of
thermosetting products, and this amount of exported products does not include the amount of
electrical and electronic devices and automotive parts because these plastics are exported
with the electrical and electronic industry and automotive industry.
This number was shown in the Custom Department and Plastic Intelligence Unit Website. It
was searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic product (HS-Code). The
range of plastic code is in range of 3916-3926. These HS-codes are only pure plastic
products which do not contain other materials such as metal, glass, and paper. Table A-10 in
Appendix A presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste.
IPW1 The amount of plastic wastes from industries. This amount is from the residues of trimming
process and damaged products from the plastic industry. The amount of industrial plastic
waste generation is presented in PCD report. The assumption is 50% of industrial plastic
waste generation.
Stock 1 The amount of stock 1 means that amounts of plastic pellets and products are stocked in the
manufacturing. This amount was calculated automatically by STAN software.
Plastic Consumption
This process includes plastic products and imported products which are inputted to process,
and there are also exported products and plastic wastes which are the output of process.
108

Figure A-2 Plastic consumption process
Table A-2 Details of parameters and calculation method for plastic consumption
process
Parameter Calculation
PP and PS See the details in Table A-1
IP The amount of imported product means that amounts of plastic products which are imported
from other countries. The amount of imported products was assumed to exclude the amount
of thermosetting products, and this amount of imported products does not include the amount
of electrical and electronic devices and automotive parts because these plastics are imported
with the electrical and electronic industry and automotive industry.
PWP and
PWS
This number was shown in the Custom Department and Plastic Intelligence Unit Website. It
was searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic product (HS-Code). The range
of plastic code is in range 3916-3926. These HS-codes are only pure plastic products which
do not contain other materials such as metal, glass, and paper. Table A-10 in Appendix A
presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste.
The amount of plastic waste generation in 2010 was reported by the Pollution Control
Department (PCD). This amount of plastic waste generation is from municipal solid wastes
which are collected by the municipality in Thailand. It does not include agriculture waste, Ewaste,
construction and furniture waste, and automobile waste.
Plastic Intelligence Unit Website (2012) presented the amounts of plastic product in each
type e.g., agriculture, electronic and electrical devices, automobile, furniture and
construction. These kinds of plastic products have long lifespan, so the assumption is
sometimes used to complete the plastic waste flow. There are four assumptions which were
used in the material flow and described as below:
Agriculture product: 50% of agriculture plastic will become wastes
Electronic and electrical product: 5% of electronic and electrical plastic will
become wastes
Construction and furniture product: 5% of construction and furniture plastic will
become wastes
Automobile product: 5% of automobile plastic will become wastes
Finally, the total amounts of plastic waste generation from plastic consumption process were
calculated from the aggregate of plastic waste from each source (PCD, agriculture, E-waste,
automotive, and construction and furniture). However, this amount is only the total plastic
waste generation which consists of thermoplastic (PWP) and thermosetting wastes (PWS).
The assumption of thermosetting waste generation was considered to fulfill the number of
thermoplastic waste generation flow. The assumption is 1% of total plastic waste is
thermosetting waste generation. The actual amount of thermosetting waste generation must
be deducted with the amount of uncollected thermosetting wastes before filling the number
into PWS flow. The actual amount of thermoplastic waste generation must be deducted with
the amount of thermosetting waste generation (1% of total plastic waste) and the amount of
uncollected thermoplastic waste before filling the number into PWP flow.
109

Table A-2 Details of parameters and calculation method for plastic consumption
process (continued)
Parameter Calculation
UC The uncollected waste is the waste which is not collected by municipalities to dispose or
recycle, so this amount of uncollected waste is expanded to the environment. According to
PCD (2013), the waste collection efficiency is 80%, and 20% is uncollected wastes. The
assumption is 20% of thermoplastic and thermosetting wastes is not collected to dispose or
recycled. The actual amount of uncollected waste can be calculated by aggregating
uncollected thermoplastic wastes and thermosetting wastes. The uncollected wastes are
usually stocked in the environment.
IPW2 The amount of plastic wastes from other industries. This amount is from the packaging
wastes, damaged products from the plastic industry and these wastes are the plastic
packaging of raw materials in the other industries (e.g., plastic sacks, trays molds). The
amount of industrial plastic waste generation is presented in PCD report. The assumption is
50% of industrial plastic waste generation.
Stock 2 The amount of stock means that amounts of plastic products are stocked in plastic
consumption process. This amount was calculated automatically by STAN software.
Collection and transportation
There are plastic wastes which are inputted to collection and transportation processes.
Outputs of this process include exported wastes, plastic wastes for recycling, disposing
plastic wastes at landfill and municipal incineration, and distribution of undisposed wastes
to the environment.
Figure A-3 Collection and transportation process
110

Table A-3 Details of parameters and calculation method for collection and
transportation process
Parameter Calculation
PWP See the details in Table A-2 (IPW1, IPW2, and PWS)
EW The amount of exported plastic waste means that amounts of plastic wastes which are exported
to other countries. The assumption is thermosetting wastes are not exported to other countries.
This number was shown in the Custom Department. It was searched on the website by use the
specific code of plastic wastes (HS-Code). The HS-code of plastic waste is 3915. Table A-10
in Appendix A presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste.
MI The amount of municipal solid waste which is burnt in the municipal incinerators in 2010 was
reported by PCD. The amount of this flow which was calculated by using the reported
percentage of waste incineration in the municipal incineration multiplying by the amount of
plastic waste generation (PWP and PWS). The assumption is 1% of thermoplastic and
thermosetting wastes are burnt in the municipal incinerators. However, the amount of plastic
waste generation was deducted by the amount of exported waste before calculating the amount
of combusted wastes.
II2 The amount of plastic wastes from industries. The amount of industrial plastic waste
generation is presented in DIW report. The assumption is 95.6% of industrial plastic waste
generation is burnt in the industrial incineration and cement kiln.
L The amount of municipal solid waste which was disposed at landfill in 2010 was presented by
PCD. The assumption is 65% of thermosetting wastes and 37% of thermoplastic wastes are
disposed at landfill. The amount of this flow which was calculated by using the reported
percentage of waste disposal at landfill multiplying by the amount of plastic waste generation
(PWP and PWS). However, the amount of plastic waste generation was deducted by the
amount of exported waste before calculating the amount of landfilled wastes.
R The amount of municipal solid waste which was recycled in 2010 was reported by PCD. The
amount of this flow which were calculated by using the reported percentage of waste recycling
multiplying by the amount of plastic waste generation (PWP). However, the amount of plastic
waste generation was deducted by the amount of exported waste before calculating the amount
of recycled wastes.
UD The amount of municipal solid waste which was not disposed properly in 2010 was presented
by PCD. The assumption is 34% of thermoplastic and thermosetting wastes are expanded to
the environment. The amount of this flow which were calculated by using the reported
percentage of undisposed waste multiplying by the amount of plastic waste generation (PWP
and PWS). However, the amount of plastic waste generation was deducted by the amount of
exported waste before calculating the amount of undisposed wastes. Then, the undisposed
wastes are stocked in the environment.
Stock 3 The amount of stock means that amounts of plastic wastes are stocked during collection and
transportation. This amount was calculated automatically by STAN software.
Municipal incineration
This process includes plastic wastes which are burnt in the municipal incineration, off-gas
and residue waste which are generated as products of this process.
Figure A-4 Municipal incineration process
111

Table A-4 Details of parameters and calculation method for municipal incineration
process
Parameter Calculation
MI See the details in Table A-3
OG1 According to Phuket waste incineration report (2006), the amount of ash generation from the
incinerator was 15%-20% of waste feeding. The assumption was 80% of plastic waste which
is burnt in municipal incineration will become off-gas.
RW1 According to Phuket waste incineration report (2006), the amount of ash generation from the
incinerator was 15%-20% of waste feeding. The assumption was 20% of plastic waste which
is burnt in municipal incineration will become ash.
Landfill
This process consists of plastic wastes which are disposed at landfill, landfilled waste
combustion in in industries, and landfill excavation for oil recovery plants. The residue
wastes from recycling, municipal incineration, and oil recovery are also disposed and
stocked in this process.
Residue waste (4)
Figure A-5 Landfill process
Table A-5 Details of parameters and calculation method for landfill process
Parameter Calculation
L See the details in Table A-3
RW1 See the details in Table A-4
RW2 The residue waste from material recycling means that plastic wastes from collection and
transportation process cannot recycled into plastic pellets (pelletizing) and become wastes
after manufacturing. According to the case study of pelletizing factory in Thailand, 14% of
waste generation from material recycling in the manufacture. The amount of residue waste
from recycling process was calculated by using the referent percentage multiplying by the
amount of plastic wastes for recycling (R).
RW3 From the Hua-Hin municipality presentation, 20% of residue wastes was produced from
100% of plastic waste feeding. The assumption of this flow was all oil recovery plants in the
municipalities and private companies have the same production capacity. The calculation of
amount of residue waste from oil recovery plant (plastic to oil) was done by multiplying the
referent percentage by all amounts of plastic wastes for oil recovery (PO 1 and PO 2).
112
PW4

Table A-5 Details of parameters and calculation method for landfill process
(continued)
Parameter Calculation
RW4 The residue wastes of industrial wastes which are burnt in the industrial incineration
(industrial estate) are disposed at landfills. The assumption is 20% of industrial wastes
(1,602,973 tonnes) is disposed at landfills.
II1 According to the Geocycle company presentation (2012), Geocycle company prepared
100,000 tonnes/year of RDF for the two cement plants of Siam City Cement company
(SCC). This amount of RDF is made from landfill excavation. There was 12% of plastic
waste in the municipal solid wastes in 2010 (PCD, 2010). Thus, the composition of plastic
waste in RDF is 12,000 tonnes/two plants/year.
According to the Department of Industrial Work (DIW) report (2011), there were five
cement plants in Thailand which use solid wastes as fuels. These five plants are from Siam
City Cement company (SCC), Siam Cement Group (SCG), and TPI Polene company. The
assumption was 5 cement plants in Thailand use the landfilled waste as fuels.
The amount of landfilled waste used in cement factories was calculated by using the amount
of RDF per plant multiplying by the numbers of cement plants that used RDF in the
industrial incineration.
PO 1 There are 7 oil recovery plants which are observed and presented on the website. These
seven plants use plastic wastes from landfill excavation. They are in Samutprakan, Hau-Hin,
Ubonrachathani, Rayong, Pitsanulok, Khin Khaen, and Sa Kaeo province in Thailand.
According to Single Point Energy Engineering company (SPEE) and the field observation,
the amount of landfilled plastic waste feeding in the pyrolysis reactor is 6 tonnes/plant/day.
The calculation of this flow was done by multiplying the referent capacity of oil recovery
plant by the numbers of oil recovery plants.
Stock 6 The amount of stock means that amounts of plastic waste disposal and residue wastes from
incineration, recycling and oil recovery are stocked in landfill. This amount was calculated
automatically by STAN software.
Industrial incineration
This process includes landfilled wastes for industrial incineration, especially in the cement
factory, and there is also off-gas which is the output of process.
Figure A-6 Industrial incineration process
113

Table A-6 Details of parameters and calculation method for industrial incineration
process
Parameter Calculation
II1 and RW4 See the details in Table A-5
II2 See the details in Table A-3
OG2 According to Phuket waste incineration report (2006), the amount of ash generation from
the incinerator was 15%-20% of waste feeding. The assumption was 80% of plastic waste
which is burnt in industrial incineration will become off-gas.
Stock 7 According to Phuket waste incineration report (2006), the amount of ash generation from
the incinerator was 15%-20% of waste feeding. The assumption was 20% of plastic waste
which is burnt in industrial incineration will become ash. Moreover, plastic wastes which
are burnt in cement factory can be used to mix with cement product (SCC, 2012), so this
amount of residues waste was assumed as a stock in the cement factory.
Plastic to oil
The inputs of this process are landfilled plastic wastes and fresh plastic wastes. The
products of this process are crude oil and residue wastes which are generated from oil
recovery plants.
Figure A-7 Plastic to oil process
Table A-7 Details of parameters and calculation method for plastic to oil process
Parameter Calculation
PO1 See the details in Table A-5
PO2 There are three oil recovery plants of private company which were observed in 2010. The
three plants were set at TPI Polene PLC. (Saraburi province), Renewable Energy Ltd.,Co.
(Saraburi province), and Bangkok Tyre Refinery Ltd., Co. (Chachoengsao province). The
assumption is 6 tonnes/day of fresh plastic waste from community is fed into the reactor of
oil recovery plants. The amount of plastic waste used in private oil recovery plants was
calculated by multiplying the assumed amount by the numbers of private oil recovery plants.
In addition, the one oil recovery plant is in Rajamangala University of Technology
Thunyaburi (RMUTT). This plant uses 2 tonnes/day of fresh plastic waste, and the
calculation method for this amount is same as the calculation of three private companies.
Finally, the total amounts of fresh plastic waste used for oil recovery were calculated by the
aggregate of all numbers of fresh plastic wastes from all private oil recovery plants.
RW3 See the details in Table A-5
O From the Hua-Hin municipality presentation, 80% of crude oil was produced from 100% of
plastic waste feeding. The assumption is all oil recovery plants in the municipalities and
private companies have the same production capacity. The calculation of amount of crude oil
generation from oil recovery plant (plastic to oil) was done by multiplying the referent
percentage by all amounts of plastic wastes for oil recovery (PO 1 and PO 2).
Stock 8 The amount of stock means that amounts of plastic wastes and crude oil are stocked in
plastic to oil process. This amount was calculated automatically by STAN software.
114

Recycling
The input of this process is plastic wastes from collection transportation processes and the
imported wastes from other countries. Recycled products and residue waste are produced
after processing.
Figure A-8 Recycling process
Table A-8 Detail of parameters and calculation method for recycling process
Parameter Calculation
R See the details in Table A-3
IW The amount of imported plastic waste means that amounts of plastic wastes which are
imported from other countries. The assumption is thermosetting wastes are not imported
from other countries. This number was shown in the Custom Department. It was searched
on the website by use the specific code of plastic wastes (HS-code). The HS-code of plastic
waste is 3915. Table A-10 in Appendix A presents the details of HS-code of plastic pellet,
product and waste.
RW 2 See the details in Table A-5
RP See the details in Table A-1
Stock 5 The amount of stock means that amounts of collected plastic wastes and recycled products
are stocked in the recycling factory. This amount was calculated automatically by STAN
software.
Open environment
This process includes undisposed wastes which are inputted into the open environment,
and then undisposed wastes are stocked in the environment for long time.
Figure A-9 Open environment process
Table A-9 Details of parameters and calculation method for open environment
process
Parameter Calculation
CUC and CUD See the details in Table A-3
Stock 4 The amount of stock 4 means that amounts of uncollected and undisposed plastic
wastes are expanded and stocked in the environment. This amount was calculated
automatically by STAN software.
115

A-2: Harmonized System Code
Table A-10 Details of HS-code of plastic pellet, product and waste
HS-code Details
3901 Plastic resins: Polyethylene (PE)
3902 Plastic resins: Polypropylene (PP)
3903 Plastic resins: Polystyrene (PS)
3904 Plastic resins: Polyvinylchloride (PVC)
3905 Plastic resins: Vinyl polymer
3906 Acrylic polymer and Carbonate polymer
3907 Plastic resins: Epoxy resins, Polycarbonate (PC), Poly-lactic acid (PLA)
3908 Plastic resins: Polyamide (PA-6/Nylon)
3909 Plastic resins: Phenolic resins, and Polyurethane (PU)
3910 Silicone
3911 Plastic resins: Other petroleum resins
3912 Plasticized , Nitrocellulose, and Sodium carboxymethylcellulose
3913 Sodium alginate
3914 Other polymers (Iron-Exchange)
3915 Plastic wastes
3916 Plastic products: Monofilament of plastics
3917 Plastic products: Tubes, pipes and hoses, and fittings therefor (for example,
joints, elbows, flanges), of plastics
3918 Plastic products: Floor coverings of plastics, whether or not self-adhesive, in
rolls or in the form of tiles; wall or ceiling coverings of plastics
3919 Plastic products: Self-adhesive plates, sheets, film, foil, tape, strip and other
flat shapes, of plastics, whether or not in rolls
3920 Plastic products: Other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics, noncellular
and not reinforced, laminated, supported or similarly combined with
other materials
3921 Plastic products: Other plates, sheets, film, foil and strip, of plastics.
3922 Plastic products: Baths, shower-baths, wash-basins, bidets, lavatory pans,
seats and cover, flushing cisterns and similar sanitary ware, of plastics.
3923 Plastic products: Articles for the conveyance or packing of goods, of plastics;
stoppers, lids, caps and other closures, of plastics
3924 Plastic products: Tableware, kitchenware, other household articles and toilet
articles, of plastics
3925 Plastic products: Builders' ware of plastics, not elsewhere specified or
included.
3926 Plastic products: Other articles of plastics and articles of other materials of
headings Nos. 3901 to 3914.
Source: The Custom Department (2013), Thailand
116

A-3: Stakeholder Table
Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
1
2
3
4
5
6
Green Thai Product by
RUAMKID 99 Co.,
Ltd.
The Thai Packaging
Association (TPA)
Corporate Social
Responsibility by
Seven-Eleven;
Kidtoong project
Thai Plastic Industries
Association (TPIA)
Plastic Industry Club:
Member of Federation
of Thai Industries (FTI)
Plastic Institute of
Thailand (PIT)
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
Functional
Participation:
Group Formation
MS
N
MS,
MO
S
S
S
Concern on green product selling and
production in Thailand
Sharing information on packaging
industries including paper, glass,
plastic, etc.
Improve Kidtoong Project for CSR of
CPall Company, reducing amounts of
plastic bags and promote in order to use
bio-plastic bags at minimarts (7-11
shop). Providing awards to stimulate
people to refuse plastic bags and pay
more money to buy bio-plastic bags.
Support all plastic industries, success on
production/business by setting policies,
sharing plastic production data.
Support all plastic industries, success on
production/business by setting policies,
sharing plastic production data, sharing
the knowledge and understandings to
operate business smoothly as well as
being environmental-friendly
Support all plastic industries, success on
production/business by setting policies,
sharing plastic production data, sharing
information related to plastic production
117
MNRE, PCD, CPall
company, DEQP
1 No
1 Yes
3 Yes
PTIT 2 Yes
Plastic company,
FTI, MIT
2 Yes
MIT, OIE, FTI 2 Yes

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
7
8
9
10
11
12
Plastic Intelligence
Unit Website (PIU)
Thailand Institute of
Scientific and
Technological Research
(TISTR)
The Office of Industrial
Economics (OIE)
National Statistical
Office
Thailand Energy and
Environment Network
(TEENET)
Business Opportunity
Center (BOC)
13 Environnet
14
National Innovation
Agency (NIA)
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
MS
Sharing all plastic industry data, keep
information and link two/more
organization data
118
PIT,PTIT, OIE,
MIT, MIU
1 No
MS Sharing data on technology research 1 No
N
N
MS
N
N
MS
Providing economic data like import &
export product, production statistic, but
require participation from business
sector and other organizations (DIW,
TPIA)
Providing related information as
statistical data, require human, money
resources
Sharing information related to energy
recovery technologies and alternative
energies
Sharing alternative business information
and guiding to improve SME business
Sharing environmental data to stimulate
people to concern more on
environmental impacts
Sharing data regarding
technology/innovation research for all
industries, providing funds to support
person/organization in order to study
and research new innovations
1 No
1 No
1 No
1 No
DEQP 1 No
1 No

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
15
Department of
Environment Quality
Promotion (DEQP)
16 Thai SME Franchise
17
18
19
National Electronics
and Computer
Technology Center
(NECTEC)
Department of
Industrial Promotion
(DIP)
Association for the
Promotion of Thai
Small and Medium
Entrepreneurs
(ATSME)
20 Thai-Plastic.com
21
22
Machine Intelligence
Unit (MIU)
Petroleum Institute of
Thailand (PTIT)
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing
Information
Sharing, Function
Participation:
Group Formation
MS
N
MS
MS
N
N
MS,
MO
S
Promote environmental management
and share information on environmental
quality and projects
Sharing data related to business
including recycling business
Sharing information on technologies of
electronics and computer industries,
providing funds for person/organization
research
Sharing information regarding to
available business and alternative ways
to promote industries in Thailand
Sharing data related to business
including recycling business
Sharing data about plastic products and
trading products
Sharing data regarding technology and
machine for all industries.
Promote compliance to all applicable
laws and regulations and confidence in
the integrity of the industry, invole
sustainable development of petroleum,
petrochemical and related industries,
sharing data on these industries
119
1 Yes
1 No
1 No
MIT, FTI 1 Yes
1 No
1 No
1 Yes
2 Yes

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
23
24
25
26
Thailand Institute of
Packaging and
Recycling
Management for
Sustainable
Environment
(TIPMSE)
Thai Bioplastics
Industry Association
(TBIA)
Pollution Control
Department (PCD)
Thai Plastics Foam
Recycling Industries
Association
(TPFRIA)
Interaction
Participation
Interaction
Participation
Interactive
Participation
Interactive
Participation
S
S
S
S
Concern to increase recycling rate of Thailand
by 25%, support packaging and recycling
industries, improve recycle networks, sharing
the knowledge of recycle use
packages/containers
Sharing the knowledge center for
technologies relating to bio-plastics, drive
industry of bio-plastics resin and products,
promote governmental policy supporting bioplastics
product, promote sustainable
consumption of bio-plastic products
Concern on laws and policy to reduce
amounts of wastes and improve sustainable
environment, propose the project to reduce
reuse and recycle plastic, promote 3R policy
and waste management strategies, and support
the related project. Require labors, money,
and participation of other stakeholder
Sharing the knowledge center for
technologies related to plastic foam recycling,
promote governmental policy supporting
foam recycling product, promote sustainable
consumption of foam recycling products to
succeed sustainable business
120
FTI, Beverage
company (Coca Cola,
Nestele, Dutch milk),
packaging company
(Tetra Pack, Bangkok
Can, Bangkok Glass)
NIA, Quality Mineral
Co., Unity Thai
Product Co., Thai
plastic Industrial Co.,
Nippon Pack
Thailand public Co.,
Ltd.
BMA Office,
Ministry of Industry
Thailand, DIW,
TIPMSE,PTIT,
TBIA, TPFRIA
3 Yes
3 Yes
3 Yes
PCD 2 Yes

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
27 BMA Office
28
29
30
31
32
33
Green World
Foundation
Thailand Environment
Institute Foundation
(TEI)
Department of
Industrial Work (DIW)
Biodegradable
Packaging for
Environment Co., Ltd.
Ministry of Industry
Thailand (MIT)
Ministry of Energy,
Thailand
Interactive
Participation,
Empowerment
NGO,
Information
Sharing
NGO,
Information
Sharing
Participation by
Consultation
Participation by
Consultation
Participation by
Consultation,
Information
Sharing
Interaction
Participation,
Information
Sharing
S
MS
N
MS
S
MS
S
Concern on suitable approach for plastic
waste management in BMA, providing
services and monitoring the project,
require budget to organize the project
Sharing environmental data including
environmental problems, laws policies,
promotions, projects by Green World
Foundation
Sharing information related to
environmental management, providing
funds for environmental projects
Concern on industrial work and data
base, providing policy and law for
industrial sector, providing funds and
information for the project
Make money as business, promote bioproduct
to market, get negative effects
from laws/policies, require new
production technologies
Providing funds for sub-department and
projects regarding to industrial work in
Thailand, set policy or laws to force
industries
Providing funds for sub-department and
projects regarding to alternative energy
in Thailand, set policy, plans and law to
force persons and organizations
121
PCD 3 Yes
TBIA, TPA, PIT,
PTIT,TPFRA,
TIPMSE, ATSME
2 No
1 Yes
2 Yes
2 No
FTI 1 Yes
MNRE 3 Yes

