More than 200 tons of illegally imported e-waste found in Thailand, officials said

Thai officials said on Wednesday they caught 238 tons of illegal imports Electronic waste The United States, from the U.S. port of Bangkok, is one of the largest lands they have discovered this year.

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Officials say the Basel Convention on the cross-border movement to control hazardous waste, which is classified as hazardous waste, was found after the 40-foot container became the subject of routine random inspections.

The Basel Convention is an international treaty signed in 1989 to deal with hazardous waste flowing into developing countries Increased disposal cost and the amount of waste.

An UN report last year said e-waste is accumulating around the world. The report said that by 2030, the figure is expected to reach 82 million tons, with about 62 million tons of electronic waste. It said that only 22% of waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022, and that by the end of the decade, the number is expected to drop to 20% by the end of the decade due to higher consumption, limited repair options, short product lifespan and insufficient management infrastructure.

Theeraj said Thai authorities are seeking to file allegations, including falsely declaring imports of goods, illegal imports of e-waste and planning to re-export the waste back to its country of origin.

“It’s important to take this kind of commodity,” he said. “There are some environmental impacts on people, especially in the communities where factories surround the factory, which may import these things for processing and then recycle them.”

Electronic waste can generate huge amounts of Health hazards. Many ingredients are loaded with lead and mercury, cadmium and other toxins. Recyclers are mainly from printed circuit boards, which are gold, silver, palladium and copper, but LAX controls show that facilities usually burn plastic to release the copper contained and extract precious metals using unsafe methods.

Thailand has banned imports of a range of electronic waste products in 2020.

Deputy Director of Industrial Engineering Sunthron Kewsawang said officials suspected that at least two factories in Samut Sakhon, bordering Bangkok, had participated in the import of waste. Last year, Thai officials found thousands of tons of smuggled cadmium waste at a factory in the province, according to Thailand's PBS.

Residents near the area usually contain high levels of toxic metals in their urine, the report said. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, exposure to cadmium can cause flu-like symptoms, including chills, fevers, and muscle pain. Long-term exposure can lead to cancer, kidney, bone and lung diseases.

In January, customs authorities said 256 tons of illegally imported e-waste were seized from Hong Kong in ports in Japan and Thailand.

Kiki Intarasuwan contributed to the report.