Thailand launched a research project for WEEE management

Electrical and Electronics Institute (EEI) ally with the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT), governmental and private sectors, and institution to launch the project “simulation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management system research” and to push forward WEEE management system under circular economy. The aim is to sustainably and environmentally friendly recycle the material concerning the draft Act developed by the Pollution Control Department (PCD). 

Mr. Narat Ruchirat, Director of Electrical and Electronics Institute (EEI), revealed that this research project has a purpose to systematically and sustainably support WEEE management which correlates to the abovementioned draft WEEE Act, which targets 5 categories of waste electronic equipment: 1) computer, 2) phone and wireless phone, 3) air condition, 4) Television receiver and 5) refrigerator. The current usage of electrical and electronic equipment is increasing dramatically and continuously. From the PCD data, Thailand has WEEE of over 400,000 tons/year which consists of both valuable segments and toxic parts that can be hazardous to health and the environment. At the present, Thailand has no proper and systemic management to tackle with WEEE. This covers appropriate storage, collection, separation, disassembly, and disposal of WEEE. This also causes the Thai citizen to dump this kind of waste along with other solid waste which can later pollute the environment and become hazardous to workers who disassemble the WEEE. Concerning the governmental policy, to push forward this system involves electrical and electronic equipment producer, assembly, transporter, and disassemble factory which further requires research in a simulation of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) management system. This research project takes 15 months from September 2020 to November 2021, and they will collect WEEE from January to March 2021. The other operations will be conducted via the Digital WEEE Manifest database which is the system developed to track WEEE from its source to the endpoint. This project will be started in Nonthaburi and Buriram province.