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
34
Ministry of Natural
Resource and
Environment (MNRE)
35 Department store
36 Minimart/small shop
37
Plastic product
trader/distributor
Participation
through Material
Incentives,
Empowerment
Waste generator,
Recycled product
buyer
Waste generator,
Recycled product
buyer
Recycled product
buyer (buy plastic
product and
transport product
to consumer)
S
N
N
MS,
MO
38 Waste picker Waste collector MS,
MO
39 BMA waste collector Waste collector MS,
MO
40
Transfer station
scavenger
Waste collector
MS,
MO
41 Waste shop Waste collector MS,
MO
42
Waste trader/middle
dealer
Waste collector
MS,
MO
Concern on laws and policy to reduce
amounts of wastes and improve
sustainable environment, providing
funds to support the project
Make money as business, success on
CSR project
Attend the project to complete CSR,
make money as business, get negative
effects from policies/laws
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
122
PCD, BMA Office,
Ministry of Industry
Thailand, DIW,
TIPMSE, TEI,
DEQP, Ministry of
Public Health
3 Yes
1 No
1 No
Thai-Plastic.com 1 No
TIPMSE 1 No
BMA Office 1 No
BMA Office 1 No
TIPMSE 2 Yes
1 No

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest Alliance Power Leader
43 Community waste bank
Waste Collector
Network
MS,
MO
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
TIPMSE 1 No
44 School waste bank
Waste Collector
Network
MS,
MO
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
TIPMSE 1 No
45 Inventor Waste Recycler MS,
MO
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
Make money as business, require many
resources (land, labors, money,
TIPMSE, Thai SME
Franchise, ATSME
2 No
46 Pelletizing factory Waste Recycler S, O machines, available technologies), get
negative effects from technology
transfer/requirement and laws/policies
Make money as business, require many
resources (land, labors, money,
TPIA 2 Yes
47 Plastic to oil plant Waste Recycler S, O machines, available technologies), get
negative effects from technology
transfer/requirement and laws/policies
Make money as business, require many
resources (land, labors, money,
TPIA 2 No
48 Plastic to RDF plant Waste Recycler S, O machines, available technologies), get
negative effects from technology
transfer/requirement and laws/policies
Make money as business, require many
TPIA 2 No
49
Plastic to product
factory
Waste collector,
Waste Recycler
S, O
resources (land, labors, money,
machines, available technologies), get
negative effects from technology
transfer/requirement and laws/policies
TPIA 2 Yes
123

Table A-11 Characteristics of stakeholders of plastic waste management in Thailand (continued)
No. Person/Organization Definition Type Interest
Concern on the reduction of
environmental impacts, make money as
business, require many resources (land,
Alliance Power Leader
50 Energy recovery plant Waste Recycler S, O labors, money, machines, available
technologies), get negative effects from
technology transfer/requirement and
laws/policies
TPIA 2 Yes
51 Importer and exporter Waste Collector MS,
MO
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
1 No
52 Individual
Waste Generator,
Recycled product
buyer
N
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
1 No
53 Household
Waste Generator,
Recycled product
buyer
N
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
1 No
54 Institution
Waste Generator,
Recycled product
buyer
N
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
1 No
55
Commercial and
business establishment
Waste Generator,
Recycled product
buyer
N
Make money as business, get negative
effects from laws/policies
1 No
124

Appendix B
Questionnaires and Checklists
B.1 Lists of questions for stakeholder analysis
(1) Waste collector and Waste recycler
- What does the waste collector/recycler think about plastic waste management in
Thailand
- How does the waste collector collect plastic waste and where are collected plastic
wastes from
- How does the waste recycler recycle plastic waste and where are wastes from
- Why does the waste collector interest to collect plastic wastes
- Why does the waste recycler interest to recycle plastic wastes
- What is the knowledge that the waste collector/recycler gains/has related to waste
collection and recycling
- How does the waste collector/recycler support or oppose the plastic waste management
in Thailand
- What kinds of equipment and facility does the waste collector/recycler use and how
many equipment and facilities does the waste collector/recycler have
- How do waste collectors/recyclers use their equipment and facilities to support or
oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- Can waste collectors/recyclers improve the best practice on plastic waste management
and How to do?
- Is there waste collector alliance/cooperation and what are roles/activities of that alliance
/cooperation affecting on the plastic waste management in Thailand
- Is there waste recycler alliance/cooperation and what are roles/activities of that
alliance/cooperation affecting on the plastic waste management in Thailand
- How does the plastic waste management policy/law influence on waste
collector/recycler roles
- What are the effects of new innovation/technology/product design on waste
collector/recycler roles
- How does the recycling business affect waste collector/recycler roles
- How do waste collectors/recyclers play their roles on the plastic waste management in
Thailand (in their opinion)
- What are the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat of the waste collector/recycler
which support or oppose the plastic waste management
- What does the waste collector/recycler think about the role and importance of other
stakeholders
(2) Waste generator and recycled product buyer:
- What does the waste generator/recycled product buyer think about plastic waste
management in Thailand
- How does the waste generator/recycled product buyer generate plastic wastes and where
are plastic waste littered
- Why does the waste generator prefer to consume plastic products and how does the
waste generator/recycled product buyer know the difference between new products and
recycled products
- Why does the recycled product buyer buy the recycled product
125

- What is the knowledge that the waste generator/recycled product buyer has related to
plastic waste management
- How does the waste generator/recycled product buyer support or oppose the plastic
waste management in Thailand
- What kinds of resources does the waste generator/recycled product buyer have and how
many resources does the waste generator/recycled product buyer have
- How do waste generators/recycled product buyers use their resources to support or
oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- Can waste generators/recycled product buyers improve the best practice on plastic waste
management and How to do?
- How does the plastic waste management policy/law influence on waste
generator/recycled product buyer roles
- What are the effects of new innovation/technology/product design on waste
generator/recycled product buyer roles
- How does the recycling business affect waste generator/recycled product buyer roles
- How do waste generators/recycled product buyers play their roles on the plastic waste
management in Thailand (in their opinion)
- What are the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat of the waste generator/recycled
product buyer which support or oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- What does the waste generator/recycled product buyer think about the role and
importance of other stakeholders
(3) Government and private organization:
- What does the organization think about plastic waste management in Thailand
- How does the organization support or oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- Why does the organization interest to support or oppose the plastic waste management in
Thailand
- What is the knowledge that organization gains/has related to plastic waste management in
Thailand
- How does the organization support or oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- What kinds of resources does the organization use and how many resources does the
organization have
- Can/How organizations improve the best practice on plastic waste management
- Is there alliances/cooperation of organizations and what are roles/activities of that
alliances/cooperation impacting on the plastic waste management in Thailand
- What kinds of the policy/law/plan does the organization use to support or oppose the plastic
waste management in Thailand
- How does the plastic waste management policy/law influence on the organization roles
- What kinds of new innovation/technology/product design do the organization present to support
or oppose the plastic waste management in Thailand
- What are the effects of new innovation/technology/product design on organization roles
- How does the organization play a role on the business recycling
- How does the recycling business affect waste collector/recycler roles
- How do organizations play their roles on the plastic waste management in Thailand (in their
opinion)
- What are the strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat of the organization which support or
oppose the plastic waste management
- What does the organization think about the role and importance of other stakeholders
126

B.2 Questionnaire for Waste Shop
Date……………………… Sample No…………………...
1. General Information
1.1 Shop’ name…………………………………………………………….……….
1.2 Address………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
1.3 Number of worker……………………………………………………..……….
1.4 When did you started this business………………….........................................
1.5 What motivated you to start this business (more than 1 choice)
It is a profitable business
I care for environment
It is easy to start (required a small area, few labor, simple building, etc.)
It can be do illegally
Other………………………………..
1.6 Total area of the shop……………………………………………...…..sq. meter
2. Plastic Recycling
2.1 Do you buy only separated plastics or mixed plastic and why do you buy them
Separated plastics because………………………………………………………
Mixed plastics because………………………………………………………….
2.2 What kind of plastic wastes do you buy
2.3
2.4
Water bottles, cooking oil bottle, etc. (PET/PETE)
Food packaging, plastic bags, flexible bottles, refuse sacks, etc. (PP,PS,PE)
Pipe and fitting, water/shampoo/vegetable oil bottle, carpet backing, etc. (PVC)
Other………………………...
How many kilograms per day of plastic wastes do you buy
What is the prices for each category (For 2.3 and 2.4, please fill in the table below)
Types of
plastic wastes
PET
HDPE
LDPE
PP
PS
PVC
Other
Quantity for
buying (kg/d)
Buying price
(Baht/kg)
127
Quantity for selling
(tonnes/week)
Selling price
(Baht/kg)

2.5 Who do you buy plastic wastes from (more than 1 choice)
Household
Waste picker
Municipal waste collector
Transfer station/landfill scavenger
Middle dealer/wholesaler
Other……………………………………..
2.6 Who do you sell plastic wastes (more than 1 choice)
Middle dealers/wholesalers
Plastic pellet factory
Plastic production factory
Waste treatment plants/industries, specify…………………………………….
Other …………………................
2.7 Do you do pretreatments for plastic wastes before selling
Yes (do the next question) No (skip to 3)
2.8 What kind of pretreatment do you use for plastic wastes before selling (more than 1
choice)
Manual separation (specify…………………………………..………………...)
Mechanical separation (specify…………………………………………………)
Washing and cleaning (specify…………………………………………………)
Size reduction (specify…………………………………………………………)
Other……………………………………………………………………………..
2.9 How much plastic wastes can you treat………………………………………..kg/day
2.10 How do you manage plastic wastes which cannot be sold and discarded from
pretreatment
Littering to curbside bin Dump around shop
Transport to transfer station Sell to energy recovery plant
Other………………… Dump to landfill
3. Plastic Recycling Business
3.1 How much was the capital cost for setting up a business…………………Baht
3.2 Do you have any contact with other waste shops/recycling sectors
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 3.5)
3.3 How many waste shop are you in contact with……………………………..shops
3.4 What are the objectives of contacting with other waste shop
Exchange wastes (………………………………………………………..….)
For sell (……………………………………………………………………...)
128

3.5
3.6
3.7
Participation in waste shop organizations (………………………………….)
Other………………………………………………………………………
How much is the investment
How much money do you pay for the equipment
How much money do you pay for operation
(For 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7, please fill in the table below)
-Investment
(Baht),
(Baht/month)
-Equipment
(Baht)
-Operation
(Baht/month)
Land
Building
Cars/trucks
List Cost
Other……………………
Weighting scale
Bale box
Sorting machine
Washing machine
Shredding machine
Other……………………
Water supply
Electricity
Employment
Welfare for labor
Insurance for labor
Transportation
Tax and regulation
Other ………………………
3.8 How is the competition with other junk shops?
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3.9 Do you encounter with any problem in this kind of business
Yes (do the
No (skip to 3.11)
next)
3.10 What kinds of problems do you encounter and How do you solve these problems
(explain the problems in detail)
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
3.11 How much the profits do you gain from this business……………….…Baht/month
3.12 What is the promotion/advertising of your business for getting more profits
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
129

4. Environmental, law, policy, and health aspects
4.1 Environmental aspect (observation)
Wastes…………………………………………………………………………
Wastewater……………………………………………………………………
Odor ……………………………………………………………………………
Noise …………………………………………………………………………
Air pollution……………………………………………………………………
Overview of shop……………………………………………………………
4.2 Law and policy
4.2.1 Do you know 3R policy (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
Yes………………………… No……………………………
4.2.3 Which choices do you agree for plastic waste management for proposing
policies/laws (sequence from most to least)
Ban plastic used
Department stores and shops sell their plastic bags
Pay more money for plastic waste management
Support using plastic wastes to generate electricity
Use alternative plastic products
Other……………………………………………….
4.2.4 Is your shop the registered one
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 4.2.6)
4.2.5 Why do you register your shops
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4.2.6 Why do not you register your shops
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
4.2.7 Do you know about the other laws that you must follow
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 4.3)
4.2.8 What is that law and how do you follow it
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………
4.3 Health aspect
4.3.1 Do your workers have health problems from work
Yes (specify………………………………………………………………...)
No
130

4.3.2 What are the protective gears that are provided for your workers (more than 1
choice)
Glove Boot
Mask Protection suite
Other………………………………………
4.3.3 Do you give them the annual healthcare service
Yes (specify……………………….…..) No
5. Which organizations do you get the support and how do they support your activity?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
6. In your opinion, how do your roles affect the plastic waste management and How to
promote 3R principle?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
131

B.3 Questionnaire for Household
Date………………………… Sample No…………………...
1. General Information
1.1 Number of family member………........................................people
1.2 Incomes of family (Baht/month)
65,000
2. Plastic consumption
2.1 Where do you get plastic products (sequence from most to least)
Department store Minimart
Small shop Market
Other………………………...
2.2 Which types of plastics do you buy from 2.1 (sequence from most to least)
Water bottles, cooking oil bottle, etc. (PET/PETE)
Food packaging, plastic bags, flexible bottles, refuse sacks, etc. (PP,PS,PE)
Pipe and fitting, water/shampoo/vegetable oil bottle, carpet backing, etc. (PVC)
Recycled plastic products
Pipes, fabrics, electrical cables, light switches, etc. (Thermosetting)
Other………………………...
3. Plastic reused, recycling, and disposal
3.1 What kind of plastic wastes do you separate (sequence from most to least)
Water bottles, cooking oil bottle, etc. (PET/PETE)
Food packaging, plastic bags, flexible bottles, refuse sacks, etc. (PP,PS,PE)
Pipe and fitting, water/shampoo/vegetable oil bottle, carpet backing, etc. (PVC)
Recycled plastic products
Pipes, fabrics, electrical cables, light switches, etc. (Thermosetting)
3.2 What is your objective of separation (more than 1 choice)
Reuse For convenience in collection
For sell Other……………………….
3.3 How do you do with plastic packaging after using
Littering to bins For sell
Reuse Reformation
Other……………………….
3.4 If you separate plastic wastes for sales, how often you sell ………………..……times/month
132

3.5 How do you sell plastic wastes
Sell to the waste shops
Sell to middle dealers/wholesalers
Other……………………….
4. Plastic waste management
4.1 Do you know 3R policy (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
Yes No
4.2 Do you follow by 3R policy
Yes, because………………………………………………….
No, because………………………………………………….
4.3 Which choices do you agree for plastic waste management for proposing
policies/laws (sequence from most to least)
Ban plastic used
Department stores and shops sell their plastic bags
Pay more money for plastic waste management
Support using plastic wastes to generate electricity
Use alternative plastic products
Other……………………………………………….
4.4 Which alternative plastic products do you prefer to use (sequence from most to least)
Degradable plastic by microorganism Degradable plastic by light and heat
Less plastic products (use fewer raw materials) Recycled products
Other………………………………………………………...
4.5 Which choices do you prefer to do for plastic waste management (sequence from
most to least)
Waste buyers buy plastic waste from household every week
The Government provides the specific bins for plastic wastes
Use recycled plastic products more than new products
Other……………………….
5. In your opinion, how do your roles affect the plastic waste management and How to
promote 3R principle?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
133

B.4 Questionnaire for Plastic Recycling Factory
Date……………………… Sample No…………………...
1. General Information
1.1 Name of factory……………………………………………………………
1.2 Address………………………………………………………………………….
1.3 Numbers of employees………………………………………….......persons
1.4 Areas of factory……………………………………………………..sq. meters
1.5 Average revenue of factory…………………………………………………Baht/month
1.6 When did you start this business ……………………………………………
1.7 What motivated you to start this business (more than 1 choice)
It is a profitable business
I care for environment
It is easy to start (required a small area, few labor, simple building, etc.)
It can be do illegally
Other………………………………..
1.8 What kinds of your products
Recycled pellets
Recovered oil from plastic wastes
RDF/ used as fuel in incineration
Recycled product from recycled pellets
Other………………………………..
2. Business information
2.1 Who are the waste sellers (more than 1 choice)
Waste picker Waste shop
Middle dealer Other........................................................
2.2 What types of plastic wastes do you buy from sellers
HDPE............................................... LDPE...............................................
PET................................................... PP......................................................
PS...................................................... PVC...................................................
2.3 Who are the recycled buyers (more than 1 choice)
Household middle dealer Recycling factory
Plastic manufacture Petroleum company Cement factory
Power plant Other............................................................................
134

2.4 How much are the prices of plastic wastes and recycled products
Types of
plastic
PET
HDPE
LDPE
PP
PS
PVC
Other
wastes
Buying price of
plastic wastes
(Baht/kg)
2.5 How much is the investment
How much money do you pay for the equipment
How much money do you pay for operation
(For 2.5, please fill in the table below)
-Investment
(Baht),
(Baht/month)
-Equipment
(Baht)
-Operation
(Baht/month)
Land
Building
Cars/trucks
135
Kinds of recycled
products
List Cost
Weighting scale
Sorting machine
Washing machine
Shredding machine
Water supply
Electricity
Employment
Welfare for labor
Insurance
Transportation
Tax and regulation
Other ………………………..........…
Selling price
(Baht/kg)
2.6 Do you export you product and how many are exported products and which country do
you export your product
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
2.7 Do you encounter with any problem in this kind of business
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 2.9)
2.8 What kinds of problems do you encounter and How do you solve these problems
(explain the problems in detail)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.9 How much the profits do you gain from this business………………………Baht/month
2.10 What is the promotion/advertising of your business for getting more profits
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. Production process information and available technology
3.1 Formal name of production process...............................................................................
3.2 Production process flow
3.3 What kinds of technology do you use in your factory and Where is it from
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
3.4 What are the advantages and disadvantages of this technology
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
3.5 Why do you choose this technology to use in your factory
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
4. Environmental, Law and Health aspect
4.1 Environmental aspect (observation)
Wastes……………………………………………………………………………
Wastewater………………………………………………………………………
Odor ………………………………………………………………………………
Noise …………………………………………………………………………………
Air pollution ………………………………………………………………………
Overview of shop………………………………………………………………
4.2 Do you know 3R policy (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle)
Yes No
4.3 Which choices do you agree for plastic waste management for proposing policies/laws
(sequence from most to least)
Ban plastic used
Department stores and shops sell their plastic bags
Pay more money for plastic waste management
136

Support using plastic wastes to generate electricity
Use alternative plastic products
Other……………………………………………….
4.4 Which alternative plastic products do you prefer to use (sequence from most to least)
Degradable plastics by microorganism Degradable plastic by light and heat
Less plastic products (use fewer raw material) Recycled products
Other……………………….
4.5 Is your shop the registered one
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 4.2.8)
4.6 Why do you register your shops
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
4.7 Why do not you register your shops
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………
4.8 Do you know about the other laws that you must follow
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 4.3)
4.9 What is that law and how do you follow it
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
4.10 Do your workers have health problems from work
Yes (specify…………………………………………..) No
4.11 What are the protective gears that are provided for your workers (more than 1 choice)
Glove Boot
Mask Protection suite
Other………………………………………
4.12 Do you give them the annual healthcare service
Yes (specify……………………….…..) No
5. Which organizations do you get the support and how do they support your activity?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
6. In your opinion, how do your roles affect the plastic waste management and How to
promote 3R principle?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
137

B.5 Questionnaire for Waste picker/middle dealer (waste buyer)
Date……………………… Sample No…………………...
1. General Information
1.1 When did you started this activity………………….........................................
1.2 What motivated you to start this activity (more than 1 choice)
It is a profitable business
I care for environment
It is easy to start (required a small area, few labor, simple building, etc.)
It can be do illegally
Other……………………………………………………………………..
1.3 Average revenue……………………………………………Baht/month
2. Plastic Recycling
2.1 What kind of plastic wastes do you collect/buy, and How many kilograms per day of plastic wastes
do you collect/buy, and What is the prices for each category
PET/PETE………………………Kg/day, ………………….……Baht/kg
HDPE…………………………….Kg/day, ………………………Baht/kg
Mixed plastic wastes (PP,PS,PE)………………..Kg/day, ……….Baht/kg
PVC……………………………..Kg/day, ………………………..Baht/kg
Other……………………............Kg/day, ……………...…....…...Baht/kg
2.2 Where do you collect/buy plastic wastes from (more than 1 choice)
Household/curbside bin Transfer station/landfill Middle waste buyer
Waste picker Waste shop Other…………..……………
2.3 Where do you sell plastic wastes (more than 1 choice)
Middle dealers/wholesalers
Plastic pellet factory
Waste shop
Waste treatment plants/industries, specify…………………………………….
Other …………………................
2.4 Do you do pretreatments for plastic wastes before selling
Yes (do the next question) No (skip to 2.10)
2.5 What kind of pretreatment do you use for plastic wastes before selling (more than 1 choice)
Manual separation (specify………………………………..……………...)
Mechanical separation (specify……………………………………………)
Washing and cleaning (specify…………………………………………)
Size reduction (specify……………………………………………………)
Other………………………………………………………………
2.6 How much plastic wastes can you treat……………………………………..kg/day
138

2.7 How do you manage plastic wastes which cannot be sold and discarded from pretreatment
Littering to curbside bin Dump around shop
Transport to transfer station Sell to energy recovery plant
Other……………………… Dump to landfill
3. Plastic Recycling Business
3.1 How much was the capital cost for setting up an activity……………….………Baht
3.2 Do you have any contact with other waste pickers or waste buyers
Yes (do the next) No (skip to 3.4)
3.3 What are the objectives of contacting with other waste shop
Exchange wastes (………………………………………………………..….)
For sell (……………………………………………………………………...)
Participation in waste shop organizations (………………………………….)
Other…………………………………………………………………………
3.4 How much the investment cost do you pay (Waste picker) and what kinds of equipment
do you use for waste picking
..................................................................................................................................................
3.5
3.6
3.7
-Investment
(Baht),
(Baht/month)
-Equipment
(Baht)
-Operation
(Baht/month)
How much is the investment for (Middle waste buyer)
How much money do you pay for the equipment (Middle waste buyer)
How much money do you pay for operation (Middle waste buyer)
(For 3.5, 3.6 and 3.7, please fill in the table below)
List Cost
Land
Building
Cars/trucks
Other……………………………
Weighting scale
Bale box
Sorting machine
Washing machine
Shredding machine
Other……………………..…….
Water supply
Electricity
Employment
Welfare for labor
Insurance for labor
Transportation
Tax and regulation
Other ………………………...…
3.8 Which organizations do you get the support and how do they support your activity?
3.9 In your opinion, how do your roles affect the plastic waste management and How to
promote 3R principle?
139

