Laem Chabang: The Pollution Control Department, alongside the Department of Industrial Works and the Customs Department, conducted an inspection of a container of imported aluminum scraps at Laem Chabang Port, revealing electronic circuit boards contaminated with lead. This discovery classifies the contents as hazardous waste under the Basel Convention, prompting immediate preparations to return the shipment to its origin.
According to Thai News Agency, Ms. Priyaporn Suwannaket, Director-General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD), stated that the inspection, which also involved representatives from the Chonburi Governor's office and the Ecological Restoration Foundation, covered six containers labeled as scrap and unusable aluminum, totaling over 110 tons. The findings confirmed that all containers held electronic circuit boards tainted with lead, qualifying as hazardous waste under List 5.2, No. 2.18 of the Electronic Waste classification, as per the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535 and the Basel Convention.
The Director-General emphasized that importing such materials without proper authorization from the Department of Industrial Works and without the consent of the destination country constitutes an illegal transboundary movement of hazardous waste. The United States, being the country of origin, has not ratified the Basel Convention, which prohibits it from exporting hazardous waste to a party country like Thailand.
The Pollution Control Department, serving as the coordinating center for the Basel Convention, intends to report this issue to the Basel Convention Secretariat. They will also collaborate with the Department of Industrial Works to inform the relevant U.S. agencies, urging them to take legal action and expedite the return of this hazardous waste to the United States. This step is crucial to prevent Thailand from becoming a dumping ground for illegal waste imports.