Page 20 - Plastics News March 2020

FeAtures

In Thailand Plastic recycling sees elderly pressed into action

Anchalee Kongrut

The low-grade plastic waste is gaining value at a community located in Rangsit in Pathum Thani province,
thanks to the help of university researchers

he term "rubbish" brings to mind objects of no value, gives unwanted low-grade plastic waste a new lease of
Tunwanted items set to be discarded.But in the world life in the form of plastic laminate sheet. The laminate
of recycling and the circular economy, every type of sheet is highly durable and water-proof, so members of
rubbish has its own value depending on the quality of its the group decided to make new plastic bags out of it. To
materials, demand and available recycling technology. make it look more presentable, residents also add colour
and patterns to the bags. Since the beginning of the year,
residents have already produced over 1,000 bags which
they sell for 40-80 baht apiece, depending on the size
and design.

Kateeya Pha-kham, 58, a member of the group, said
the project brings extra income for the elderly. "One
person can do up to 80 bags per day if he or she works
diligently. We are marketing our products within the
local municipality."So far, the group earned almost
12,000 baht from selling these eco-friendly bags. We are
already developing new products, including stationery
Waste made of valuable materials such as steel, glass, items such as files and mouse mats," said Ms Kateeya.
paper, cloth or even higher-grade plastic is much The government's policy encouraging consumers and
sought-after by scavengers. At the bottom of the rubbish retailers to reduce their use of single-use plastic bags has
hierarchy are low-grade plastics, such as single-use bags, also helped drive demand for the shopping bags that the
snack packages and straws. These low-grade plastics community recycle group produces, she said. "But what
often end up causing damage to the environment and are benefits the community most is not the money per se,"
particularly harmful to marine life. Plastic items take 500 said Ms Kateeya."It is our ability to manage and control
years to fully decompose. rubbish in the community. In the past, we did not know
what to do with the overwhelming amount of plastic
However, low-grade plastic waste is gaining value at a
community located in Rangsit in Pathum Thani province,
thanks to the help of university researchers. Rangsit
University (RSU) is a private university in Pathum Thani,
Thailand. Ban Eua Arthorn Khlong Rangsit Community
is making money from recycling and selling shopping
bags made of discarded single-use plastic and snack
bags or leftover 3-in-1 coffee sachets. In the past, this
kind of refuse was turned down by recycling shops. Each
day, community residents, many of them elderly with
plenty of time on their hands, help to collect discarded
single-use plastic bags and sachets and take them to
the community recycling club to be processed in a "heat
press". The machine was donated by a team of researchers waste. Now, we can do away with it while earning a little
at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, extra income too." Kullawadee Sungsanit, a lecturer
which is a neighbour of the community. The heat press at Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi
and one of the members of the team responsible for

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