B.6 Checklists for waste collector network (waste picker network and school
garbage bank)
1. Start date and location
2. Owners name and contact details
3. The vision and reason behind this network
4. How many staffs currently work and where are they from?
5. Total Capital cost.................................................................................................Baht
6. Operating cost
-Investment
(Baht),
(Baht/month)
-Equipment
(Baht)
Land
Building
Cars/trucks
Weighting scale
Sorting machine
Shredding machine
List Cost
Other……………………..…................….
-Operation Water supply
(Baht/month) Electricity
Employment
Welfare for labor
Insurance
Transportation
Tax and regulation
7. How much transaction per day is done? Both in terms of cash (THB for
exchangeable commodities) as well as the amount of recyclable exchanged (tons of
recyclables)
8. What different types of recyclables (paper, plastic, metal) are exchangeable?
9. What is the price for each type of recyclables? And why the difference in
pricing/value?
10. Which/Why particular recyclable type is brought the most and the least by people?
11. Is the business profitable?
12. How does the system works?
13. Where do you store those collected recyclables?
14. What do you do with those exchanged recyclables? Where does it go and what
happens to them?
15. Who are supports/sponsors (finance, capacity building, expertise, labor)?
16. Are your staffs trained? Who provides training and what kind of training?
17. How do you advertise more people to participate?
18. Besides people bringing recyclables, do you also have other additional mechanisms
of collection of recyclables? If you do, from where? Will you do Household
collection or a particular collection point in future?
19. Any specific roles of the government, municipalities in particular?
20. What policy level intervention is done for a) supporting you b) opposing your
initiative?
21. What other policies are required to improve these kinds of business initiatives?
22. Are there the barriers of the business? (lesson learned)
23. How is such network contributing to waste management in Thailand?
140

B.7 Questionnaire for middle dealers (plastic product)
4. General Information
When did you started this business………………….........................................
What motivated you to start this activity (more than 1 choice)
It is a profitable business
Plastic is the modern product
Many plastic industry in Thailand
Other……………………………………………………………………..
Average revenue……………………………………………Baht/month
5. Plastic Products
2.1 What kind of plastic products do you sell (more than 1 choice)?
Housewares
Stationery
Furniture
Packaging
Other……………………........................................................
2.2 Who do you sell plastic products to (more than 1 choice)?
Household Plastic grocery Middle dealer
Market Department store Other…………..………
2.3 Do you buy the recycled products from factory, Why?, and how do you know those
products are the recycled product
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………….
2.4 How much new plastic products do you sell……………………………………..Baht
How much recycled products do you sell………………………………………...Baht
2.5 Which products do you prefer to sell and Why?
Degradable plastic by microorganism Degradable plastic by light and heat
Less plastic products (use fewer raw materials)
Other………………………………………………………...
2.6 Are there the damaged products which cannot sell and how do you do with those
products?
Sell back to the factory Littering to bin
Sell to waste shop Keep for use in your house
Other………………………………………………………...
2.7 What innovative products do you sell and why?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
141

2.8 Which kinds of plastic products (make more profits) do you sell between new plastic
products and recycled products?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.9 What are the problems from selling the recycle products and how do you solve those
problems?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.10 In your experience, what do consumers think about the recycle products and why do
they decide to use them?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Business information
3.1 What promotions do factories provide for you to buy the recycled products?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3.2 Is there the cooperation between middle dealers and what activities does that
organization do?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………
3.3 What promotions do you provide for consumers when you sell your products
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3.4 How much the investment cost do you pay for the business………………………Baht
3.5 What facilities do you use in the business and how much the operation cost (e.g.,
transportation, storage, etc.)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………
3.6 Haw much profits do you gain from the business….…………………………….Baht
3.7 Which laws do you follow and affect your business and why?
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3.8 In your opinion, how do your roles affect the plastic waste management and How to
promote 3R principle?
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................................................
142

C-1: Case study from waste shop
Appendix C
Technical Information Related to Field Visit
Location: 1. Yee Sib Ha Khakhongkaw (formal) 2. Suwandee Recycle (formal)
3. Pa Whee shop (informal)
1. Yee Sib Ha Khakhongkaw Shop
1.1 General Information
Address: 11/50 Moo.2 Klong Luang Pathum Thani, Thailand
Area: 400 sq. meters
Income: 200,000 Baht/month
Period: 2006-2012 (7 years)
Amounts of labor: 2 persons
Description: this shop buys and collects all wastes including paper, glass, metal, and
plastics.
1.2 Plastic Recycling
Figure C-1 Yee Sib Ha Khakhongkaw Shop
This shop buys mixed plastic wastes (i.e., plastic bottles with caps, all colors, and labels)
from households, waste pickers, and middle dealers. It buys water bottle, refuse sacks,
PVC pipes, shampoo/ cosmetic bottles, and sauce gallons (4.5 liters) (see in Figure C-2).
Most poplar plastics are PET bottles and gallons because these wastes are large amounts
and high value.
Figure C-2 Sauce gallons
143

This shop does not buy foam, plastic bags, and CD because there are two labors for waste
separation, but plastic bags require more labors and high water and electric supplies. Foam
and CD are less weight and low amounts collected, and people do not collect these wastes
to sell. Labors always separate only color and types of wastes. For example, PET bottles
are separated into two color such as clear color and black color (labors call other color
plastic that they are black color because they will become black products when they are
recycled).
Plastic wastes will be sold to pelletizing factory at Nakhon Pathom province when this
shop collects 800 kg to 1,000 kg of plastic wastes. This shop buys 200-400 kg/day of
plastic wastes or around 3,000-5,000 Baht/day. Table C-1 shows buying and selling prices
and amounts of sold plastic wastes.
Table C-1: Buying and selling prices and amounts of sold plastic wastes
Types of plastic wastes Buying price Selling quantity Selling price
(Baht/kg) (kg/round) (Baht/kg)
PET (clear color) 16 300 20
PET (all colors) 16 200 20
PE gallon 19-20 300 21
PVC pipe 10 100-200 12
All plastics* (all colors) 10 200-300 11
* All plastics include shampoo/cosmetic bottles, color PE bottles, PVC bottles, etc.
because these wastes are less than other plastics, and require more collection time and
more separation labors.
1.3 Business Information
This shop spent 300,000 Baht to start this business. The profit of this shop is 300,000
baht/month (estimate from selling all wastes) This shop does not contact with other shops,
while middle dealers sometimes contact or sell wastes from this shops to bigger shops. The
competition of this business in this area is very high because there are many waste shops
like this sub-road (Soi. Thep Khunchon 25) which are three waste shops. Table C-2
presents lists and costs of investment, equipment, and operation for this waste shop.
Table C-2: Lists and costs of investment, equipment, and operation
-
Investment
-
Equipment
List Cost
Land Owner
Building 200,000 Baht
Cars/trucks 13-16 million Baht (2 light trucks)
Weighting scale 25,000 Baht
Bale box -
Sorting machine -
Washing machine -
Shredding machine 150,000 Baht
144

Table C-2: Lists and costs of investment, equipment, and operation (continued)
-Operation
List Cost
Water supply 400 Baht/month
Electricity 1,500 Baht/month
Employment 300 Baht/person/day (18,000
Baht/month)
Welfare for labor -
Insurance -
Transportation 500 Baht/day (15,000 Baht/month)
Tax and regulation 10,000 Baht/year for registration
2,000 Baht/year for taxation
The owner promotes his shop by advertising through billboards, and he also contact and
buy plastic wastes from his patrons. For instance, he will get sauce gallons from
restaurants. He can collect only 800-1,000 kg of plastic wastes before selling, and his
contacted factory is not strict to get the constant amounts of wastes. So, he can sell 500 kg
or more wastes per round depending on his collection efficiency.
(a) Shredding machine (b) Light truck
Figure C-3 Equipment in waste shop
145
(c) Digital weight
In last seven year, the owner can develop his business to gain more profit because people
and dealers know his shop widely. At the first time, people known only PET which can be
sold, but they now know that other plastics are also sold to waste shops. Thus, plastic
wastes become the hot issue for waste recycling. In the next five or ten years, an owner
may cancel his business because he will be older and his child will not continue this
business. He also loses after flooding due to damaged machines. Moreover, an owner has a
debt and lack of money to operate this shop forward.
1.4 Environmental, Law/Policy, and Health Aspects
Environmental aspects
Wastes which cannot be sold are dumped beside shops, and some bought wastes are not
collected and set orderly, especially color plastics (e.g., red green gray, etc.). Figure C-4
shows wastes are not suitably disposed and collected. There are not wastewater, noise,
noise, and dust because pretreatment is not operated after flooding.

(a) Non-stored bottles
146
(b) Undisposed wastes
Figure C-4 Non-stored PET bottles and undisposed wastes after flooding
Law and policy aspects
This shop is registered with municipality, so there are not problems from taxation law. The
owner also known that waste shops should open from 8.00 am. to 5.00 pm. because a law
ban to buy wastes/something at night.
The owner known “3R policy” from municipal training through “Green Waste Shop
Project”. From this project, he should concern on occupational health, clean of shop, and
environmental impacts. In his opinion, he agrees with banning plastic bag if there are other
things which are better, and he also agrees to increase more waste collection charges and
using alternative plastics (bio-plastics, recycled plastics, etc.). He does not agree with
charging carrier bag from department stores/shops because he does not want to pay more
although plastic bags are cheap.
Health aspects
An owner does not provide personal protection equipment for his labors, so labors should
prepare protection tools by themselves. Labors do not pass the annual health check from
hospital. They sometimes get accidents, and an owner also takes them to hospital.
2. Suwandee Recycle Shop
1.1 General Information
Address: 66/1 Moo.2 Klong Luang Pathum Thani, Thailand
Area: 1,600 sq. meters
Income: 2,000,000 Baht/month
Period: 2003-2012 (10 years)
Amounts of labor: 13 persons
Description: this shop buys and collects plastic wastes and metals from factories.

1.2 Plastic Recycling
Figure C-5 Suwandee Recycle Shop
The owner had been a labor at plastic recycling factory, so she also had knowledge about
types of plastics and its prices. She buys many plastics form middle dealers who get plastic
wastes from industries including PET, PS, PP, POM, PMMA, AB, PSM, AB+PC, PET
fiber, NA 6, and NA 66. This shop sells around 200 tonnes/month of plastic wastes, which
of all include 5 tonnes of PP. PET (grade A) is sold 100 tonnes/month, and this PET are
sent to injection molding factory. PET (grade B) is exported to China 10 tonnes/month.
There is not the monthly record of amounts of bought plastics. The example of waste
buying in one day is shown in Table C-3, and Figure C-6 shows some plastic wastes.
Table C-3: Example of waste buying in one day
Types of plastic wastes Buying quantity (kg/day) Buying price
(Baht/kg)
PP 4,700 20
PET (clear color) 140 22
PET (all color ) 840 13
POM 2,300 15
PET (tray) 200 22
a) PET tray
147
b) PET fiber

c) Plastic pellet sack
Figure C-6 Some plastic wastes
148
d) Plastic bucket (“Jumpbo”)
All plastic wastes are chopped into small pieces/pellets by shredding machines. Most of
wastes do not require washing process because wastes are clean, so they can be put into
shredding machine directly. After shredding process, pellets are packed into sack by 25
kg/sack. This shop can chop 4 tonnes/day of plastic wastes by four machines (See in video
1). There are not wastes that are occurred during process. Figure C-7 and C-8 present
washing, drying and shredding process.
d) Pellet washing; some wastes are
e) Pellet drying
contaminated with liquids like (lotion,
shower cream, shampoo, etc.). Pellets
are washed in basin.
Figure C-7 Washing and drying process
Figure C-8 Shredding/pelletizing process

1.3 Business Information
The investment cost of this shop was 500,000 Baht. A profit of this business is 250,000-
300,000 Baht/month. Customers of this shop are middle dealers who contact this shop to
sell after auction at factories and buy each type of plastics in order to produce products
depending on demand of recycling factories. Some of plastics are sold to injection molding
factories. Moreover, Chinese businessman buys plastics to recycling factories in China, so
this shop exports 10 tonnes/month of plastic pellets. One container can be contained 27
tonnes of plastics, and plastics are always exported on Saturday. Table C-4 presents lists
and costs of investment, equipment, and operation for this waste shop.
Table C-4 Lists and costs of investment, equipment, and operation
-
Investment
-
Equipment
-Operation
List Cost
Land Owner
Building 1,000,000 Baht
Cars/trucks 14-17 million Baht (2 light trucks)
Weighting scale 15,000-40,000 Baht
Bale box -
Sorting machine -
Washing machine -
Shredding machine 600,000 Baht (4 machines)
Water supply 350 Baht/month
Electricity 15,000 Baht/month
Employment 350 Baht/person/day (140,000
Baht/month)
Welfare for labor -
Insurance 2,000 Baht/year (AIA)
Transportation 16,000-24,000 Baht/month (2,000
Baht/time)
Tax and regulation 3,000 Baht/year for registration
6,000 Baht/year for taxation
5,000 Baht/year for municipality
The owner said that the competition of waste recycling is very high, and less experience
people may be deceived easier than expert person. There are many waste shops, middle
dealers, and factories related to plastic recycling. She lose money when she stock cheap
plastic wastes after flooding, but selling prices are cheaper than buying prices. The middle
prices at China are unsteady, so this affects this shop directly because most of low quality
plastics or mixed plastic wastes can be sold to factories in China. An owner plans to
increase areas of shop and shredding machines in order to expand this business and get
more profits.
1.4 Environmental, Law/Policy, and Health Aspects
Environmental aspects
There are four shredding machines, and they are operated at the same time. Therefore,
noise is occurred from these machines including air pollutants such as particulate
149

matters/dust. This shop is a stable building. There are roof cover storage and shredding
areas, cement floor and walls, and iron structures. Sound level may be decreased from
these structures. Dust flows in building, but some of it may flow to outside. Plastic wastes
are set orderly and stored plastics by considering types of plastics.
Law and policy aspects
This shop is a formal waste shop. It is good to register this business because an owner pays
money for tax less than back taxes. Moreover, foreigner labors should register with Thai
government followed by labor law.
The owner knows “3R policy” as well because she pass training projects from municipal
officers like “Green Waste Shop”. She agrees with plastic bag banning policy, and she also
agrees to increase using recycle products because she may gain a lot of money. She does
not agree with department store/shop policy if she must pay money to buy plastic bags
when they go to shopping.
Health aspects
Labors sometimes set accident from transportation, so an owner provides accident
insurances for them. An owner also provides personal protection equipment for her labors
such as gloves, safety boots, and masks. For health insurance, labors also have hospital
insurance like 30 Baht of medical care for all therapies.
3. Pa Whee Shop
1.1 General Information
Address: Moo.2 Klong Luang Pathum Thani, Thailand
Area: 200 sq. meters
Income: 1,000-2,000 Baht/month
Period: 1988-2012 (25 years)
Amounts of labor: no labors
Description: this shop collects, wash and clean all plastic bags from municipal bins.
Figure C-9 Pa Whee Shop
150

1.2 Plastic Recycling
This shop find and collet plastic bags from municipal bins, and then owner cut and wash
plastic bags by manual and washing machine. An owner collects two types of all color
plastic bags such as PE and PP (see in Figure C-10). An owner separates these plastics by
sound when she grips. She said that PE has high-pitched and louder than PP. These plastic
bags are divided into two colors such as clear and black color, and all colored plastic bags
are called black color including red, green, blue, etc. this shop sells 100-200 kg/day of all
plastic bags. Table C-5 shows selling prices of plastic bags.
(a) Color PP bags
Table C-5 Selling prices of plastic bags
Types of plastic bags Selling price
(Baht/kg)
PE (clear color) 19
PE (all colors) 12
PP (clear color) 15
PP 12
(b) PP bags (clear (d) Color HDPE bags (black color)
color)
Figure C-10 Plastic bags
151
(c) HDPE bags (clear color)
There is many pretreatments to treat plastic bags before selling to factory such as cutting,
washing and drying. Plastic bags are cut by manual cutting, and a tool is a knife which is
used to destroy seam of plastic bags. Plastic bags will be unclean if they have some
contaminants on seam of bags. Figure C-11 presents show cutting plastic bags to prepare
plastic bags before washing process.
Figure C-11 Cutting process

Washing and drying process are operated by washing machine that an owner called “Look
Salad”. An owner built this machine by himself for 4 years ago, and the construction cost
of this machine is 42,000 Baht. This machine can wash and dry 100 kg/time of plastic
bags, but the best treatment of this machine is 80 kg/time of plastic bags (including water
weight) or 60 kg/time of plastic bags (excluding water).
Normally, this machine is operated 3 time/ day, and each round spends 2-3 hours. The
power of motor of machine is 11 HP, and this motor requires 150 Baht/day of diesel. This
shop can treat 50-200 kg/day of plastic bags by this machine, and clean plastic bags are
packed in sacks by owner. There is not the strictly standard of plastic cleaning because an
owner only looks and decides that plastics are clean, and factory will tell this shop if plastic
bags are not clean. Figure C-12 shows washing and drying machine, and treated plastic
bags and packing process are shown in Figure C-13.
(a) Washing and drying machine
(b) Motor of machine
Figure C-12 Washing and drying machine
(a) Treated plastic bags
(b) Compacting process
Figure C-13 Treated plastic bags and compacting process
1.3 Business Information
The owner started this business in the last 25 years because she heard that plastic bags can
be sold, and it easy to start. The investment cost of this shop is 100,000 Baht. The profit of
this business is 500 Baht/100 kg of plastic bags. In the last fifteen years, an owner
transported treated wastes to Supanburi province because there is not any plastic recycling
factory nearby this shop. Plastic bags now are sold to plastic recycling factory at Phra
Nakhon Si Ayutthaya province by middle dealers who buy and transport plastic bags from
this shop. Scavengers from landfills sometimes employ this shop to wash and clean plastic
bags, and they pay around 10,000 Baht/1,000 kg of plastic bags.
The owner said that this business is very costly because they do not pay a lot of money for
investment and operation. A washing machine is cheap and gives very clean plastic bags.
A factory satisfies the quality of plastic bags after washing, and it is confident that this
shop can control the quality of plastic bags. An owner said that plastic bags will be sent to
152

wash again if there are some contaminants on plastic bags. Table C-6 presents lists and
costs of investment, equipment, and operation for this waste shop.
Table C-6 Lists and costs of investment, equipment, and operation
List Cost
-Investment Land 1,200 Baht/month (Rent)
Building 50,000 Baht
-Equipment
-Operation
Cars/trucks 7,000 Baht (Tricycle)
Weighting scale 4,000 Baht
Bale box -
Sorting machine -
Washing machine 42,000 Baht/machine
Shredding machine -
Water supply 300 Baht/month
Fuel (Diesel) 4,500 Baht/month
Employment -
Welfare for labor -
Insurance -
Transportation 250 Baht/week (1,000 Baht/month)
Tax and regulation -
1.4 Environmental, Law/Policy, and Health Aspects
Environmental aspects
There are not wastes from this shop because all plastic bags can be sold. Most plastic bags are
collected from municipal bins, so there is bad smell. Wastewater and noise are caused from a
washing machine. Wastewater is not treated, and it is drained to small pond backside of this shop.
For the overview, this shop is very dirty and an unhealthy shop because there are chickens wastes
at limited areas. This family has a cooking site and child nearby waste washing and cleaning. Thus,
child may contact with wastes directly and have health problems.
Law and policy aspects
This shop is a small scale shop, and this business requires less water and electricity. There is not a
labor because the owner and her family do this business by themselves. Thus, taxation officers and
municipal officers allow this business to operate, and the owner does not pay tax and register for
this business.
The owner does not know “3R policy” and attend any training project of municipality because this
shop is only house, and it is not business. She does not agree to ban using plastic bags because she
will lack incomes, and she think that big plastic factories do not agree with this banning. She does
not agree to pay more money for waste management charge because she does not generate plastic
wastes, and scavengers at landfills usually employ her to wash and clean plastic bags. She does not
want to buy plastic bags when she goes to shops/department stores, but she likes to buy recycled
plastics because it helps to increase her incomes.
Health aspects
The owner does not wear gloves, boots, and masks. She said that it difficult to work when she
wears protection tools, and she has not been sick or get health impacts from washing and cleaning
plastic bags.
153

C.2 Case study from oil recovery plant
1. General Information
Name: Master project of plastic to oil
Address: Soi. Hua-Hin 112, Phetkasem Road, Prachuab Khiri Khan, Thailand
Area: 1,600 sq. meters
Period: 2008-2012 (5 years)
Employees: 12 persons/ pyrolysis plant and 10 persons/sorting unit
Description: This project was run by the cooperation between Hua-Hin municipality,
Department of energy, Single Point Energy Environment Ltd., Co. (SPEE), and Bangchak
Petroleum Plc. This project consists of two parts such as a sorting unit (operated by
municipality) and pyrolysis plant (operated by SPEE). Plastic waste in covered landfill is
dug and fed into pyrolysis reactor in order to produce crude oil which can be sold to
petroleum industries.
2. Processing
2.1 Sorting unit
Figure C-14 Oil recovery plant in Hua-Hin
This unit includes digging, rotary separation, manual sorting, air separation and weighting.
A sorting unit is operated by labors of Hua-Hin municipality. The detailed steps of the
sorting unit are:
Digging: excavators dig waste from the covered landfill. There are not only plastic
waste, but also paper, glass, metals, rubber, etc. Thus, dug waste is sorted to get
only plastic bags. Dug wastes are shown in Figure C-15.
Figure C-15 Dug waste
Rotary separation: There is a drum screen which is used to separate heavy
components out of the dug waste. This machine was imported from India, where it
154

was produced, but the technology of this machine was created in Poland. The name
of this machine is TS-2500, TIM Envipro. This machine consists substantially of a
rod screen, and it is rotated to separate heavy components like broken glasses and
soil, but it cannot separate large size components such as plastic bottles, toys,
metals, glass products, rubbers and others. After separation by the drum screen, the
waste stream has to be sorted by labors.
Manual sorting: this step requires 10 labors to separate other waste components
which are not plastic bags by hands. The waste stream is transferred by a conveyer
belt. Laborers pick wastes up from that belt. This conveyer was designed and
constructed by Thai engineers. Plastic bags on the conveyer belt are transferred into
an air separation machine which separates contaminants out of plastic bags. Some
sorted components are sold to recycle, but some of them are used as soil for landfill
covering.
Air separation: there are two air separation machines. Plastic bags are fed into the
first machine and second machine respectively. Heavy materials are sorted out and
fall to the bottom part of the machine, while plastic bags are blown to a specific
pipe at the opposite side of the blower of this machine. This machine is useful to
remove the content inside of the plastic bags. Figure C-16 presents an air separation
machine.
Blower
Figure C-16 Air separation machine
Weighting and packing: plastic bags from the air separation machine are collected
into sacks. Each sack should weight 100-125 kilograms before it is send to the stack
room, so plastic bags are weighted by a weighting scale (see in Figure C-17).
Figure C-17 shows the sorting unit.
2.2 Pyrolysis processing
Waste feeding pipe
Air
flow
Waste removal
pipe
Sorted plastic bag conveyer
This project uses catalytic pyrolysis to convert plastic bags into crude oil. This technology
was created by a Polish company and an Indian company bought this idea and produced
pyrolysis machines for selling. Plastic bags from the sorting unit are fed into the pyrolysis
reactor by three labors every 30 minutes. There are 6 tonnes/day of plastic bags utilized in
this process and only HDPE, LDPE, and PP are fed into this reactor. PVC is not used for
this machine because PVC generates chloride when it is burnt, and the chloride will
damage the equipment. This system requires many catalysts such as zeolite, alumino-
155

silicate clay, natural clay, metal-loaded catalyst and hydro-cracking catalyst to reduce the
burning time and temperature required for combustion.
Normally this system can generate 5,000 liters of crude oil per day, but plastic wastes must
be very clean and are not contaminated by any contaminant. In fact, plastic bags from
landfill are dirty and contain a lot of contaminants and moisture content, so this pyrolysis
process can generate only 3,500-4,000 liters of oil per day. At the first time, the reactor is
initially heated by burning LPG at 480-520 ºC to melt the plastic bags, and then the plastic
bags are fed into the reactor which has seven paddles. This reactor has a fixed-bed like a
pan. Plastic bags are melted and mixed by paddles.
Drum screen for heavy material
separation
Air separation machine for
heavy material sorting
Weighting scale
Figure C-17 Sorting Unit
There are four movement patterns for paddles such as left to right, right to left, twist and
turn, and up and down. Plastic bags are converted from liquid into gas, and then the gas
will be condensed at 250-270 ºC to generate crude oil. Some uncondensed gases are reused
for burning in the reactor again in order to reduce the high amounts of LPG required. This
reactor is operated for 24 hours. Moreover, some unusable and uncondensed gases are
burnt before releasing into the atmosphere.
156
Conveyer belt for manual
sorting
Conveyer belt for feeding
plastic waste to air separation
Sorted plastic waste

