Reuters Videos
STORY: The enchanting Thai island of Phuket is facing a waste management crisis despite its goal to become a “Sustainable Tourism Destination” by 2026.:: Phuket, ThailandKnown for its white-sand beaches and vibrant nightlife, Phuket is a popular vacation spot.It has seen rapid town development and a surge in tourists after the pandemic.And that generates a huge amount of waste.Every day, around 1,100 tons of waste collected from towns across Phuket are sent to one single landfill.Only 700 tons are incinerated – that is the maximum capacity of the landfill's only incinerator.The rest continues to be steadily dumped.Hundreds of residents nearby like Vassana Toyou have been increasingly suffering from the intensifying smell.:: Vassana Toyou, Resident“There is no life outside the house, (we) just stay at home. Sometimes you have to wear a mask at home because of the smell. When the smell is very strong, you have to wear a mask and turn on the air conditioner and air purifier all the time. The electricity bill is very expensive each month, up to $180 per month, because you have to keep everything on all the time.”Toyou said her children are not able to go out and get fresh air because of the smell.Her three-month-old has never been outside at all, she added. Authorities are scrambling to find solutions for the steadily increasing waste problem. Here’s Suppachoke Laongphet, the Deputy Mayor of Phuket Municipality.:: Suppachoke Laongphet, Deputy Mayor of Phuket Municipality“The growth of the city (Phuket) has been much more rapid than it should be. Therefore, it could mean a crisis in terms of waste management within Phuket province itself, which the municipality must accommodate. We speak in terms of a crisis, or in the worst case, that we must prepare an area to accommodate 1400-1500 tons of garbage per day in the next 2-3 years until the second incinerator is built.”Thai authorities are collaborating with private agencies to reduce waste. Their plan involves transforming the waste into fuel.An NGO has also launched an initiative to help decrease organic waste by around 1,100 lbs per day. Despite the efforts underway, an expert believes that more needs to be done. Panate Manomaivibool is a solid waste management expert and assistant professor at Burapha University. :: Panate Manomaivibool, Assistant Professor, Burapha University“They need to also focus on waste reduction (and) waste separation because if you just keep expanding more waste incinerators, I don't think that would be just the solution because at the end of the day, you will have, you know, excess and you would end up using these kinds of precious landfill.”But for now, the community living near the landfill has to endure the pollution until the crisis is solved.
Yahoo News 