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

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.
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