Zeolite, alumino-silicate clay, natural clay, metalloaded
catalyst, hydro-cracking catalyst
Plastic bag
feeding every
30 minutes by
three labors
Burning
LPG/Reusable
gas (C 1 -C 4 ;
uncondensed
gas) at 480-520
°C
Horizontal hydraulic
feeder by conveyer
Condensable gas can be
condensed into liquid
(crude oil) at 250-270 ºC
Figure C-18 Pyrolysis reactor
157
Burning residue gas
(uncondensed gas)
Pyrolysis Reactor (fixed-bed)
Paddles are used to mix melted
plastic bags through four different
movements
Hot
water
pipe
Cool
water
pipe

Residue wastes are produced about 1-2 m 3 within 3 days from this reactor, so this reactor
needs maintenance to remove residue wastes and check the entire equipment. This
maintenance is usually done every 3 days, and all machines are stopped for 18 hours each
time. Major maintenance is done every 3 months, and each time takes one week to repair and
clean the machines. The pyrolysis reactor is shown in Figure C-18, and Figure C-19 presents
the plastic to oil system.
a) Prepared plastics for feeding
c) Crude oil storage tank
3. Business information
158
b) Pyrolysis reactor
Figure C-19 Plastic to oil system
d) Residue wastes from reactor
This pyrolysis plant required around 150 million Baht for investment including building,
pyrolysis reactor, machine import, controlling system, and workers. The operational costs are
15 Baht/L, and the selling costs are 18 Baht/L. The crude oil from this plant is sold to the
Integrate Refinery Petrochemical Complex (IRPC Refinery) in Rayong and Bangchak
Petroleum Plc. Single Point Energy Environment Ltd., Co. has a plan to develop this project.
For example, the residue waste from reactor is analyzed to identify its properties in order to
utilize this waste stream instead of disposal. The capacity of this reactor is very low, so

increasing this capacity is necessary to make more profit for this business. This business helps
to increase space areas of landfills, but it requires a number of pretreatments which increase
the investment and operational costs of this project.
This business also helps to decrease the costs for land, construction, management, and
operation for new landfill site. This project is done by the municipality, so it is not done as
profit-business. Municipality cannot build a distillation unit like a petroleum plant to increase
oil selling costs because crude oil now is sold as heavy fuel oil with low profit. A distillation
unit can produce diesel, benzene, naphtha, and others, so the municipality could earn more
money from these oils. Nowadays, many companies in Thailand can produce pyrolysis
machines and sell them to factories and municipalities. Although it is easy to find machines, it
is difficult to find raw materials. This business will not be effective if the owner cannot find
large amounts of plastic bags to feed into the reactor. Thus, clean and sufficient plastic bags
are necessary for this business.
4. Environmental and safety aspects
The residue waste from pyrolysis reactor is not disposed rightly. It is only dumped next to the
factory (see Figure 5-d). This waste has bad odor, and it still emits vapor because it is just
removed from the reactor which is operated at high temperature. The feeding step is done in
bad operation because laborers cannot close the feeding door before the reactor door opens, so
bad odor will be released to their working area. This odor is not emitted to the environment or
people because this landfill is far from residential areas, and there are many buffers nearby the
landfill such as trees and mountains.
Residue gases are not treated by air pollution control devices, but they are only burnt before
released into the atmosphere. There is not any air pollution monitoring system following the
environmental law. In addition, labors do not wear adequate personal protection equipment
such as gloves, uniforms, boots, masks, etc., only a simple fabric respirator. Furthermore, they
execute physical labor in unfavorable body positions. There is a high chance of accidents and
long-term consequences to their health. There is not any insurance and welfare provided for
workers.
159

C.3 Case study from zero baht shop
1. General Information
Location: 19 Soi. 15-Sukhaphiban 2 Yaek 2-22, TogMai sub-district, Prawet district,
10250
Shop area: 320 square meters (shop area and waste store) and 368 square meters
(vegetable garden and library)
Start date: 12 years ago (since 2001)
Workers: 7-8 labors (all of them are Thai)
Head and partner of the project: 1. Prerathorn Saeneewong (Head of the project)
2. Boarin Saeneewong (Shop Manager/owner)
3. Somporn Ngowlim (Board of the project)
At the first time, this shop was built and operated by some people in On Nut 14 Rai
Community that is the “Waste Picker Community” (Thailand calls that Saleng Community).
The head of the project said that this is a poor community, and people earn a few moneys from
their jobs (waste pickers). Therefore, the “Pauper Bank” was set and operated for poor people
in the community for seven years.
The main objective of this bank is to help poor people in order to have base facilities for their
being. The activities of this bank include waste and good exchange, waste bank, insurance,
and waste shop. After that, Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for
Sustainable Environment (TIPMSE) found this community and want to promote this bank
because it is the available method to manage solid waste in Thailand. Thus, TIPMSE give the
new name of this bank from the Pauper Bank to the Zero Baht Shop”, and the new name is
wildly known in Thailand and others (Japan). Nowadays, the Zero Baht Shop is a license of
TIPMSE, and the interesting people must be considered by TIPMSE before use this name.
Figure C-20 Pauper Bank
2. Business Information
160
Figure C-21 Zero Baht Shop
This shop requires 6,000-7,000 Baht of capital cost to start this project. The owner must spend
45 Baht/month of land rental. She also has one light truck and three mini weighting scales. For
the operation cost, she pays 2,000 Bah/month of water supply and 3,000 Baht/month of
electricity. The transportation cost is around 2,000 Baht/day. In addition, the total revenue of
this ship is 30,000-40,000 Baht/day, and the total expense of the shop is 10,000 Baht/day.

Waste pickers, people, and children sell waste or exchange their wastes with products in the
Zero Baht shop. Waste pickers in community usually exchange their wastes to get their
insurances, needed goods, and deposits, while other waste pickers from outsides always sell
their wastes to get money. Children usually bring their paper/books to exchange with snacks or
juices.
This shop sometimes exchanges their products with money because outside people do not
know the system of shop. The owner always sells stored wastes of this shop to bigger waste
shops such as Wongpanit (all types of wastes), Kongpongkit, and Nokpanit (PET bottle and
plastics). She also sells wastes to factory nearby shop (Sukhaphiban 2 Road) that recycles
wastes to products again e.g., Paper factory, Green Board Ltd., Co. (recycle milk/juice
cartons), and Glass factory. The owner sets the middle rate of waste exchange which
establishes the costs of wastes, types of wastes, and characteristics of wastes (separate waste
into each type of waste). Table C-7 shows the middle costs and types of wastes which are
bought in this shop.
Table C-7 Middle price of wastes and types of bought wastes
No. Types of wastes Baht/kg
1 Aluminum 30
2 Steel 3
3 Zinc 5
4 Milk/juice cartons (clean; cut and washed) 3
5 Milk/juice cartons (unclean) Do not buy (only collect)
6 Paper (Black and white ink) 5
7 Newspaper 3
8 Cartons 3
9 Mixed papers 2.5
10 PET bottle 15
11 HDPE bottle 15
12 Mixed plastics 5
13 Clear glass bottle 1
14 Color glass bottle 1
15 Bear bottles with cartonne (Baht/cartons) 10
Source: TIPMSE (contact: 02-7246263)
Figure C-22 Aluminium caps of energy drink
161
Figure C-23 Bear bottles with cartons

Figure C-24 Newspaper
Figure C-26 Milk/juice cartons (clean)
Figure C-28 PET bottles
162
Figure C-25 Cartons
Figure C-27 Aluminum cans
Figure C-29 Fruit wastes (make cleaning
solution)
From above Figures, sold wastes are separated by sellers to increase values of wastes before
selling. For example, aluminum caps are separated out from energy drink bottles which are a
glass. Plastic bottles and their caps are sorted out because they are made from the different
types of plastic materials. Some sellers may cut, wash, and dry milk/juice cartons before
exchange because they can get money from cleaned wastes.
Workers sometimes collect labels, foam, foil, paper, and other which are the wastes from
separation process, and then they sell those wastes to the cement factory for burning as a fuel.
Fruit wastes which are collected from fruit shops are used to produce the cleaning solution.
Food wastes from household are used to feed animals (e.g., pig) and make composting for the
sufficient economic project. Moreover, there are not pretreatment processes in that shop, but
labors only compact wastes by their power to reduce size of wastes and required areas for
waste transportation.
This shop has a board of waste prices in front of the shop, and there are small labels nearby
products to show the prices of products in the shop. Figure C-30 and C-31 show the waste cost

oard and product prices in shop. The waste prices in a board do not change, and people can
exchange their wastes with products at the same rate every time. However, the prices of
products in the shop always change followed by the prices of products at sources.
Figure C-30 Waste costs board
163
Figure C-31 Product prices in shop
This business is a profit business because the owner gains many profits from selling wastes,
waste-product exchange, selling cleaning solution, selling inventions, and buying wastes from
outside people. The most popular products in this shop are vegetable oil, rice, snacks, soda
drink, monosodium glutamate, shrimp paste, and pepper. The owner always gains profits from
selling wastes. For instance, she buys 15 Baht/kg of PET bottles, and she sells 18.50 Baht/kg
of PET bottles. She will get 3.50 Baht/kg of PET bottles. She also buys 15 Baht/kg of HDPE
bottles, and she can sell 20 Baht/kg of HDPE bottles.
She has one tactic to sell HDPE bottle by separation out of HDPE milk bottles and HDPE
water bottles. This tactic will help to make more profits than selling mixed HDPE wastes.
Furthermore, she buys 3 Baht/kg of cleaned milk/juice cartons, and she sells 5 Baht/kg of
those wastes to Green Board Ltd., Co. Therefore, she will get 2 Baht/kg of wastes as a profit,
and that company supports some roofs which are made from milk/juice cartons to this shop.
Residue wastes from a separation process are sold 1 Baht/kg of wastes to cement factory. She
also sells inventions to interesting people and outside people (cleaning solution are 20
Baht/750 mL). The owner usually sells wastes when she has large amounts of wastes and can
fulfill wastes into the light trucks. The average amounts of wastes which are sold each time are
shown in Table C-8.
Table C-8 Amounts of selling wastes
Types of wastes Weight (kg)
HDPE bottle 500-700
PET bottles 700-800
Glass 1,000/week
Paper 800-1,000
Cartonnes 700-800
Residue wastes 1,000-2,000/month

3. Activities of Zero Baht Shop
On Nut 14 Rai Community is a Saleng community. There are many activities of community that are done related to waste exchange,
inventions, integrated farming, waste bank, welfare, and life insurance fund (see in Figure C-32).
Making incomes from recyclable wastes
Recyclable Center
for Saleng group
Purchasing
recyclable wastes
from Saleng
members
Youth Recyclable
Bank
Depositing
recyclable wastes
from youths
Segregating and collecting recyclable wastes
for value added before selling to a broker
Profits are used for
providing welfare
and stock divined
Profits are used for
members’ interest
Transforming
recyclable wastes
into products
Wives group
Selling products
Figure C-32 Activities Chart of Recyclable Groups in On Nut 14 Rai Community
164
Activities Chart of
Community
Developing community finance
Integrated farming
(cultivating chemical
free vegetable, herb,
feeding fish and
organic fertilizer &
EM)
Profits from selling products are additional
revenues for the group
The Community
Grocery Store group
Selling
products
Exchanging
recyclable
wastes with
products
Profits from this store are
joined to members’ stock
divined
Recyclable welfare and
life insurance fund
Buying fund by paying
with 2 bottles /day of
glass wastes or 1 Baht/day
according to group’s
policy
Profits from this fund are
used as welfare and life
insurance of members

Recyclable group identity
To create a unity of the group, In addition to the policy which all of the members have to
follow to earn trust and acceptance from the public. The TIPMSE supports a center’s post,
a jacket, a member identification card, and license plate for Saleng tricycle for the unity
including tools needed in the profession such as gloves, a surgical mask, a reflector and
weight apparatus. The TIPMSE and the Department of Environment, BMA train and
advise the center management. Fundamental regulations training and knowledge on
hazardous materials for Saleng members are supported by The TIPMSE and the
Department of Environment, BMA.
Recyclable Center
The recyclable center includes waste shop, waste bank, and community grocery store.
There are many processes of waste exchange at the recyclable center such as separation,
weighting, recording, and waste exchange. Figure C-33 shows the processes of waste
exchange.
Sellers separate wastes
into each type before
selling Weighting wastes Worker records the
weight of wastes
Customers
exchange products
Owner calculate
costs of wastes
Figure C-33 Processes of waste exchange
From Figure C-33, waste pickers (saleng)/people/children must separate their wastes into
each type of wastes before exchanging with products/welfare. Then, a labor weight wastes
and record the weight of those wastes, and he/she will give the weight bill to them. Next,
they must bring that bill to the owner of Zero Baht Shop (community grocery store), and
the owner then calculate total prices of wastes. Finally, they can choose products in the
165
Sellers get the weight
bill and submit to owner

Zero Baht Shop depending on the total prices of wastes. Moreover, they can request money
or deposit their money to waste bank if they do not spend all money in the bill. Outside
people can sell their waste to exchange with money directly, and they can buy products in
that shop by their money.
There are three options for children in community. Children can join three activities of the
recyclable center such as waste bank, invention, and integrated farming. The waste bank
helps them to save their money, and they can spend their money for their education. Some
children said that they are happy and fun when they invent or transform wastes to products
by themselves, and these inventions are also sold to interesting people. Finally, they can
learn and cultivate vegetable and feed animals at the integrated farming of community.
Figure C-34 shows the activities for children in community. Furthermore, there is the
community library nearby the integrated farming for education and entertainment.
Children in community
Figure C-34 Activities for children in community
Welfare and life insurance fund
- Applying procedure: Members can apply to the fund by paying with
recyclable wastes such as 2 bottles/day of glass wastes or 1 Baht/day.
- Procedure for welfare applying:
1. Depositing recyclable wastes or 1 Baht/day without absence for 2 months
2. Getting welfare rights when purchasing fund for 6 months
3. Participation other activities
4. Handicapped and underprivileged can apply by purchasing fund according to the
procedures or participating other activities instead.
166
Waste bank
Inventions
Integrated Farming

- Welfare benefit:
1. Giving 150 Baht/night in case of admitting a hospital such as giving a birth, sick, or
having as accident 9 no more than 7 sequential days and once a year)
2. Paying 50% of medical fees for an emergency case (once a year) and transportation
fees to a hospital (less than 100 Baht/year)
3. Paying funeral fees 2,000 Baht/member (for Buddhist members) with a coffin and a
funeral host for 4 nights (3,000 Baht/member for Islamic members)
4. Providing 5 kg of rice for elder (60 years old or above members)
5. Providing a student load without interest (600 Baht/student/term) for 2
children/family, and a debtor has to pay back within 2 months. In addition, for
underprivileged child, the center will support a stationary/year
6. 2% of the community grocery store’s incomes will be jointed into fund
Workshop and Information dissemination
The recyclable center provides workshop for interesting persons and organizations. The
lecturer (the leader of the project) always explains about the Zero Baht Shop and trains the
interesting people by workshop to make them understand the process of this shop. Figure
C-35 to C-42 shows the activities that are provided for interesting people/organizations.
In general, people who interested in the Zero Baht Shop want to apply the concept and
process of this shop for their projects or making profitable business. This workshop
consists of many activities such as waste sorting workshop, learning integrated farming,
studying processes of the Zero Baht Shop, invention by children and wives group, feeding
fish and pigs, and learning composting and making cleaning solution. Furthermore, there is
the water boxing for entertaining attendances, and the fees for this show are unclean
milk/juice cartons.
Figure C-35 Lecturer explains about Zero
Baht Shop
167
Figure C-36 Students learn about the
integrated farming

Figure C-37 Lecturer of the project
(Leader)
Figure C-39 Students from
Hoksibpansawittayakom school join
workshop
Figure C-41 Inventions from Wives group
168
Figure C-38 Agent from TIPMSE (pink
shirt)
Figure C-40 Students and research assistant
from AIT join workshop
Figure C-42 Water boxing

Profit for membership
Direct: The center purchases recyclable wastes, the members in a reasonable price, and
also provides welfares such as a financial aid both on transportation to a hospital and on
funeral to members and relatives, stock divined, and an interest from member’s recyclable
sale.
Indirect: The members learn the method for planning, managing and systematical working
with a center’s policy creating the unity of the group. Moreover, the members get an
acceptance and earn trust from the public and institutions such as education institutions
which agree on both to trade and exchange recyclable wastes with Saleng group.
Benefit of the Zero Baht Shop
Social benefits: People in the community can join and learn about this business, and they
gain knowledge and skill from training. People improve harmony in the community
because they build integrated farming and use those products together. There are the job
opportunities for interesting people such as the owner of shop, inventor, waste picker, and
lecturer. This community has many poor people, so this shop provides the base facilities
that are necessary for their being such as welfare, life insurance, and consuming products.
Economic benefits: This shop helps to complete the chain of recycle business because the
owner must contact related sectors to sell and buy recyclable wastes. The recycle business
includes waste collectors (people/waste pickers), small waste shop, bigger waste shop, and
recycler (manufacturing). The recycle manufactures can use recyclables waste as raw
materials, so they spend money less than using only virgin raw materials. This profit also
helps to reduce using resources, especially petroleum and threes. In addition, the
government will spend less money for waste management if there is the high percentage of
recycling.
Environmental benefits: the amounts of wastes will reduce if there are many Zero Baht
Shops in Thailand because recyclable wastes are sold to this shop more and more. The
agent of TIPSE said that this shop helps to reduce 300 kg/week of wastes which are
disposed to landfills. This project is promoted to people in order to separate and collect
recyclable wastes at sources because it helps to decrease amounts of disposed wastes and
reduce waste management costs.
Barrier faced
This business requires the participation of people and community to improve the
sustainable business. The Zero Baht Shop at On Nut 14 Rai Community is very successful
because this community is the waste picker community. There are 70 households of waste
pickers compared to 140 households of all houses in the community. Therefore, this shop
always has a lot of wastes and can promote this business in this community. While, other
communities that do not have waste shops/waste pickers and participated people are not
successful with this business because people do not exchange recyclable wastes with
products. The Zero Baht Shop is not expanded rapidly because this business will succeed
when there is the public participation. The network of waste shops/waste pickers/waste
recyclers are also important for this business, especially information sharing between
169

networks. This project is not widely known in Thailand, so the promotion/advertising of
the project is necessary for shop expansion and making more profits.
Future expansion
There are three Zero Baht Shops at three different places in Thailand such as On Nut
district and Din Daeng district, BMA and Nan province. The shops at Din Daeng district
and Nan province were the waste banks of community before. There are some shops in
Thailand that are operated as same as the Zero Baht Shop, but they do not use the same
name because they may not pay for name license or do not have an allowance from
TIPMSE. The agent of TIPMSE said that the future expansion of this shop depends on
interest of people and public participation in the project. There are many organizations
which learn about this business from the Zero Baht Shop at On Nut, so there will be more
than three shops in Thailand in the future.
4. Policy and laws
Tax law: this law forces persons or organizations that make a profit to register with
Revenue Department in order to control taxation of shops, companies,
organizations, factories, and others. Therefore, this shop must be registered
followed by tax law in order to prevent paying back tax. The officer establishes that
the owner of the Zero Baht Shop does not pay tax for the shop.
License law: TIPMSE registers the name “Zero Baht Shop” as a license of
TIPMSE. Thus, people who want to use this name must pay money and get an
allowance from TIPMSE before starting the business.
Criminal law: this shop must be allowed to open by registration at the police
station. This shop must only open at 8.00 m.-5.00 pm. This shop does not buy
stolen goods from sellers because it is unlawful. The policeman can inspect the
shop every time. For waste pickers, they must register their name and ID number at
the police station followed by this law to get an allowance to pick up wastes from
BMA bins. They can pick up wastes at 7.00-10.00 am., 4.00-6.00 pm., and 8.00
pm.-12.00 am.
5. Stakeholders/Related organizations/Contact persons
There are many related organizations that play the different role on the project as
following:
1. Thailand Institute of Packaging and Recycling Management for Sustainable
Environment (TIPMSE): The TIPMSE supports a center’s post, a jacket, a
member identification card, and license plate for Saleng tricycle for the unity
including tools needed in the profession such as gloves, a surgical mask, a reflector
and weight apparatus.
The TIPMSE trains and advises the center management, and it supports
fundamental regulations training and knowledge on hazardous materials for Saleng
members. It helps waste pickers to register their status at police station, and it also
register the waste shop from the Pauper Bank to Zero Baht Shop. It makes the name
“Zero Baht Shop” as a license of TIPMSE. It does not support money for this shop,
but it contacted wastes buyers and set the middle prices of wastes for the shop.
170

Contact person: Amornpong
Tel: 02-2721552-19/14
Website: http://www.tipmse.or.th, http://www.facebook.com/0bahtshop
Email: recycle@tipmse.or.th
Address: 333 Loa Peng Nguan 1, 20 B Soi Choe Phuang, Vibhavadee-
Rangsit Road, Chomphon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900
2. Saleng Group of On nut 14 Rai Community: these persons set and manage the
shop. There are 7-8 waste pickers who are a board of the shop, and they can suggest
their opinions and make some benefits for this shop. These people can be a lecturer
and explain about the concept and process of the shop.
Contact person: Somporn Ngowlim (Waste picker and board of the shop)
Tel: 087-9284509
Email: baimon_46@hotmail.com
Address: 19 Soi. 15-Sukhaphiban 2 Yaek 2-22, TogMai sub-district,
Prawet district, 10250
3. Interesting organizations (School joins to learn about the shop): the teacher
interested in the process of this shop because she also do about school waste bank,
and she want to develop that waste bank into high environmental friendly waste
bank. Therefore, this school may have the Zero Baht Shop in the future.
Contact person: Kanitta Sangkrajangjit (Teacher)
Tel: 045-428560
Website: http://www.hoksib.ac.th
Address: Hoksibpansawittayakom School, Ubon Ratchathani, 34000,
Thailand
4. Recycle company: the one of recycle company which joins with the Zero Baht
Shop is OneClick Corporation Co.,Ltd. (Green Board Ltd., Co.). This company
buys clean milk/juice cartonnes from the shop, and it also recycles both of clean
and unclean milk/juice cartonnes from the shop. It support recycled roofs from
company to the shop without fees.
Contact person: Hirunathorn Yingtaweerattanakul (Board of company)
Tel: 086-2509889
Fax: 02-5242368
Email: Chong@oneclickcorporation.com
Website: www.oneclickcorporation.com
Address: 46/59, Moo 7, Klong Song, Klong Luang, Pathumthani, 12120,
Thailand
171

C.4 Case study from Sai Mai transfer station
1. General information
Name: Sai Mai transfer station
Address: Sukhapiban 5 Road, Soi. 42, Sai Mai districts in Bangkok
Waste: 2,200 tonnes/day
Waste from Bangkok are transferred to Sai Mai transfer station for temporary disposal by
the collector truck which starts from midnight to avoid traffic jam at peak hours and then
disposed at 6 am or 6 pm to the landfill nearby Bangkok. Figure C-43 shows the
processing of waste collection and storage temporary before transferring to disposal at
landfill site.
This transfer is operated by the oldest system, while the new system is been building
nearby the oldest system. The new system is operated by set the building to cove the
transfer areas in order to protect the contribution of odour problem. Moreover, this new
plant has the wastewater treatment plant. The transfer station is planning to bring in
reverse osmosis plant to treat the leachate, wastewater and water from vehicle washing
with the help of rainwater to dilute the concentration. As the transfer station does not have
any sorting system to segregate recyclable materials from the organic waste, majority of
the non-biodegradable waste such as plastic bags are being transferred over to the landfill.
This has raised a concern as space for landfill is limited due to urbanization. The waste
reduction by recycling the recyclable wastes is promoted instead of allowing it to take up
unnecessary space.
Weighting Collection
trucks
Waste collection
(Start at 12 am.)
Transferring wastes to transferred trucks
Sai Mai Transfer station (Temporary disposal)
Landfill
Figure C-43 Processing of waste collection and store temporary before landfilling
172
Manual sorting
at loading bay
During 6 am. - 6pm.

