Thu, 26 Jun 2025

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 Why your old mobile phone may be polluting Thailand

The Asian nation is importing thousands of tonnes of electronic waste per year, despite a ban.

* Thailand has become a major destination for electronic waste (e-waste) from Western countries, particularly the US and EU.
* The amount of e-waste imported into Thailand has increased 20-fold in the past decade, from 3,000 tonnes to 60,000 tonnes per year.
* Much of this e-waste is mislabelled as "second-hand electronic goods for re-sale" and is then smashed up, recycled, and smelted for valuable metals and minerals.
* The smelting process releases toxic fumes into the environment, posing health risks to local communities.
* Thailand's industry minister has formed a task force to crack down on unlicensed e-waste recycling plants, many of which are Chinese-owned.
* The government is planning to introduce laws to make manufacturers responsible for taking back and disposing of electronic goods responsibly.
* International environmental groups are campaigning against the shipment of toxic waste and calling for greater responsibility from manufacturers.
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