2. Objectives of field observation at Sai Mai transfer station
To find the percentage of plastic wastes in municipal solid wastes
To identify the types of plastics in municipal solid wastes
3. Procedures of sample collection
The random sampling method is use to collect waste samples base on the American
Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). First, random spot are chosen and separated
from the original waste using a shovel as shown in Figure C-44. Secondly, mix the pile of
separated waste to get a heterogeneous sample than divide the waste into four different
piles of waste as shown in Figure C-45. From the four different piles, 2 of it are eliminated
while the other 2 are used for sample analysis as shown in Figure C-46. This is to ensure
homogenous collection of waste. The wastes from each pile are then segregated according
to the type of waste. After segregation, each type of wastes is measured with a weighing
machine. Only plastic samples are separated into each type of plastics.
Figure C-44 Choosing the sampling point Figure C-45 Four different blocks of
wastes
Pile of waste
1
Left 2 pile for
sampling
4
Split
Figure C-46 Sample collecting process
173
1
1 2
3 4
4

4. Categorizing of waste
Waste from C-47 pile separated from the original pile of waste are segregated into papers,
plastic and foams, glass, metals, textiles and organic waste are segregated, and then wastes
are placed into plastic bags to identify the waste composition of the piles using a weighting
scale as shown in Figure C-47.
Figure C-48
Paper
5. Results obtained
Figure C-47 Sorting according to plastic properties
Figure C-49 Organic
waste
174
Figure C-50
Metals
Figure C-51 Textile
The waste sampling was done two times namely pile 1 and 2. Table C-9 shows the results
of both of samples and the average weight composition of different materials respectively.
Table C-9 Weight of waste in each category
Lists
Pile 1
Weight (kg)
Pile 2 Average
Total weight 15.78 17.8 16.79
Empty container 3.6 3.64 3.62
Plastic and foam 2.3 3.64 2.97
Glass 0.16 0.22 0.19
Metal 0 0 0
Textile 0.54 0.14 0.34
Paper 2.68 1.1 1.89
Organic waste 6.5 9.06 7.78

After weighting all categories of wastes, the percentage of waste composition in MSW at
Sai Mai transfer station is identified and presented as the pie chart (see Figure C-52)
Organic
waste
59%
Figure C-52 Percentage of waste composition in MSW at Sai Mai transfer transfer
From Figure C-52, the highest amount of waste generated is organic wastes.
Microorganism breaks down organic waste to form ‘leachate’. Bacteria, rotting compounds
and chemical contamination are present in the leachate. This is a hazard when it reaches the
water source such as surface water and ground water. Organic compounds can be digested
and release a greenhouse gas called methane.
Composting can be done by breaking down organic substance into smaller compounds.
This can reclaim nutrients from organic waste, save landfill space, reduce leachate
produced. Fertilizer produced can be used to improve farm land. Currently, only On Nuch
transfer station has a composting plant. Therefore, Sai mai should build their own
composting plant considering the benefits and long term effects.
From above Figure, the second highest amount of waste generated is plastic. Most of the
plastic waste are found as containers and packaging such as soft drink bottles, lids,
shampoo bottles. The best method of reducing plastic waste is by source reduction.
Industry control the amount of plastic generated. Less material should be used for
packaging product. A higher technology company could introduce bio-degradable plastic
bags. Consumers could encourage people to bring their own grocery bag to minimize
plastic usage at source by charging 1 baht per plastic bag. The money collected will be
used for recycling plants for plastic and reduce disposal at landfill. Every time people buy
items from a grocery shop, they will be reminded to bring their own recycled bags, which
make them a habit to be less dependent on plastic bags
Moreover, glass and metals contributes to the least amount of waste. This could be
possibly due to the high value of glass and metal when they are resold. Scavengers look out
for glass bottles and metal products, collect them then sell it to contractor which will be
paid for reasonable amount.
175
Plastic &
foam
23%
Paper
14%
Glass
1%
Textile &
Other
3%

6. Environment issues and observations
1. Air pollution: is caused from the decomposition of organic compounds. Dust and
vehicle exhaust emissions at transfer station is a hazard to our lungs. Air pollution
control team might use chemical to control odour. Odour pollution control could be
done for the nearby community. Build a cover or a shelter to hold and prevent the
smell from diffusing into the nearby air. On-nuch has been containing the odour,
which is a good example for Sai Mai to follow.
2. Noise pollution: is caused by the vehicles such as trucks, cranes and bulldozer.
The transfer station should be far away from the community so that they will not be
affected by the pollutants under WHO code of practice. Another solution is to plant
big trees surrounding transfer station. The trees will act as a noise buffer and a
visual buffer.
3. Treatment of leachate:
Rotary screen: The leachate water passes through rotary screen to remove all large
objects such as cans, glass and plastic pieces. The solids are disposed back into the
landfill.
Equalizing tank: The tank holds water and release into secondary treatment at a
uniform flow condition. Dilution is required if the chemicals in the leachate is too
high. The main objective is to control the discharge of waste water.
Figure C-53 Leachate from waste and truck washing is treated from the start
(rotary screen) and ends with (reverse osmosis)
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Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket digestion (UASB): UASB is an anaerobic process
forming a blanket of waste. Waste water flows from the bottom, through the
blanket, and cleaner water is released from the top. The sludge is trapped in the
blanket by gravity. Bio gas that is released within can be collected and used as
clean energy to run the treatment plant.
Aeration tank: Aerobic digestion take places inside the tank, bacteria consume
organic matter and generate carbon dioxide. Diffuser systems or blowers are
required to keep the waste water underneath the bottom oxidise.
Reverse osmosis: The final effluent will be released after being treated by reverse
osmosis. This effluent will be very clean, suitable for drinking.
4. Health aspect of workers: Workers such as truck drivers, scavengers are at risk of
road safety issues. For the safety of the scavengers, safe driving is highly
recommended. Chemicals which are harmful when in direct contact with the skin
can cause occupational hazards. Personal protection equipment should be worn at
all times for the safety of scavengers. Most scavengers in Sai Mai transfer station
prepared their wearing and protection equipment by themselves (see Figure C-54).
Avoid storing and keeping waste overnight to prevent scavengers roaming around.
This is dangerous as the trucks are moving anytime and their lives are at risk.
7. Conclusion
Figure C-54 Personal wearing of scavengers at transfer station
From the data, it has been identified that majority of the waste thrown can be reduce
through recycling. Despite having volunteer sorting out plastic bottles and recyclable
materials, plastic are not taken into consideration due to the low value fetch from selling it.
Hence, more has to be done to achieve unnecessary dumping and this would require
community as well as government’s involvement and commitment.
177

C.5 Technology Park of Chulalongkorn University in Saraburi
Location: Renewable Energy Co.,Ltd, Keang Khoi Saraburi 18110, Thailand
Institution: Clean and Green Fuel Research Center, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn
University
General Information
“Project Name: Production Enhancement Project of Biomass to Energy to increase
competitiveness of industrial manufacturing process and for technology trading. This
project has been done by Chulalongkorn University since 2010. Scope of work Royal Thai
Government wanted to establish practice research center for utilization of biomass and
waste in order to save technology import from aboard. Chulalongkorn University got the
budget and improved the research complex at Saraburi province under 1,500 million baht
budget. Kairos is responsible for the construction and installation of Waste to Energy part”
Objective and Activities
Gather information about state of the art biomass & MSW-Refuse conversion technologies
provided by Thai manufacturers. Initial target was to visit a rubber tyre pyrolysis plant that
Mr. Kulabusaya is affiliated with and gather data about its operational status but due to
concerns about air pollution standards of that plant, he decided to take us to the “Clean and
Green Fuel Research Center” that belongs to the Faculty of Science of Chulalongkorn
University.
After getting appointment from Mr. Kulabusaya a field visit was conducted with all
members of the “Plastic Recycling” group that was personally guided by Mr. Kulabusaya.
He showed and introduced the different units to the group and answered questions by team
members. Due to his time restriction the question and answer period last only for about an
hour. None of the units were in operation and no other staff was available to obtain further
information.
About Clean and Green Fuel Research Center
The facility has been constructed since 2010 under a research grant given to Chulalongkorn
University and most of the installations are just finished. The aim of this project is to
investigate the standard that has been achieved by Thai manufacturers in this field of
technology, to avoid unnecessary expensive imports that are assumed to be necessary by
Thai industries. Furthermore it should provide training and educational purposes for
students from Chulalongkorn University of the field of mechanical engineering,
environmental technology and chemical engineering. The units in this research center are
all in a pilot scale and ready for scaling up. The technologies present are Pyrolysis,
Rectification, Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, Analysis Laboratory, Bio-diesel Esterification,
Fluidized Bed Dryer, Rotary Kiln, Sorting Technologies, Bio-Filter, Gas Engines, Biogas
Digester, Sludge Drying Beds and Distillation Unit.
Pyrolysis
Unit 1: This is a fixed bed Pyrolysis with a reaction chamber of 60 x 60 x 300 cm that is
fed and agitated by a conveyor screw. The unit can be fed with Rubber, MSW-Refuse and
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e-excavated Refuse because it does not require high purities of the feedstock and is able to
tolerate high amounts of contaminants. This unit has an efficiency of approx. 35 %. To
suppress corrosive material degradation from chlorine (PVC) of reaction chamber and
successive piping, the operation is done with a catalyst to trap respective contaminants.
The operational temperature lies around 480° C whereas LPG-gas has to be applied for the
start-up period until enough recirculated synthesis gas has formed, which is capable of
firing the two conventional gas-burner units (see Figure C-55). The synthesis gas consists
of CO2, CO, H2 and Hydrocarbons, where chains > C5, C6 are condensated and chains < C5
are recirculated back into the gas-burner system. The remaining vapors after condensation
are treated by gas scrubbing and released by a stack. The capacity of this unit lies around
10 000 l/day.
Figure C-55 Pyrolysis Unit 1 with two gas-burner
179
Figure C-56 Heat exchange
condensation columns from
Pyrolysis Unit 1
Unit 2: this unit is designed in the same way as the unit above and only differs in size of
the reaction chamber with measures of 1.5 x 1.5 x 6 m. The feedstock is biomass before
entering the combustion chamber and further conveyed and mixed by a conveyor screw.
The synthesis gas is fed into the rectification column as well.
Rectification
Figure C-57 Pyrolysis Unit 2
for biomass and its
condensation columns
The Rectification column is fed by the condensate of the two Pyrolysis units mentioned
above, it consists out of 6 stages that split the tar-oil into Naphtha, Diesel and four other

fractions. It utilizes the heat from condensations process of the Pyrolysis as well via heat
exchange and remaining gasses are passed into the scrubbing unit. The column is LPG-gas
fired in the initial stages as well.
Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
Figure C-58 Six Stage
Rectification column that distillate
the condensate of Pyrolysis
products
This Unit performs a collection of chemical reactions that converts a mixture of CO and
hydrogen from water steam (H2O) into liquid hydrocarbons and H2. It is a catalytic gas to
liquid technology that produces synthetic Hydrocarbons (lubrication oil, alcohols, waxes
etc.) and synthetic fuel (Diesel). The unit is fed by the Synthesis gas of the two gasifier
mentioned above and claims to be the first of its technology type constructed in Thailand.
The Synthesis gas requires to be desulfurized in order to avoid catalyst poisoning- catalysts
are usually cobalt-or Iron-based.
Analysis Laboratory
Figure C-59 Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis
unit – by the catalytic surface (middle
column) the syngas is converted under
several atm pressure
This Laboratory contains several Gas- and Liquid-Chromatography Units. Here the gas and
condensate products from the above mentioned conversion units can be monitored and
quantified. There are approx. six GC units and two LC units available and sampling is done
on-line during operation of the conversion units.
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Bio-diesel Esterification
181
Figure C-60 Liquid-Chromatography
inside the laboratory section
Esterification from fatty acids is achieved by using a Supercritical process. The reactor
conditions make esterification possible without using catalyst (NaOH, KOH etc.)
Fluidized Bed Dryer
Figure C-61 Supercritical Bio-diesel
reactor
There is a fluidized bed dryer to prepare dried biomass for activated carbon processing.
This machine will dry biomass before feeding into the rotary kiln reactor that is used to
produce activated carbons. The system is capable of processing 50 tonnes/day
Rotary Kiln
Figure C-62 Fluidized Bed dryer and
Centrifugal fan (Green) in front for air supply
This Rotary kiln is used to produce activated carbon. The system is fed with steam and
charcoal originating from Pyrolysis of biomass. The operational temperature lies around
800 – 1,000° C and the Rotary kiln is slowly turned during operation to increase reaction

ates and desorption inside capillaries of the carbon structures through agitation. While the
charcoal is conveyed and agitated by a screw-lead inside the 10 m reactor, the rotation
moves the material forward.
Sorting Technologies
182
Figure C-63 Rotary kiln
There are a number of automated sorting units that split Refuse or re-excavated Refuse into
a biological-, Plastic- and Fe-Fraction. At the start of the line manual separation is possible.
Next, an overhead magnet is installed above the conveying belt which removes the ferrous
fraction. Then, light fractions (plastics) are sorted by the air separation machine, and this
machine can remove these fractions by air nozzles from the refuse stream. The stream now
contains a high biological fraction (food wastes) which next undergoes a density separation
(water separation) to remove the last remaining plastic from the biomass fraction.
The resulting plastic stream is fed into the Pyrolysis unit, while the biological fraction is
fed into the biogas unit. Attached to the sorting line are vents for smell pollution during
operation, the collected air is led through a Bio-Filter consisting out of cylinders filled with
ligneous biomass, soil and manure that accommodates microbial cultures which provide
the purifying effect.
Figure C-64 Conveyor belt with Overhead
magnet
Figure C-65 Bio-Filter, air enters from the
bottom

Gas Engines
There are a total of 3 Engines, two utilizing condensated tar oil from Pyrolysis and one
fueled with biogas from anaerobic digestion. Every engine has his own generator attached,
and the tar oil fueled engines have outputs of 100 kW (see Figure C-66) and 60 kW (see
Figure C-67). The gas fueled engine has a output of 100 kW (see Figure C-68) as well.
Figure C-66 Tar oil fired
engine 100 kW
Biogas Digester
Figure C-67 Tar oil fired
engine 60 kW
183
Figure C-68 Biogas fired
engine 100 kW
There is an anaerobic digester installed for operation with sewage and biomass. The unit
was not under operation during the field visit. Next to it are concrete bricks aligned in a
rectangular manner, forming sludge drying beds where the sludge can be allowed to dry
under the sun. Several (ca. 10) shipping container are connected with a gas collection
system for dry fermentation to be carried out.
Figure C-69 Anaerobic Digestion Reactor
Figure C-70 Gas Collection Pond

Appendix D
Material Flow Analysis
D.1 Sub-process of the plastic consumption process in the material flow of plastic in Thailand, 2010
Figure D-1 Sub-process of plastic consumption process in the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010
(Unit: flow-tonne/year, stock-tonne)
184

Table D-1 Amounts of plastic waste generation from each kind of plastic product of the sub-process of plastic consumption process
No. Description Value (Tonnes/year) Assumption and Calculation
This amount can be searched in the Custom Department website by using HS-
1 Imported Product 421,290 code (3916-3926). Assumed that this amount includes only thermoplastic
products (Custom Department, 2013).
2 Raw material (Thermoplastic) 3,192,000 Amount of masterbatch was used to produce plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
3 Raw material (Thermosetting) 293,000
Amount of thermosetting pellet production in Thailand (2011). Assumed that all
amount of pellet is consumed by the manufacturing (PTIT, 2011)
4 Imported pellet (Thermoplastic) 716,000
This amount can be searched in the Custom Department website by using HScode(3901-3908
and 3911-3914) (PTIT, 2010 and Custom Department, 2013)
5 Imported pellet (Thermosetting) 221,827
This amount can be searched in the Custom Department website by using HScode
(3907, 3909, 3910) (Custom Department, 2013)
This amount can be searched in the Custom Department website by using HS-
6 Exported product 94,9077 code (3916-3926). Assumed that this amount includes only thermoplastic
products (Custom Department, 2013).
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets was changed into
7 Plastic product (Thermoplastic) 2,568,123 plastic products (but it was deducted by the amount of exported product before
put in the material flow) (PIU, 2010)
8 Plastic product (Thermosetting) 463,344
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets was changed into
plastic products. Assume that it is not imported and exported (PIU, 2010)
9 Total thermoplastic product 2,989,412 The aggregation of imported products and thermoplastic products
10 Total plastic products 3,452,756 The summary of plastic product generation of thermosetting and thermoplastic
11 Others flow 172,638 5% of other plastics compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
12 Stock of other plastics 86,319 Stock = input of process - output of process
13 Other plastic waste 86,319 Assumed 50% of other plastics became wastes in 2010
185

Table D-1 Amounts of plastic waste generation from each kind of plastic product of the sub-process of plastic consumption process
(continued)
No. Description Value (Tonnes/year) Assumption and Calculation
14 Footwear flow 34,528 1% of footwear plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
15 Stock of footwear 17,264 Stock = input of process - output of process
16 Footwear waste 17,264 Assumed 50% of footwear plastic became wastes in 2010
17 Recreational flow 138,110 4% of recreation plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
18 Stock of recreation 103,583 Stock = input of process - output of process
19 Recreation waste 34,528 Assumed 25% of recreation plastic became wastes in 2010
20 Housewares flow 345,276 10% of housewares plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
21 Stock of housewares 86,319 Stock = input of process - output of process
22 Housewares waste 258,957 Assumed 75% of housewares plastic became wastes in 2010
23 Medical flow 34,528 1% of medical plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
24 Stock of medical devices 17,264 Stock = input of process - output of process
25 Medical waste 17,264 50% of medical plastic became wastes in 2010
26 Packaging flow 1,381,103 40% of packaging plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
27 Packaging waste 1,381,103 Assumed all of packaging plastic became wastes in 2010
28 Agriculture flow 138,110 4% of agriculture plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
29 Stock of agriculture 69,055 Stock = input of process - output of process
30 Agriculture plastic waste 69,055 Assumed 50% of agriculture plastic became wastes in 2010
31 E&E flow 414,331 12% of electronic and electrical plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
32 Stock of E & E products 393,614 Stock = input of process - output of process
33 E & E plastic waste 20,716 Assumed 5% of electronic and electrical plastic became wastes in 2010
186

Table D-1 Amounts of plastic waste generation from each kind of plastic product of the sub-process of plastic consumption process
(continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
34 Construction & Furniture flow 552,441
187
Assumption and Calculation
16% of construction and furniture plastic compared to all plastic products
(PTIT, 2010)
35 Stock of construction 524,819 Stock = input of process - output of process
36 Construction & Furniture plastic waste 27,622 Assumed 5% of construction and furniture plastic became wastes in 2010
37 Automobile flow 241,693 7% of automobile plastic compared to all plastic products (PTIT, 2010)
38 Stock of automobile 229,608 Stock = input of process - output of process
39 Automobile plastic waste 12,085 Assumed 5% of automobile plastic became wastes in 2010
40 MSW plastic waste (Thermoplastic) 2,041,032
41 MSW plastic waste (Thermosetting) 20,616
42 Uncollected MSW plastic waste 515,412
43 Industrial plastic waste (1) 882,340
Percent composition of plastic wastes in MSW was 17%. Total MSW in 2010
was 15.16 million tonnes (PCD, 2010). (Not present in the material flow).
This amount was calculated by using total plastic waste generation deducted
by thermosetting waste generation
Assumed that 1% of total plastic waste generation was thermosetting waste
generation in 2010 (Not present in the material flow)
20% of waste generation was not collected to dispose in 2010 (PCD, 2012).
(Not present in the material flow)
Amount of industrial plastic waste generation in the plastic manufacturing
(Not present in the material flow)
44 Industrial plastic waste (2) 882,340
Amount of industrial plastic waste generation in the other industries (Not
present in the material flow)
45 Recycled product 363,259 86% of recycled product generation from material recycling
46 Stock in manufacturing -76,798.55 Stock = input of process - output of process
47 Stock in collection and transportation -1,534,489 Stock = input of process - output of process

D.2 Calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010
Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010
No. Description
1
2
Imported pellet
(Thermoplastic)
Imported pellet
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
716,000
221,827
188
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of imported pellet which is used to produce plastic products in the plastic manufacturing.
The amount of imported pellets was presented in the Custom Department website and PTIT
presentation (Custom Department, 2013 and PTIT, 2010). The HS-code for imported and exported
plastic pellets is in range of 3901-3914.
The thermoplastic pellet was 716,000 tonnes of imported pellet in 2010 (PTIT presentation, 2010),
while the thermoplastic pellet was 577,727 tonnes of imported pellet in 2010 (Custom Department,
2013). The HS-code for thermoplastic pellets is in range of 3901-3908. However, the PTIT
presentation only presented the amount of thermoplastic pellets, but it did not present the amount of
thermosetting pellets.
716,000 tonnes/year of thermoplastic materials was shown in the material flow because this amount
is recorded by the petrochemical industry which has a responsibility on petrochemical products.
While, Custom Department records the imported and exported statistic based on HS-codes which
give unclear definition on each type of imported and exported product.
Thermosetting plastic includes epoxy, polyester, phenolic (e.g., phenol-formaldehyde, ureaformaldehyde,
and melamine-formaldehyde), alkyd, styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), polyimide,
polyurethane, and silicone. The amount of thermosetting pellets was 221,827 tonnes of imported
pellets in 2010 (Custom Department, 2013), and HS-code of thermosetting pellet is 3907, 3909, and
3910.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
3
4
5
6
Raw material
(Thermosetting)
Raw material
(Thermoplastic)
Stock in
manufacturing
Calculated stock in
manufacturing by
STAN
Value
(Tonnes/year)
293,000
3,192,000
137,390
-76,799
189
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of thermosetting pellet production was 251,000 tonnes in 2009 and 293,000 tonnes in
2010, respectively (PTIT, 2009 and 2011). The assumption is all thermosetting materials are used to
produce thermosetting products in country. Thus, 293,000 tonnes of thermosetting materials was
used in the material flow of plastics in Thailand.
The amount of masterbatch which is used to produce plastic products. This available data is
presented by PTIT in 2010. It shown the amount of thermoplastic pellet production, consumption,
import, and export.
3,192,000 tonnes/year was the amount of thermoplastic pellet consumption, while the amount of
thermoplastic pellet production was 4,822,000 tonnes/year in 2010 (PTIT, 2010). The amounts of
imported and thermoplastic pellets were 716,000 and 2,384,000 tonnes/year respectively.
In the material flow of plastics, 3,192,000 tonnes/year of thermoplastic pellet consumption was
used as a raw material to produce thermoplastic products in the manufacturing.
The amount of plastic pellet was stocked in country in 2010. This amount was reported by the
Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). The annual statistic of Thai industry are available in the
website (OIE, 2013).
From, Stock = input of process - output of process
Thus, Stock = (716,00+293,00+221,827+3,192,000+363,259-949,077-2,568,123-463,344-3,354-
77,500-801,487) = 76,799 tonnes/year
This stock is minus because there was a domestic stock of plastic pellets in country in 2010. The
products were generated from recent materials and stocked materials.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
7
8
Imported
Product
Exported
product
Value
(Tonnes/year)
421,290
949,077
190
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of imported product means that amounts of plastic products which are imported from
other countries. The amounts of imported products are presented in three sources of data such as the
Custom Department, the Plastic Intelligence Unit website (PIU) and the Office of Industrial
Economics (OIE).
It can be searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic product (HS-Code). The range of
plastic code is 3916-3926. This amount of imported products does not include the amount of electrical
and electronic devices and automotive parts because these plastics are imported with the electrical and
electronic industry and automotive industry.
The amount of imported products (772,409.08 tonnes) was not the pure plastic products in 2010, but it
includes the plastic containing products e.g., backpack, wallets, helmet, umbrella, linoleum, ballpoint
pen, lighter, tape/CD, tampon, etc. HS-code of these imported products is not only 3916-3926.
Therefore, 421,290 tonnes (pure plastic products) was used as the imported product flow in the
material flow of plastics in Thailand. The assumption is this amount includes only thermoplastic
products (Custom Department, 2013).
The amount of exported product means that amounts of plastic products which are exported to other
countries. This number is shown in the Custom Department and Plastic Intelligence Unit Website. The
amounts of exported products are presented in three sources of data such as the Custom Department,
the Plastic Intelligence Unit website (PIU) and the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). It can be
searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic product (HS-Code). The range of plastic
code is 3916-3926.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
9
10
Plastic product
(Thermoplastic)
Plastic product
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
2,568,123
463,344
191
Assumption and Calculation
This amount of exported products does not include the amount of electrical and electronic devices and
automotive parts because these plastics are imported with the electrical and electronic industry and
automotive industry.
Thus, 949,077 tonnes (pure plastic products) was used as the exported product flow in the material
flow of plastics in Thailand. The assumption is this amount includes only thermoplastic products
(Custom Department, 2013).
The amount of plastic product generation is 2,568,123 tonnes/year because PIU presented that 90%-
95% of raw material (masterbatch) was changed into products. Thus, the assumption is 90% of
thermoplastic materials was changed into plastic products, but it was deducted by the amount of
exported product before put in the material flow (PIU, 2010).
90% of thermoplastic pellet consumption (3,192,000 tonnes/year) was 2,872,800 tonnes/year of
thermoplastic products. 90% of imported thermoplastic pellets (716,000 tonnes/year) was 644,400
tonnes/year of thermoplastic products. Thus, the total thermoplastic products were 3,517,200
tonnes/year. This amount was deducted by 949,077 tonnes of exported products, so the thermoplastic
products were consumed in the plastic consumption process of material flow was 2,568,123 tonnes in
2010
The amount of thermosetting products generation is 463,344 tonnes/year because PIU presented that
90%-95% of raw material (masterbatch) was changed into products. Thus, the assumption is 90% of
raw material (masterbatch) is changed into plastic products, and it does not imported and exported
(PIU, 2010).

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
11
12
13
14
Total industrial
plastic waste
generation
Industrial plastic
waste generation
(1) in the
manufacturing
Total industrial
plastic waste for
recycling
Industrial plastic
waste for
recycling (1) of
the
manufacturing
Value
(Tonnes/year)
1,831,750
915,875
155,000
77,500
192
Assumption and Calculation
90% of thermo setting pellet consumption (293,000 tonnes/year) was 263,700 tonnes/year of
thermosetting products. 90% of imported thermosetting pellets (221,827 tonnes/year) was 199,644
tonnes/year of plastic product. Thus, the total thermosetting products were 463,344 tonnes/year.
The amount of plastic wastes from industries. This amount is from the residues of trimming process
and damaged products from the plastic industry, and these wastes are the plastic packaging of raw
materials in the other industries (e.g., plastic sacks, trays molds). The amount of industrial plastic
waste generation is presented in PCD report. Thus, 1,831,750 tonnes/year of industrial plastic wastes
is used to calculate (PCD, 2010). (Not present in the material flow)
The assumption is 50% of industrial plastic waste generation (1,831,750 tonnes) is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes from manufacturing is recycled in the recycling factories.
According to PCD (2010), 155,000 tonnes/year of industrial plastic wastes was recycled in recycling
factories, so this amount was used in the material flow of plastic in Thailand. 8% was presented by
calculating in to percentage of recycling rate of industrial plastic wastes (PCD, 2010).
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for recycling (155,000 tonnes) of the
manufacturing process was sent to recycle in the recycling process (PCD, 2010)

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
15
16
17
18
Total reused
(stocked)
industrial plastic
waste
Reused (stocked)
industrial plastic
waste (1) of the
manufacturing
Total industrial
plastic waste for
landfilling
Industrial plastic
waste for
landfilling (1) of
industrial plastic
waste
Value
(Tonnes/year)
67,070
33,535
6,707
3,354
193
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of plastic wastes is reused in the manufacturing. According to Department of Industrial
Works (2013), 4% of industrial plastic wastes is reused or stocked in the manufacturing. The
calculation was done by using 4% of reused wastes multiplying by the amount of industrial waste
generation (1,831,750 tonnes). Therefore, 67,070 tonnes/year of reused wastes was the stocked
industrial wastes in the manufacturing process of material flow. The details of industrial plastic
waste management in 2006-2010 are shown in Table D-3.
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for reuse (67,070 tonnes) of the
manufacturing process was stocked in the manufacturing process
The amount of industrial plastic wastes is disposed at landfills. According to Department of
Industrial Works (2013), 0.4% of industrial plastic wastes is disposed in the landfill process of
material flow. The amount of landfilling industrial wastes was calculated by using 0.4% of
landfilling industrial wastes multiplying by the amount of industrial waste generation (1,831,750
tonnes). Therefore, 6,707 tonnes/year of landfilling industrial wastes was used to add into the
material flow of plastics. The details of industrial plastic waste management in 2006-2010 are
shown in Table D-3.
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for landfilling (6,707tonnes) of the
manufacturing process was disposed at landfill

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
19
20
21
22
Total industrial
plastic waste for
industrial
incineration
Industrial plastic
waste for industrial
incineration (1) of
the manufacturing
Stock in plastic
consumption
Calculated stock in
plastic consumption
by STAN
Value
(Tonnes/year)
1,602,973
801,487
1,552,826
-6,6644
194
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of industrial plastic wastes is burnt in the industrial incineration. According to
Department of Industrial Works (2013), 90-95% of industrial plastic wastes is burnt in the
industrial incineration and cement kiln. The assumption is 95.6% of industrial plastic waste (use
as fuels) is burnt in industrial incineration to recovery energy. Using 95.6% of combusted
industrial waste multiplying by the amount of industrial waste generation (1,831,750 tonnes) is
the calculation method of this waste flow. Thus, 1,602,973 tonnes/year was shown in the
material flow of plastics. The details of industrial plastic waste management in 2006-2010 are
shown in Table D-3.
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for industrial incineration (1,602,973
tonnes) of the manufacturing process was burnt in the industrial incinerators.
The amount of plastic products was stocked in industry was 24,981 tonnes in 2010. This amount
was reported by the Office of Industrial Economics (OIE). The estimation of stocked products in
consumption process was done and shown in Table D-1. The total stocked products was
1,527,845 tonnes in 2010. The summary of two stocked products was 1,552,826 tonnes in 2010.
From, Stock = input of process - output of process
Thus, Stock = (2,568,123 + 463,344 + 421,290 - 20,616 - 2,041,032-515,412-3,354-801,487-
77,500) =-6,644 tonnes/year
This amount is minus because there was a domestic stock of plastic products in country.
Industrial sector and Thai people may consume more amount of plastic products than amount of
plastic productions.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
23
24
25
26
Plastic waste
generation in
MSW
Plastic waste
generation in
MSW
(Thermosetting)
Plastic waste
generation in
MSW
(Thermoplastic)
Uncollected
MSW waste
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
2,577,060
25,770
2,551,290
5,154
195
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of plastic waste generation was calculated by using the percent composition of plastic
wastes in MSW multiplying by total amount of MSW generation in Thailand. The amount of MSW
generation was 15,159,180 tonnes/year in 2010 out of which 17% was the percentage of plastic
wastes in MSW (PCD, 2010 and 2012). This amount of plastic waste generation is from municipal
solid wastes which are collected by the municipality in Thailand. It does not include the industrial
wastes. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of thermosetting wastes in MSW was estimated by setting the assumption. The
assumption is 1% of total plastic waste generation in MSW is thermosetting waste generation. The
calculation was done by using this percentage multiplying by the amount of total plastic waste
generation in MSW, so 25,770 tonnes/year was thermosetting waste generation in 2010. (Not present
in the material flow)
The amount of thermoplastic wastes was generated in 2010. the amount of thermoplastic waste
generation was calculated by using the following formula:
Thermoplastic waste generation = Total Plastic Waste Generation – Thermo Setting Waste
(Thermosetting) = 2,577,060-25,770
Thus, the amount of thermoplastic waste generation was 2,551,290 tonnes/year in 2010 (Not present
in the material flow)
The presentation of PCD in 2012 stated that 20% of MSW generation did not collected to dispose or
treat. The assumption is 20% of thermosetting waste generation is not collected by municipality to
dispose (PCD, 2012). The calculation by using this percentage multiplying by the amount of
thermosetting waste generation was done, so the amount of uncollected thermosetting wastes in
MSW was 5,154 tonnes/year. (Not present in the material flow)

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
27
28
29
30
31
32
Uncollected MSW
waste (Thermoplastic)
Uncollected MSW
waste
Collected plastic waste
(Thermosetting)
Collected plastic waste
(Thermoplastic)
Industrial plastic waste
generation in other
industries
Industrial plastic waste
for recycling (2) of the
plastic consumption
process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
510,258
515,412
20,616
2,041,032
915,875
77,500
196
Assumption and Calculation
The presentation of PCD in 2012 stated that 20% of MSW generation did not collected to
dispose or treat. The assumption is 20% of thermoplastic waste generation is not collected by
municipality to dispose (PCD, 2012). The calculation by using this percentage multiplying
by the amount of thermoplastic waste generation was done, so the amount of uncollected
thermoplastic wastes in MSW was 5,154 tonnes/year. (Not present in the material flow)
The total uncollected waste in MSW was calculated by:
Total uncollected wastes = uncollected thermoplastic wastes + uncollected thermosetting
wastes = 510,258 + 5154 = 515,412 tonnes/year
The collected thermosetting wastes are calculated by following formula:
Collected thermosetting wastes = Thermosetting waste generation - Uncollected
thermosetting wastes = 25,770 - 5,154 = 60,616 tonnes/year
The collected thermoplastic wastes are calculated by following formula:
Collected thermoplastic wastes = Thermoplastic waste generation - Uncollected
thermoplastic wastes = 2,551,290 - 510,258 = 2,041,032 tonnes/year
The assumption is 50% of industrial plastic waste generation was generated in the plastic
consumption process. The other industries generated plastic wastes after processing such as
automobile industries, electrical and electronic industries, and food industries.
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for recycling of the plastic
consumption process was sent to recycle in the recycling process

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
33
34
35
Reuse (stocked)
industrial plastic waste
(2) of the plastic
consumption process
Landfilling of industrial
plastic waste (2) of the
plastic consumption
process
Industrial plastic waste
for industrial
incineration (2) of the
plastic consumption
process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
33,535.0000
3,353.5000
801,486.5000
36 Exported plastic waste 205,790
197
Assumption and Calculation
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for reuse of the plastic consumption
process was stocked in the manufacturing process
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for landfilling of the plastic
consumption process was disposed at landfill
The assumption is 50% of total industrial plastic waste for industrial incineration of the
plastic consumption process was burnt in the industrial incinerators.
The amount of exported plastic waste means that amounts of plastic wastes which are
exported to other countries. This number is shown in the Custom Department. It can be
searched on the website by use the specific code of plastic wastes (HS-Code).
The plastic waste codes consist of 3915.1000.000 (waste of polyethylene), 3915.3000.000
(waste of PVC), 3915.9010.000 (waste of copolymer of vinyl acetate and chloride), and
3915.9090.000 (waste of other plastics) (Custom Department, 2013).
The amount of exported plastic wastes was 295,790 tonnes/year in 2010, and it does not
include thermosetting wastes. The amount of imported and exported plastic wastes in 2007-
2011 are shown in Table D-4.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
37
38
Municipal incineration
(Thermosetting)
Municipal incineration
(Thermoplastic)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
412
36,705
39 Municipal incineration 37,117
198
Assumption and Calculation
From the PCD report in 2010, 1% of municipal solid wastes was burnt in the municipal
incinerators, while 1%of MSW was used as fuels to recovery energy. The assumption is 2%
of plastic wastes is burnt in the municipal incineration (PCD, 2010).
The amount of thermosetting wastes which was used to calculate was 20,616 tonnes/year.
Thus, the amount of thermosetting wastes was burnt in the municipal incineration was 412
tonnes/year.
From the PCD report in 2010, 1% of municipal solid wastes was burnt in the municipal
incinerators, while 1%of MSW was used as fuels to recovery energy. The assumption is 2%
of plastic wastes is burnt in the municipal incineration (PCD, 2010).
The amount of thermoplastic wastes which was used to calculate was 2,041,032 tonnes/year.
The amount of thermoplastic waste which is used to calculate is 1,835,242 tonnes/year
because 2,041,032 tonnes/year of thermoplastic waste is deducted by 205,790 tonnes/year of
exported waste before calculation.
Thus, the amount of thermoplastic wastes was burnt in the municipal incineration was
36,705 tonnes/year.
The total municipal incineration was calculated by:
Total municipal incineration = combusted thermoplastic wastes + combusted thermosetting
wastes
Thus, total municipal incineration = 36,705+412 = 37,117 tonnes/year

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
40
41
42
43
Off-gas from municipal
incineration
Residue waste from
municipal incineration
Landfilling
(Thermosetting)
Landfilling
(Thermoplastic)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
29,694
7,423
7,628
679,040
44 Landfilling 686,668
199
Assumption and Calculation
From the efficiency of municipal incineration at Phuket province, the amount of ash
generation is 15%-20% of waste feeding (PCD, 2006). The assumption is 80% of plastic
waste which is burnt in municipal incineration will become off-gas, so the amount of off-gas
generation is 29,694 tonnes/year.
From the efficiency of municipal incineration at Phuket province, the amount of ash
generation is 15%-20% of waste feeding (PCD, 2006). The assumption is 20% of plastic
waste which is burnt in municipal incineration will become ash, so the amount of ash
generation is 7,423 tonnes/year.
From the PCD report in 2010, 37% of municipal solid wastes were disposed at landfills. The
assumption is 37% of thermosetting wastes is disposed at landfills (PCD, 2010).
The amount of thermosetting wastes which is used to calculate is 20,616 tonnes/year, so the
amount of waste disposal at landfill is 7,628 tonnes/year.
From the PCD report in 2010, 37% of municipal solid wastes were disposed at landfills. The
assumption is 37% of thermoplastic wastes is disposed at landfills (PCD, 2010).
The amount of thermoplastic waste which is used to calculate is 1,835,242 tonnes/year
because 2,041,032 tonnes/year of plastic waste is deducted by 205,790 tonnes/year of
exported waste before calculation. Thus, the amount of thermoplastic waste disposal at
landfill is 679,040 tonnes/year.
The total landfilling wastes in MSW was calculated by:
Total landfilling wastes = landfilling thermoplastic wastes + landfilling thermosetting wastes
= 679,040 + 7,628 = 686,668 tonnes/year

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
45
46
Industrial
incineration
(cement)
Off-gas from
industrial
incineration
Value
(Tonnes/year)
42,500
1,316,378
200
Assumption and Calculation
From the Geocycle company presentation in 2012, this company prepare 100,000 tonnes/year of
RDF for the two cement plants of Siam City Cement (SCC) company (GEOCYCLE, 2011). This
amount of RDF is made from landfill excavation. From PCD report in 2010, there was 17% of
plastic waste in the municipal solid wastes. Thus, the composition of plastic waste in RDF is 17,000
tonnes/two plants/year.
According to the Department of Industrial Work (DIW) report in 2011, there were five cement
plants in Thailand which use solid wastes as fuels. These five plants are from SCC, Siam Cement
Group (SCG), and TPI Polene company. The assumption is 5 cement plants in Thailand use the
landfilled waste as fuels.
The one cement plant uses 8,500 tonnes/year of landfilled plastic waste, so the five cement plants
will use 42,500 tonnes/year of landfilled plastic waste to feed in the industrial incineration.
From the efficiency of municipal incineration at Phuket province, the amount of ash generation is
15%-20% of waste feeding (PCD, 2006). The assumption is 80% of plastic waste which is burnt in
industrial incineration will become off-gas.
The amount of off-gas generation in the industrial incineration was calculated by using the
combination of industrial wastes and MSW for incineration before multiplying by this percentage.
Thus, off-gas generation from industrial incineration = (42,500 +
1,602,973)*0.8 = 1,316,378 tonnes/year.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
47
48
49
Stock in
industrial
incineration
Residue waste
from industrial
incineration
Landfill
excavation
Value
(Tonnes/year)
8,500
320,595
15,330
50 Crude oil 18,104
201
Assumption and Calculation
From the efficiency of municipal incineration at Phuket province, the amount of ash generation is
15%-20% of waste feeding (PCD, 2006). The assumption is 20% of plastic waste which is burnt in
industrial incineration will become ash. The amount of ash generation was calculated by using
42,500 tonnes of waste used in cement factory multiplying by 20% of ash generation, so the amount
of ash generation was 8,500 tonnes/year. This ash is used to mix with the cement products.
The residue wastes of industrial wastes which are burnt in the industrial incineration (industrial
estate) are disposed at landfills. The assumption is 20% of industrial wastes (1,602,973 tonnes) is
disposed at landfills. The amount of residue waste was 320,595 tonnes/year in 2010.
There are 7 oil recovery plants which are observed and presented on the website. These seven plants
use plastic wastes from landfill excavation, and they are in Samutprakan, Hau-Hin, Ubonrachathani,
Rayong, Pitsanulok, Khin Khaen, and Sa Kaeo province in Thailand.
According to Single Point Energy Engineering company (SPEE) report and the field observation,
the amount of landfilled plastic waste feeding is 6 tonnes/plant/day (PCD, 2010). Thus, the total
amounts of landfilled plastic waste feeding in Thailand are 15,330 tonnes/year.
From the Hua-Hin municipality presentation, 80% of crude oil will be produced from 100% of
plastic waste feeding (PCD, 2010). The assumption is all oil recovery plants in the municipalities
and private companies have the same production capacity.
The total amounts of plastic waste feeding into oil recovery plant are 22,630 tonnes/year (15,330
tonnes/year from landfill excavation and 7,300 tonnes/year from municipal waste). Thus, the amount
of crude oil generation is 18,104 tonnes/year.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
51
Residue waste
from oil
recovery
Value
(Tonnes/year)
4,526
52 Stock in landfill 1,027,224
53
Plastic waste
for recycling
256,934
54 Imported waste 17,760
202
Assumption and Calculation
From the Hua-Hin municipality presentation, 20% of residue wastes will be produced from 100% of
plastic waste feeding (PCD, 2010). The assumption is all oil recovery plants in the municipalities and
private companies have the same production capacity.
The total amounts of plastic waste feeding into oil recovery plant are 22,630 tonnes/year (15,330
tonnes/year from landfill excavation and 7,300 tonnes/year from municipal waste). Thus, the amount
of residue waste generation from oil recovery plants is 4,526 tonnes/year.
From, Stock = input of process - output of process
Thus, Stock = (59,135 + 4,526 + 320,595 + 7,423 + 686,668 + 6,707 – 42,500 - 15,330) = 1,027,224
tonnes/year
According to PCD (2010), 14% of municipal solid wastes were recycled. The amount of
thermoplastic waste which is used to calculate is 1,835,242 tonnes/year because 2,041,032
tonnes/year of thermoplastic waste is deducted by 205,790 tonnes/year of exported waste before
calculation. Therefore, the amount of waste recycling was 256,934 tonnes/year in 2010.
The amount of imported plastic waste means that amounts of plastic wastes which are imported from
other countries. This number is shown in the Custom Department. It can be searched on the website
by use the specific code of plastic wastes (HS-Code).
The plastic waste codes consist of 3915.1000.000 (waste of polyethylene), 3915.3000.000 (waste of
PVC), 3915.9010.000 (waste of copolymer of vinyl acetate and chloride), and 3915.9090.000 (waste
of other plastics), and it does not include thermosetting wastes (Custom Department, 2013). The
amount of imported and exported plastic wastes in 2007-2011 are shown in Table D-4.

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
55
56
Fresh waste to
oil
Recycled
product
Value
(Tonnes/year)
7,300.00
363,259
203
Assumption and Calculation
There are three oil recovery plants of private company, and The three plants were set at TPI Polene
PLC. (Saraburi province), Renewable Energy Ltd.,Co. (Saraburi province), and Bangkok Tyre
Refinery Ltd., Co. (Chachoengsao province). The assumption is 6 tonnes/day of fresh plastic waste
from community is fed into the reactor of oil recovery plants, so the amount of fresh plastic waste is
6,570 tonnes/year.
Nowadays, the oil recovery plants of the Renewable Energy and Tyre Refinery company are not
operated because there is not any middle dealer and waste shop who sell fresh plastic wastes. The
TPI Polene company has the municipal solid wastes from community to burn in cement plant, and
the sorted plastic wastes are fed in the pyrolysis reactor.
Moreover, the one oil recovery plant is in Rajamangala University of Technology Thunyaburi
(RMUTT). This plant uses 2 tonnes/day of fresh plastic waste, so the amount of fresh plastic waste
is 730 tonnes/year.
Thus, the total amount of fresh plastic waste is 7,300 tonnes/year.
The recycled product means that plastic wastes from collection and transportation process are
recycled into plastic pellets (pelletizing) because most plastic products are produced from plastic
pellets. According to the case study of pelletizing factory, 86% of plastic waste will become
recycled plastic pellets/products (Jantanaroch, 2010).

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
57
58
Residue waste
from material
recycling
Undisposed waste
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
59,135
12,576
204
Assumption and Calculation
The amount of thermoplastic waste is used to recycle was 422,394 tonnes/year because the
aggregate of 256,934 tonnes of MSW, 155,000 tonnes of industrial waste for recycling and 17,760
tonnes of imported wastes were deducted by 7,300 tonnes of fresh waste for oil recovery before
calculation. Then, the calculation was done by using 422,394 tonnes of thermoplastic multiplying by
the percentage of recycled product generation. Thus, the amount of recycled product was 363,259
tonnes/year.
The residue waste from material recycling means that plastic wastes from collection and
transportation process cannot recycled into plastic pellets (pelletizing) and become wastes after
manufacturing According to the case study of pelletizing factory, 14% of waste generation from
material recycling in the manufacture (Jantanaroch, 2010).
The amount of thermoplastic waste is used to recycle was 422,394 tonnes/year because the
aggregate of 256,934 tonnes of MSW, 155,000 tonnes of industrial waste for recycling and 17,760
tonnes of imported wastes were deducted by 7,300 tonnes of fresh waste for oil recovery before
calculation. Then, the calculation was done by using 422,394 tonnes of thermoplastic multiplying by
the percentage of residue waste generation. Thus, the amount of residue waste generation was
59,135 tonnes/year.
The undisposed waste means that wastes may not be collected and disposed, and it is in the
environment by open dumping and burning. According to PCD (2010), 47% of improper waste
disposal. The assumption is 61% of MSW thermosetting wastes was not disposed properly.
The amount of thermosetting waste which is used to calculate was 20,616 tonnes/year, so, the
amount of improper thermosetting waste disposal was 12,576 tonnes/year (Not present in the
material flow).

Table D-2 Details of calculation of the material flow of plastics in Thailand, 2010 (continued)
No. Description
59
Undisposed waste
(Thermoplastic)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
862,564
60 Undisposed waste 875,140
61
Stock in
environment
1,390,552
205
Assumption and Calculation
The undisposed waste means that wastes may not be collected and disposed, and it is in the
environment by open dumping and burning. According to PCD (2010), 47% of improper waste
disposal.
The amount of thermoplastic waste which is used to calculate was 1,835,242 tonnes/year because
2,041,032 tonnes/year of thermoplastic waste is deducted by 205,790 tonnes/year of exported waste
before multiplying by that percentage.
Thus, the amount of improper thermoplastic waste disposal is 862,564 tonnes/year (Not present in
the material flow).
The total improper waste disposal in MSW was calculated by:
Total improper waste disposal = undisposed thermoplastic wastes + undisposed thermosetting
wastes
Thus, total landfilling wastes = 862,564 + 12,576 = 875,140 tonnes/year
Stock in environment = Uncollected waste + Undisposed waste
Stock in environment = 515,412 + 875,140 = 1,390,552 tonnes/year

Table D-3 Percentage of industrial plastic waste management
Management option
Percentage of industrial plastic waste (%)
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Reuse 7.96 11.24 5.11 7.87 4.29
Recovery 0.48 0.34 0.09 0.09 0.12
Energy recovery 89.02 82.58 94.03 91.19 95.12
Reclamation 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Landfill 2.43 0.76 0.46 0.74 0.43
Export
Source: DIW, 2013
0.11 5.08 0.30 0.11 0.05
Table D-4 Amounts of imported and exported plastic wastes
Year Imported plastic waste (tonne/year) Exported plastic waste (tonne/year)
2007 2,299 182,010
2008 8,852 144,479
2009 10,419 166,204
2010 17,760 205,790
2011 27,819 234,136
Source: The Custom Department, 2007-2011
206

Appendix E
Plastic Waste Management Scenario
E.1 Estimation of plastic pellet consumption and imported pellets in 2011-2016
Table E-1 Estimated amounts of plastic pellet consumption and imported pellets in
2011-2016
Year
Imported pellet
(Thermoplastic)
Amount of plastic pellet (tonne)
Imported pellet
(Thermosetting)
207
Raw material
(Thermoplastic) *
Raw material
(Thermosetting)
Growth
rate (%) 13 - - 8
2011 809,150 - 3,268,000 293,000
2012 914,418 - 3,355,545 316,440
2013 1,033,381 - 3,444,673 341,755
2014 1,167,820 - 3,535,343 369,096
2015 1,319,750 - 3,627,503 398,623
2016 1,491,446 300,000 * 3,721,095 430,513
*The amount of imported thermosetting pellet in 2016 was assumed.
**The amount of thermoplastic material consumption was calculated by deducting the amount of total raw
material consumption by the amount of thermosetting materials consumption.
E.2 Calculation of waste estimation from industry and municipality in 2006-2016
Table E-2 Amount of plastic waste generation in MSW and industry in 2006-2016
Year
Waste
generation
(tonne/year)
Population
(person)
Plastic waste
generation in MSW
(tonne/year)
Plastic waste
generation in
industry
(tonne/year)
2006 14,604,380 62,828,706 2,482,745 2,298,000
2007 14,721,180 63,038,247 2,502,601 2,368,000
2008 14,988,360 63,389,730 2,548,021 2,288,800
2009 15,114,650 63,525,062 2,569,490 1,656,000
2010 15,159,180 63,878,267 2,577,061 1,831,750
2011 15,979,335 64,076,033 2,716,487 1,841,000
2012 15,228,641 64,356,695 2,588,869 2,087,126
2013 15,295,345 64,638,587 2,600,209 2,096,268
2014 15,362,341 64,921,714 2,611,598 2,105,450
2015 15,429,630 65,206,080 2,623,037 2,114,672
2016 15,497,214 65,491,692 2,634,526 2,123,934
*The percentage of population change is 0.44%
**The amount of waste generation can be calculated by finding the per capita waste generation in 2005-2011,
and then the per capita wastes generation was averaged. The average amount was multiplied by the numbers
of population in each year.

E.3 Calculation of plastic flows in 2016; Scenario 1
Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
Manufacturing process
1 Imported pellet (Thermoplastic) 1,491,446
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported thermoplastic
pellets. The amount of imported thermoplastic will increase by 13% in 2016
2 Imported pellet (Thermosetting) 300,000 Assumed that 300,000 tonnes of imported thermosetting pellets in 2016.
The estimation of thermoplastic raw materials was done by considering the growth
rate of total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will
3 Raw material (Thermoplastic) 3,721,094 increase by 3% for each year. The amount of thermoplastic material consumption
must be deducted by thermosetting material consumption before filling in the material
flow.
The estimation of thermosetting raw materials was done by considering the growth
4 Raw material (Thermosetting) 430,513
rate of total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will
increase by 3% in 2016. The amount of thermosetting material consumption will
increase by 8% in 2016.
5 Stock in manufacturing 137,390
The amount of plastic pellet was stocked in country. Assumed that the amount of
stocked in manufacturing will be the same in 2010.
6 Calculated stock by STAN -18,841 Stock = input of process - output of process
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of exported products. The
7 Exported product 1,141,864 amount of exported products will increase by 4% in 2016. The estimated amounts of
imported and exported plastic products are shown in Table E-4 in Appendix E.
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
8 Plastic product (Thermoplastic) 3,549,422 products in 2016. (but it was deducted by the amount of exported product before put
in the material flow)
208

Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1 (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
9 Plastic product (Thermosetting) 657,462
10
11
12
13
14
15
Total industrial plastic waste
(IPW) generation
IPW generation from plastic
manufacturing
Industrial plastic waste (IPW) for
recycling (1)
Reuse (stocked) industrial plastic
waste (1)
Industrial plastic waste for
landfilling (1)
Industrial plastic waste for
industrial incineration (1)
2,123,934
1,061,967
84,957
42,479
4,248
930,283
16 Industrial plastic waste (1) 1,019,489
Plastic consumption process
17 Imported Product 1,113,900
209
Assumption and Calculation
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. Assumed that it is not imported and exported
Estimating the amount of industrial plastic waste generation, this amount was
calculated by considering increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692 persons) (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
Amount of IPW was recycled in the recycling factories. The percentage of recycling
rate of industrial plastic waste was 8% in 2010. Assumed that the percentage of
recycling rate will not change in 2016. (Not include in the material flow)
Assumed that 4% of IPW will be reused or stocked in the manufacturing in 2016.
(Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 0.4% of industrial plastic waste was disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 87.6% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in
industrial incineration to recovery energy in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 1.
IPW (1) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported products. The
amount of imported products will increase by 20% in 2016
18 Stock in plastic consumption 1,666,769 Stock = input of process - output of process

Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1 (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
19 Plastic waste generation in MSW 2,634,526
20
21
22
23
MSW plastic waste
(Thermosetting)
MSW plastic waste
(Thermoplastic)
Uncollected MSW waste
(Thermosetting)
Uncollected MSW waste
(Thermoplastic)
26,345
2,608,181
5,269
521,636
210
Assumption and Calculation
Estimating the amount of plastic waste generation, This amount was calculated by
considering the increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692). (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of total plastic waste is thermosetting waste generation (Not present
in the material flow)
Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) = Total Plastic Waste - Plastic waste (Thermosetting)
(Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 20% of thermosetting waste generation in MSW will not collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 20% of thermoplastic waste generation in MSW will not collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
24 Total uncollected MSW waste 526,905 The summary of uncollected thermosetting and thermoplastic wastes
25
26
27
28
Collected plastic waste
(Thermosetting)
Collected plastic waste
(Thermoplastic)
Industrial plastic waste generation
in plastic consumption process
Industrial plastic waste for
recycling (2)
21,076
2,086,545
1,061,967
84,957
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermosetting) - Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting)
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) - Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
Amount of IPW was recycled in the recycling factories. The percentage of recycling
rate of industrial plastic waste was 8% in 2010. Assumed that the percentage of
recycling rate will not change in 2016. (Not include in the material flow)

Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1 (continued)
No. Description
29
30
Reuse (stocked) industrial plastic
waste (2)
Landfilling of industrial plastic
waste (2)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
42,479
4,248
211
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 4% of IPW will be reused or stocked in the manufacturing in 2016.
(Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 0.4% of industrial plastic waste was disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
31
Industrial plastic waste for
industrial incineration (2)
930,283
Assumed that 87.6% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in
industrial incineration to recovery energy in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
32 Industrial plastic waste (2) 1,019,489
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 1.
IPW (2) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
Collection and transportation process
33 Exported municipal plastic waste 198,222 Assumed that 9.5% of thermoplastic wastes will be exported in 2016
34
35
Municipal incineration
(Thermosetting)
Municipal incineration
(Thermoplastic)
422
41,731
36 Total municipal incineration 42,152
37 Industrial incineration (2) 1,860,567
29 Landfilling (Thermosetting) 7,798
30 Landfilling (Thermoplastic) 772,022
Assumed that 2% of thermosetting wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not
present in the material flow). 1% is from the amount of combusted wastes in the
municipal incineration, and 1% is from the waste utilization by energy recovery
Assumed that 2% of thermoplastic wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not
present in the material flow). 1% is from the amount of combusted wastes in the
municipal incineration, and 1% is from the waste utilization by energy recovery
The summary of wastes to municipal incineration of thermosetting and thermoplastic
wastes
The summary of wastes for industrial incineration from the manufacturing and plastic
consumption processes.
Assumed that 37% of thermosetting wastes will disposed at landfills (Not present in
the material flow)
Assumed that 37% of thermoplastic wastes was disposed at landfills (Not present in
the material flow)

Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1 (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
31 Total landfilling of MSW 788,316 The summary of landfilling of thermoplastic and thermosetting wastes
32 Stock in landfill 1,181,704 Stock = input of process - output of process
33 Plastic waste for recycling 462,031 Assumed that 14% of thermoplastic wastes will be recycled in 2016.
34
Improper disposed waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
12,856
Assumed that 61% of thermosetting wastes will not disposed properly (Not present in
the material flow)
35
Improper disposed waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
782,454
Assumed that 37.5% of thermoplastic wastes will not disposed properly (Not present
in the material flow).
36 Total improper disposed waste 795,311 The summary of improper disposed thermosetting and thermoplastic wastes
37 Stock in environment 1,322,216 Stock = Uncollected waste + Improper disposed waste
Municipal incineration process
38
Off-gas (1) from municipal
incineration
33,722
Assumed that 80% of municipal plastic waste which is burnt in municipal incineration
will become off-gas in 2016.
39
Residue waste (1) from municipal
incineration
8,430
Assumed that 20% of municipal plastic waste which is burnt in municipal incineration
will become ash in 2016.
Industrial incineration process
40
41
42
Industrial incineration (1)
(cement)
Off-gas (2) from industrial
incineration
Residue waste (4) from industrial
incineration
42,500
1,522,453
372,113
43 Stock in industrial incineration 8,500
This amount was estimated by using 50,000 tonnes/year of RDF production from
landfilled wastes multiplying by the numbers of cement factories (5 plants). Assumed
that 17% of plastic wastes in landfilled wastes.
Assumed that 80% of plastic waste which is burnt in municipal incineration will
become off-gas in 2016.
Assumed that 20% of total industrial plastic wastes for industrial incineration will
become ash after combustion and will be disposed at landfills.
Assumed that 20% of plastic waste which is burnt in cement kiln will become ash in
2016 and be used as material substitution.
212

Table E-3 Details of each flow of scenario 1 (continued)
No. Description
Recycling process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
42 Imported waste 17,760
43 Fresh waste to oil 7,300
44 Recycled product 406,342
45
Residue waste (3) from material
recycling
Plastic to oil process
46
Landfill excavation (landfilled
wastes to oil)
66,149
15,330
213
Assumption and Calculation
The assumption is the amount of imported plastic wastes in 2016 will be the same as
the amount in 2010. Assumed that this amount includes only thermoplastic wastes.
Fresh plastic wastes were used as raw materials at oil recovery plant. The amount of
plastic waste used was estimated from multiplying 2,190 tonnes/plant/year by the
numbers of oil recovery plants which used fresh plastic wastes. There were three oil
recovery plants which used fresh plastic wastes. However, another one oil recovery
plant used 730 tonnes/year of fresh plastic wastes. Total amount of fresh plastic waste
used was 7,300 tonnes/year in 2010 (see Table E-6). The assumption is the amount of
fresh plastic waste used in 2016 at the oil recovery plants will be the same as in 2010.
Assumed that 86% of recycled product will be produced from the material recycling
in 2016. The summary of industrial and municipal plastic wastes was calculated
before multiplying by this percentage.
Assumed that 14% of residue wastes will be generated from the material recycling in
2016. The summary of industrial and municipal plastic wastes was calculated before
multiplying by this percentage.
Landfilled plastic wastes were used as raw materials at oil recovery plant. The
amount of plastic waste used was estimated by from multiplying 2,190
tonnes/plant/year by the numbers of oil recovery plants which used landfilled plastic
wastes. There were seven oil recovery plants which used landfilled plastic wastes.
Total amount of landfilled plastic waste used was 15,330 tonnes/year in 2010 (see
Table E-5). The assumption is the amount of landfilled used in 2016 at the oil
recovery plants will be the same as in 2010.
47 Crude oil 18,104 Assumed that 80% of crude oil will be produced from all plastic waste feeding
48 Residue waste (2) of oil recovery 4,526 Assumed that 20% of residue wastes will be produced from all plastic waste feeding

E.4 The estimation of imported and exported products in 2010-2016
Table E-4 Estimated amounts of imported and exported products in 2010-2016
Year
Amount of plastic product (tonne)
Imported product Exported product
Growth rate (%) 20 4
2010 421289.56 949077.45
2011 453305.31 967146.51
2012 541460.27 992650.15
2013 648465 1028018.052
2014 776616 1064646.103
2015 930093 1102579.205
2016 1113901 1141863.854
E.5 Calculation of the plastic to oil process
Table E-5 Details and calculation of the amount of landfilled plastic waste to oil
Landfill excavation Value Unit
Plastic waste from landfill 6 tonnes/day
The number of plastic to oil plant in Thailand 7 Plants
% Crude oil generation 80 Percent
% Residue waste generation 20 Percent
Landfilled plastic waste used = 6 X 7 X 365 = 15,330 tonnes/year
Crude oil = 15,330 X 0.8 = 12,264 tonnes/year
Residue waste from oil recovery = 15,330 X 0.2= 3,066 tonnes/year
Table E-6 Details and calculation of the amount of fresh plastic waste to oil
Fresh waste to oil Value Unit
Plastic to oil plant (private company) 3 plants
Fresh plastic waste (private company)
Crude oil generation (private company)
214
= 3 X 6 X 365 =
6,570
= 6,570 X 0.8 =
5,256
tonnes/da
y
tonnes/da
y
Residue waste generation (private company)
= 6,570 X 0.2 =
1,314
tonnes/da
y
Plastic to oil plant (researched plant in university) 1 plants
tonnes/da
Fresh plastic waste (researched plant in university) = 1 X 6 X 365 = 730 y
tonnes/da
Crude oil generation (researched plant in university) = 730 x 0.8 = 584 y
Residue waste generation (researched plant in
tonnes/da
university) = 730X .2 = 146 y

E.6 Calculation of plastic flows in 2016; Scenario 2A
Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A
No. Description
Manufacturing process
Imported pellet
1
(Thermoplastic)
2
3
4
Imported pellet
(Thermosetting)
Raw material
(Thermoplastic)
Raw material
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
1,491,446
215
Assumption and Calculation
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported thermoplastic
pellets. The amount of imported thermoplastic will increase by 13% in 2016
300,000 Assumed that 300,000 tonnes of imported thermosetting pellets in 2016.
3,721,094
430,513
5 Stock in manufacturing 922,792 Stock = input of process - output of process
6 Exported product 1,141,864
7
8
Plastic product
(Thermoplastic)
Plastic product
(Thermosetting)
3,549,422
657,462
The estimation of thermoplastic raw materials was done by considering the growth rate of
total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by 3% for
each year. The amount of thermoplastic material consumption must be deducted by
thermosetting material consumption before filling in the material flow.
The estimation of thermosetting raw materials was done by considering the growth rate of
total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by 3% in
2016. The amount of thermosetting material consumption will increase by 8% in 2016.
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of exported products. The
amount of exported products will increase by 4% in 2016. The estimated amounts of
imported and exported plastic products are shown in Table E-4 in Appendix E.
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. (but it was deducted by the amount of exported product before put in the
material flow)
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. Assumed that it is not imported and exported

Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A (continued)
No. Description Value (Tonnes/year) Assumption and Calculation
9
10
11
12
Total industrial plastic
waste (IPW) generation
IPW generation from
plastic manufacturing
Industrial plastic waste
(IPW) for recycling (1)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (1)
Industrial plastic waste
13
for landfilling (1)
Industrial plastic waste
14 for industrial incineration
(1)
Industrial plastic waste
15
(1)
Plastic consumption process
2,123,934
1,061,967
318,590
106,197
10,620
626,560.68
955,771
16 Imported Product 1,113,900
17
18
Plastic waste generation
in MSW
Plastic waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
2,634,526
26,345
Estimating the amount of industrial plastic waste generation, this amount was
calculated by considering increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692 persons) (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
The percentage of recycling rate of industrial plastic waste will increase by 30%
within 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of industrial plastic wastes will be reused or stocked in the
manufacturing in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of industrial plastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 59% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in industrial
incineration to recovery energy. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 2.
IPW (1) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported products. The
amount of imported products will increase by 20% in 2016.
Estimating the amount of plastic waste generation, This amount was calculated by
considering the increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692). (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of total plastic waste is thermosetting waste generation (Not present
in the material flow)
216

Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
19
Plastic waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
2,608,181
Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) = Total Plastic Waste - Plastic waste (Thermosetting) (Not
present in the material flow)
20
Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
2,635
Assumed that 10% of thermosetting waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
21
Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
260,818
Assumed that 10% of thermoplastic waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
22 Uncollected waste 263,453 The summary of uncollected thermosetting and thermoplastic wastes
23 Calculated stock by STAN 1,967,594 Stock = input of process - output of process
24
Collected plastic waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
23,711
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermosetting) - Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting)
25
Collected plastic waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
2,347,363
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) - Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic)
26
Industrial plastic waste
generation in other industries
1,061,967
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the plastic
consumption process (Not present in the material flow)
27
28
29
30
Industrial plastic waste for
recycling (2)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (2)
Landfilling of industrial
plastic waste (2)
Industrial plastic waste for
industrial incineration (2)
318,590
106,197
10,620
626,560.68
31 Industrial plastic waste (2) 955,771
The percentage of recycling rate of industrial plastic waste will increase by 30% within
2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of industrial plastic wastes will be reused or stocked in the
manufacturing in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of industrial plastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 59% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in industrial
incineration to recovery energy. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 2.
IPW (2) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
217

Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Collection and transportation process
32 Exported plastic waste 352,104
33
34
Municipal incineration
(Thermosetting)
Municipal incineration
(Thermoplastic)
474
46,947
218
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 15% of collected plastic waste (Thermoplastic) will be exported in 2016.
(this amount includes only thermoplastic waste not including Thermosetting)
Assumed that 2% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not present
in the material flow)
2% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not present in the
material flow)
35 Municipal incineration 47,421 The summary of wastes to municipal incineration from each source
36
37
38
39
Industrial incineration
(Thermosetting) of MPW
Industrial incineration
(Thermoplastic) of MPW
Industrial incineration
(Municipal plastic waste)
Industrial incineration
(industrial plastic waste)
1,186
117,368
118,554
1,253,121.36
40 Reuse (Thermosetting) 2,371
Assumed that 5% of thermosetting waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for using in
the industrial incineration
Assumed that 5% of thermoplastic waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for using in
the industrial incineration
The summary of municipal wastes to industrial incineration (RDF) from each source
(Not present in the material flow)
IPW for incineration = IPW 1 (incineration) + IPW 2 (incineration)
= 626,560.68+ 626,560.68
Assumed that 10% of thermosetting waste will be reused as secondary products for using
in the consumption process in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
41 Reuse (Thermoplastic) 234,736
Assumed that 10% of thermoplastic waste will reused as secondary products for using in
the consumption process in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
42 Reuse of MPW 237,107 The summary of reused municipal wastes to plastic consumption process.
43 Landfilling (Thermosetting) 7,113
Assumed that 30% of municipal thermosetting wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)

Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
44 Landfilling (Thermoplastic) 704,209
Assumed that 30% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)
45 Landfilling 732,561
The summary of landfilling plastic wastes from each source. This amount is from
municipal and industrial wastes for landfilling.
46 Stock in landfill 1,008,144 Stock = input of process - output of process
47 Plastic waste for recycling 1,341,389
Assumed that 30% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will recycled in 2016. This amount
is from municipal and industrial wastes for recycling.
48
Improper disposed waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
12,567
Assumed that 53% of municipal thermosetting wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
49
Improper disposed waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
187,789
Assumed that 8% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
50 Improper disposed waste 200,356 The summary of undisposed municipal wastes from each source
51 Stock in environment 463,808 Stock = Uncollected waste + Improper disposed waste
Municipal incineration process
52
53
Off-gas (1) from municipal
incineration
Residue waste (1) from
municipal incineration
Industrial incineration process
Industrial incineration
54
(cement)
55
Off-gas (2) from industrial
incineration
37,937
9,484
Assumed that the amount of off-gas generation from municipal incineration will not
change in 2016, thus 80% of off-gas generation will be generated in municipal
incineration.
Assumed that the amount of residue waste from municipal incineration will not change,
so 20% of residue waste will be generated in municipal incineration.
42,500 Assumed that the landfill excavation for RDF production will not change in 2016
1,131,340
Assumed that the amount of off-gas generation from industrial incineration will not
change in 2016, thus 80% of off-gas generation will be generated in industrial
incineration.
219

Table E-7 Details of each flow of scenario 2A (continued)
No. Description
56
57
Industrial incineration (other
factories)
Stock in industrial
incineration (cement)
Residue waste (4) from
58 industrial incineration
disposing at landfill
Recycling process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
5,928
31,025
251,810
59 Imported waste 17,760
220
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 5% of waste is burnt at industrial incinerators (not cement factories) (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that the amount of residue waste from municipal incineration will not change,
so 20% of residue waste will be generated in municipal incineration. This amount which
is used in cement kiln as a cement substitution material.
Assumed that 20% of residue waste generation from industrial incinerators will be
disposed at landfills in 2016.
Assumed that the amount of imported plastic waste will slightly increase in 2016, so this
number will be the same as the amount of imported plastic waste in 2010. (This amount
includes only thermoplastic wastes).
60 Fresh waste to oil 7,300 Assumed that the amount of fresh plastic waste to oil will not change in 2016.
61 Recycled product 1,284,257
Residue waste (3) from
62
material recycling
Plastic to oil process
63 Landfill excavation 15,330
64 Crude oil 18,104
65
Residue waste (2) from oil
recovery
Assumed that the efficiency of recycling process in recycling factory will increase from
86% in 2010 to 95% of recycled product generation in 2016.
67,592 Assumed that 5% of residue waste generation from material recycling in 2016.
4,526
Assumed that the landfill excavation for plastic to oil will slightly increase within 2016.
Thus, the amount of landfill excavation is the same in 2010.
Assumed that the efficiency of oil recovery will not change in 2016, so 80% of crude oil
will be produced from all plastic waste feeding.
Assumed that the efficiency of oil recovery will not change in 2016, so 20% of residue
wastes will be generated from all plastic waste feeding.

E.7 Calculation of plastic flows in 2016; Scenario 2B
Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B
No. Description
Manufacturing process
Imported pellet
1
(Thermoplastic)
2
3
4
Imported pellet
(Thermosetting)
Raw material
(Thermoplastic)
Raw material
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
1,491,446
221
Assumption and Calculation
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported thermoplastic
pellets. The amount of imported thermoplastic will increase by 13% in 2016
300,000 Assumed that 300,000 tonnes of imported thermosetting pellets in 2016.
3,721,094
430,513
5 Stock in manufacturing 922,792 Stock = input of process - output of process
6 Exported product 1,141,864
7
8
Plastic product
(Thermoplastic)
Plastic product
(Thermosetting)
3,549,422
657,462
The estimation of thermoplastic raw materials was done by considering the growth rate of
total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by 3% for
each year. The amount of thermoplastic material consumption must be deducted by
thermosetting material consumption before filling in the material flow.
The estimation of thermosetting raw materials was done by considering the growth rate of
total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by 3% in
2016. The amount of thermosetting material consumption will increase by 8% in 2016.
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of exported products. The
amount of exported products will increase by 4% in 2016. The estimated amounts of
imported and exported plastic products are shown in Table E-4 in Appendix E.
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. (but it was deducted by the amount of exported product before put in the
material flow)
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. Assumed that it is not imported and exported

Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B (continued)
No. Description Value (Tonnes/year) Assumption and Calculation
9
10
11
12
Total industrial plastic
waste (IPW) generation
IPW generation from
plastic manufacturing
Industrial plastic waste
(IPW) for recycling (1)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (1)
Industrial plastic waste
13
for landfilling (1)
Industrial plastic waste
14 for industrial incineration
(1)
Industrial plastic waste
15
(1)
Plastic consumption process
2,123,934
1,061,967
318,590
106,197
10,620
626,560.68
955,771
16 Imported Product 1,113,900
17
18
Plastic waste generation
in MSW
Plastic waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
2,634,526
26,345
Estimating the amount of industrial plastic waste generation, this amount was
calculated by considering increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692 persons) (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
The percentage of recycling rate of industrial plastic waste will increase by 30%
within 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of industrial plastic wastes will be reused or stocked in the
manufacturing in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of industrial plastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 59% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in industrial
incineration to recovery energy. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 2.
IPW (1) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported products. The
amount of imported products will increase by 20% in 2016.
Estimating the amount of plastic waste generation, This amount was calculated by
considering the increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692). (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of total plastic waste is thermosetting waste generation (Not present
in the material flow)
222

Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
19
Plastic waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
2,608,181
Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) = Total Plastic Waste - Plastic waste (Thermosetting) (Not
present in the material flow)
20
Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
2,635
Assumed that 10% of thermosetting waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
21
Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
260,818
Assumed that 10% of thermoplastic waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
22 Uncollected waste 263,453 The summary of uncollected thermosetting and thermoplastic wastes
23 Calculated stock by STAN 1,849,040 Stock = input of process - output of process
24
Collected plastic waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
23,711
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermosetting) - Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting)
25
Collected plastic waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
2,347,363
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) - Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic)
26
Industrial plastic waste
generation in other industries
1,061,967
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the plastic
consumption process (Not present in the material flow)
27
28
29
30
Industrial plastic waste for
recycling (2)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (2)
Landfilling of industrial
plastic waste (2)
Industrial plastic waste for
industrial incineration (2)
318,590
106,197
10,620
626,560.68
31 Industrial plastic waste (2) 955,771
The percentage of recycling rate of industrial plastic waste will increase by 30% within
2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of industrial plastic wastes will be reused or stocked in the
manufacturing in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of industrial plastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 59% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in industrial
incineration to recovery energy. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 2.
IPW (2) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
223

Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Collection and transportation process
32 Exported plastic waste 352,104
33
34
Municipal incineration
(Thermosetting)
Municipal incineration
(Thermoplastic)
474
46,947
224
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 15% of collected plastic waste (Thermoplastic) will be exported in 2016.
(this amount includes only thermoplastic waste not including Thermosetting)
Assumed that 2% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not present
in the material flow)
2% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not present in the
material flow)
35 Municipal incineration 47,421 The summary of wastes to municipal incineration from each source
36
37
38
39
Industrial incineration
(Thermosetting) of MPW
Industrial incineration
(Thermoplastic) of MPW
Industrial incineration
(Municipal plastic waste)
Industrial incineration
(industrial plastic waste)
1,186
117,368
118,554
1,253,121.36
40 Reuse (Thermosetting) 1,186
Assumed that 5% of thermosetting waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for using in
the industrial incineration
Assumed that 5% of thermoplastic waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for using in
the industrial incineration
The summary of municipal wastes to industrial incineration (RDF) from each source
(Not present in the material flow)
IPW for incineration = IPW 1 (incineration) + IPW 2 (incineration)
= 626,560.68+ 626,560.68
Assumed that 5% of thermosetting waste will be reused as secondary products for using
in the consumption process in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
41 Reuse (Thermoplastic) 117,368
Assumed that 5% of thermoplastic waste will reused as secondary products for using in
the consumption process in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
42 Reuse of MPW 118,554 The summary of reused municipal wastes to plastic consumption process.
43 Landfilling (Thermosetting) 9,484
Assumed that 40% of municipal thermosetting wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)

Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
Assumption and Calculation
44 Landfilling (Thermoplastic) 938,945
Assumed that 40% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)
45 Landfilling 969,669
The summary of landfilling plastic wastes from each source. This amount is from
municipal and industrial wastes for landfilling.
46 Stock in landfill 1,245,251 Stock = input of process - output of process
47 Plastic waste for recycling 1,341,389
Assumed that 30% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will recycled in 2016. This amount
is from municipal and industrial wastes for recycling.
48
Improper disposed waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
11,381
Assumed that 48% of municipal thermosetting wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
49
Improper disposed waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
70,421
Assumed that 3% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
50 Improper disposed waste 81,802 The summary of undisposed municipal wastes from each source
51 Stock in environment 345,255 Stock = Uncollected waste + Improper disposed waste
Municipal incineration process
52
53
Off-gas (1) from municipal
incineration
Residue waste (1) from
municipal incineration
Industrial incineration process
Industrial incineration
54
(cement)
55
Off-gas (2) from industrial
incineration
37,937
9,484
Assumed that the amount of off-gas generation from municipal incineration will not
change in 2016, thus 80% of off-gas generation will be generated in municipal
incineration.
Assumed that the amount of residue waste from municipal incineration will not change,
so 20% of residue waste will be generated in municipal incineration.
42,500 Assumed that the landfill excavation for RDF production will not change in 2016
1,131,340
Assumed that the amount of off-gas generation from industrial incineration will not
change in 2016, thus 80% of off-gas generation will be generated in industrial
incineration.
225

Table E-8 Details of each flow of scenario 2B (continued)
No. Description
56
57
Industrial incineration (other
factories)
Stock in industrial
incineration (cement)
Residue waste (4) from
58 industrial incineration
disposing at landfill
Recycling process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
5,928
31,025
251,810
59 Imported waste 17,760
226
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 5% of waste is burnt at industrial incinerators (not cement factories) (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that the amount of residue waste from municipal incineration will not change,
so 20% of residue waste will be generated in municipal incineration. This amount which
is used in cement kiln as a cement substitution material.
Assumed that 20% of residue waste generation from industrial incinerators will be
disposed at landfills in 2016.
Assumed that the amount of imported plastic waste will slightly increase in 2016, so this
number will be the same as the amount of imported plastic waste in 2010. (This amount
includes only thermoplastic wastes).
60 Fresh waste to oil 7,300 Assumed that the amount of fresh plastic waste to oil will not change in 2016.
61 Recycled product 1,284,257
Assumed that the efficiency of recycling process in recycling factory will increase from
86% in 2010 to 95% of recycled product generation in 2016.
62
Residue waste (3) from
material recycling
67,592 Assumed that 5% of residue waste generation from material recycling in 2016.
Plastic to oil process
63 Landfill excavation 15,330
Assumed that the landfill excavation for plastic to oil will slightly increase within 2016.
Thus, the amount of landfill excavation is the same in 2010.
64 Crude oil 18,104
Assumed that the efficiency of oil recovery will not change in 2016, so 80% of crude oil
will be produced from all plastic waste feeding.
65
Residue waste (2) from oil
recovery
4,526
Assumed that the efficiency of oil recovery will not change in 2016, so 20% of residue
wastes will be generated from all plastic waste feeding.

E.8 Calculation of plastic flows in 2016; Scenario 3
Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3
No. Description
Manufacturing process
Imported pellet
1
(Thermoplastic)
2
3
4
Imported pellet
(Thermosetting)
Raw material
(Thermoplastic)
Raw material
(Thermosetting)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
1,491,446
227
Assumption and Calculation
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported thermoplastic
pellets. The amount of imported thermoplastic will increase by 13% in 2016
300,000 Assumed that 300,000 tonnes of imported thermosetting pellets in 2016.
3,721,094
430,513
5 Stock in manufacturing 922,792 Stock = input of process - output of process
6 Exported product 1,141,864
7
8
Plastic product
(Thermoplastic)
Plastic product
(Thermosetting)
3,549,422
657,462
The estimation of thermoplastic raw materials was done by considering the growth rate
of total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by
3% for each year. The amount of thermoplastic material consumption must be deducted
by thermosetting material consumption before filling in the material flow.
The estimation of thermosetting raw materials was done by considering the growth rate
of total pellet consumption. The amount of plastic pellet consumption will increase by
3% in 2016. The amount of thermosetting material consumption will increase by 8% in
2016.
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of exported products. The
amount of exported products will increase by 4% in 2016. The estimated amounts of
imported and exported plastic products are shown in Table E-4 in Appendix E.
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. (but it was deducted by the amount of exported product before put in
the material flow)
90% of raw material (Masterbatch) and imported pellets will be changed into plastic
products in 2016. Assumed that it is not imported and exported

Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3 (continued)
No. Description Value (Tonnes/year) Assumption and Calculation
9
10
11
12
Total industrial plastic
waste (IPW) generation
IPW generation from
plastic manufacturing
Industrial plastic waste
(IPW) for recycling (1)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (1)
Industrial plastic waste
13
for landfilling (1)
Industrial plastic waste
14 for industrial incineration
(1)
Industrial plastic waste
15
(1)
Plastic consumption process
2,123,934
1,061,967
84,957
42,479
4,248
930,283
1,019,489
16 Imported Product 1,113,900
17
18
Plastic waste generation
in MSW
Plastic waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
2,634,526
26,345
Esstimating the amount of industrial plastic waste generation, this amount was
calculated by considering increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692 persons) (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
Amount of IPW was recycled in the recycling factories. The percentage of recycling
rate of industrial plastic waste was 8% in 2010. Assumed that the percentage of
recycling rate will not change in 2016. (Not include in the material flow)
Assumed that 4% of IPW will be reused or stocked in the manufacturing in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 0.4% of industrial plastic waste was disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 87.6% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in
industrial incineration to recovery energy in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 3.
IPW (1) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
This amount was estimated by considering the growth rate of imported products. The
amount of imported products will increase by 20% in 2016.
Estimating the amount of plastic waste generation, This amount was calculated by
considering the increase of population in 2016 (Thai population In 2016 =
65,491,692). (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 1% of total plastic waste is thermosetting waste generation (Not present
in the material flow)
228

Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3 (continued)
No. Description
19
20
21
Plastic waste (Thermoplastic)
in MSW
Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting) in MSW
Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic) in MSW
Value
(Tonnes/year)
2,608,181
2,635
260,818
229
Assumption and Calculation
Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) = Total Plastic Waste - Plastic waste (Thermosetting) (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of thermosetting waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of thermoplastic waste generation in MSW will not be collected to
dispose in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
22 Uncollected waste 263,453 The summary of uncollected thermosetting and thermoplastic wastes
23 Calculated stock by STAN 1,666,769 Stock = input of process - output of process
24
25
26
27
28
29
Collected plastic waste
(Thermosetting)
Collected plastic waste
(Thermoplastic)
Industrial plastic waste
generation in plastic
consumption process
Industrial plastic waste for
recycling (2)
Reuse (stocked) industrial
plastic waste (2)
Landfilling of industrial
plastic waste (2)
23,711
2,347,363
1,061,967
84,957
42,479
4,248
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermosetting) - Uncollected waste
(Thermosetting)
Plastic waste collected = Plastic waste (Thermoplastic) - Uncollected waste
(Thermoplastic)
Assumed that 50% of industrial plastic waste generation is generated in the
manufacturing process (Not present in the material flow)
Amount of IPW was recycled in the recycling factories. The percentage of recycling rate
of industrial plastic waste was 8% in 2010. Assumed that the percentage of recycling
rate will not change in 2016. (Not include in the material flow)
Assumed that 4% of IPW will be reused or stocked in the manufacturing in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 0.4% of industrial plastic waste was disposed at landfills in 2016. (Not
present in the material flow)

Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3 (continued)
No. Description
30
Industrial plastic waste for
industrial incineration (2)
Value
(Tonnes/year)
930,283
31 Industrial plastic waste (2) 1,019,489
Collection and transportation process
32 Exported plastic waste 222,999
33
34
Municipal incineration
(Thermosetting)
Municipal incineration
(Thermoplastic)
2,371
234,736
230
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 87.6% of industrial plastic waste (use as fuels) will be burnt in
industrial incineration to recovery energy in 2016. (Not present in the material flow)
The amount of industrial plastic wastes was shown in the material flow of scenario 3.
IPW (2) = IPW (recycling)+IPW (landfilling)+IPW (incineration)
Assumed that 9.5% of collected plastic waste (Thermoplastic) will be exported in
2016. (this amount includes only thermoplastic waste not including Thermosetting)
Assumed that 10% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not
present in the material flow)
10% of municipal solid wastes will be burnt at the incinerators (Not present in the
material flow)
35 Municipal incineration 237,107 The summary of wastes to municipal incineration from each source
36
37
38
39
Industrial incineration
(Thermosetting)
Industrial incineration
(Thermoplastic)
Industrial incineration
(municipal waste)
Industrial incineration
(industrial waste)
2,371
234,736
237,107
1,860,566.6
40 Landfilling (Thermosetting) 8,773
41 Landfilling (Thermoplastic) 868,524
Assumed that 10% of thermosetting waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for
using in the industrial incineration
Assumed that 10% of thermoplastic waste in MSW will be produced as RDF for
using in the industrial incineration
The summary of municipal wastes to industrial incineration (RDF) from each source
(Not present in the material flow)
IPW for incineration = IPW 1 (incineration) + IPW 2 (incineration)
= 930,283.3+ 930,283.3
Assumed that 37% of municipal thermosetting wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 37% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will be disposed at landfills in
2016. (Not present in the material flow)

Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3 (continued)
No. Description
Value
(Tonnes/year)
42 Landfilling 885,793
43 Stock in landfill 836,929 Stock = input of process - output of process
44 Plastic waste for recycling 498,546
45
46
47
Actual plastic waste for
recycling
Improper disposed waste
(Thermosetting)
Improper disposed waste
(Thermoplastic)
733,282
10,196
222,999
231
Assumption and Calculation
The summary of landfilling plastic wastes from each source. This amount is from
municipal and industrial wastes for landfilling.
Assumed that 14% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will recycled in 2016. This
amount is from municipal and industrial wastes for recycling.
Assumed that 24% of municipal waste for recycling will be recycled in 2016. (14% of
material recycling and 10% of feedstock recycling)
Assumed that 43% of municipal thermosetting wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
Assumed that 9.5% of municipal thermoplastic wastes will not disposed properly (Not
present in the material flow)
48 Improper disposed waste 233,195 The summary of undisposed municipal wastes from each source
49 Stock in environment 496,648 Stock = Uncollected waste + Improper disposed waste
Municipal incineration process
50
51
Off-gas (1) from municipal
incineration
Residue waste (1) from
municipal incineration
Industrial incineration process
Industrial incineration
52
(cement)
53
Off-gas (2) from industrial
incineration
213,397
Assumed that 90% of off-gas generation will be generated in municipal incineration in
2016
23,711 Assumed that 10% of residue waste will be generated in municipal incineration in 2016.
300,000
Assumed that 300,000 tonnes of landfilled plastic wastes will be produced RDF and
burnt in the cement kiln in 2016.
2,157,907 Assumed that 90% of off-gas generation will be generated in industrial incineration

Table E-9 Details of each flow of scenario 3 (continued)
No. Description
54
55
56
Industrial incineration (other
factories)
Stock in industrial
incineration (cement)
Residue waste (4) from
industrial incineration
disposing at landfill
Recycling process
Value
(Tonnes/year)
47,421
48,969
190,799
57 Imported waste 17,760
232
Assumption and Calculation
Assumed that 20% of plastic waste for industrial incineration will be burnt at industrial
incinerators in 2016. (not cement factories) (Not present in the material flow)
Assumed that 10% of residue waste generation will be generated in the cement kiln in
2016. This amount which is used in cement klin as a cement substitution materials.
Assumed that 10% of residue waste generation from industrial incinerators will be
disposed at landfills in 2016.
Assumed that the amount of imported plastic waste will slightly increase in 2016, so this
number will be the same as the amount of imported plastic waste in 2010. (this amount
includes only thermoplastic wastes)
58 Fresh waste to oil 234,736
Assumed that 10% of municipal plastic wastes for recycling will used to recover crude
oil in 2016.
59 Recycled product 444,023 Assumed that 86% of recycled product will be produced in 2016.
60
Residue waste (3) from
material recycling
72,283 Assumed that 14% of residue waste generation from material recycling in 2016.
Plastic to oil process
61 Landfill excavation 65,700
The numbers of plastic to oil plants at the municipal landfills will be 30 plants in 2016,
but the same amount of plastic waste feeding (6 tonnes/day)
62 Crude oil 270,393 Assumed that 90% of crude oil will be produced from all plastic waste feeding
63
Residue waste (2) from oil
recovery
30,044 Assumed that 10% of residue wastes will be generated from all plastic waste feeding

E.9 Expenditures and incomes of plastic waste management scenarios
Table E-10 Expenditures and incomes of plastic waste management scenarios
Waste
management
process
Collection &
transportation a
Municipal
incineration b
Industrial
incineration c
RDF
production d
Landfilling e
Plastic to oil f
Recycling g
Open
environment h
Expenditure Amount of plastic waste (tonne) Expenditure (Million Baht) Income
(Baht/tonne) Scenario Scenario Scenario Scenario Scenario Scenario (Baht/tonne)
1 2A 2B 3 1 2A 2B 3
718 4,146,598 4,282,615 4,282,615 4,410,051 2,979 3,076 3,076 3,168
33
233
Scenario
1
Income (Million Baht)
Scenario
2A & 2B
Scenario
3
137 142 146
4,004,500 42,152 47,421 47,421 237,107 168,799 168,799 168,799 949,496 63 3 3 15
4,004,500 1,860,567 1,253,121 1,253,121 1,860,567 7,450,639 5,018,124 5,018,124 7,450,639 63 118 79 118
92,250 42,500 161,054 161,054 537,107 3,921 14,857 14,857 49,548 1,264 54 204 679
7,650 788,316 732,561 969,669 885,793 6,031 5,604 7,418 6,776 - - - -
8,001,800 22,630 22,630 22,630 300,436 181,081 181,081 181,081 2,404,029 18,000 407 407 5,408
4,627 462,031 1,341,389 1,341,389 498,546 2,138 6,207 6,207 2,307 3,972 1,835 5,328 1,980
718 1,322,216 363,808 345,255 496,648 950 333 248 357 - - - -
Total 7,816,537 5,419,182 5,399,811 10,866,320 2,554 6,163 8,346
a. The waste collection and disposal cost and incomes of BMA in 2004. (BMA, 2004)
b. The estimated investment and operational costs from the waste to energy manual reported by PCD in 2011 (PCD, 2011) and the incomes was presented in the Phukey
incinerator report in 2006. (PCD, 2006)
c. Assumed that the expenditure on investment and operation and incomes are as same as municipal incineration (PCD, 2011)
d. The estimated investment and operational costs from the waste to energy manual reported by PCD in 2011 (PCD, 2011) and the incomes from RDF selling were
presented by TPI Polene Ltd., Co. (TPI Polene, 2011)
e. The expenditure for investment to construct landfill at Korat municipality (Koratsociety, 2013) and the estimated operation cost from the waste to energy manual
reported by PCD in 2011 (PCD, 2011). Assumed that there is not any income from Landfilling.
f. The estimated investment and operational costs from the waste to energy manual reported by PCD in 2011 (PCD, 2011) and the field observation recording the
incomes from oil recovery plant at Hua-Hin municipality.
g. The estimated investment cost and operation cost were reported in the case study of plastic recycling business in 2010 (Janthanaroj, 2010) and incomes of recycling
activities were calculated by dividing the profits of recycling business by amount of recycled product generation (field observation, 2013)
h. The hidden expenditure for uncollected wastes and improper disposed wastes was assumed that it is equal to the waste collection cost in BMA, 2004 (BMA, 2004)