Thailand discloses latest version of long-awaited E-waste bill 
Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand opened the draft of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act for public hearing on their website on 22 February 2024. Thailand has been working for drafting the act for 20 years though it has never passed the parliament. According to the draft, the Act will become effective one year after its publication in the Royal Gazette, and sections 36 to 42 regarding penalties will become effective two years after. The target products will be specified in the subsidiary legislation issued by the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.
The draft Act consists of 5 chapters treating the following topics:
| Chapter | Section | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| – | 1-5 | General |
| 1 | 6-13 | Management Committee for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment: A committee will advise the Minister on how to carry out operations in compliance with the Act, including identifying the kind of waste electrical and electronic equipment and establishing which criteria to use. |
| 2 | 14-27 | The following mechanisms are included in the Act:
|
| 3 | 28-30 | Product Waste Management Responsibility Plan: Creating an Expert Committee that shall create a mechanism for considering the responsibility plans proposed by importers, manufacturers, and product waste management organizations. |
| 4 | 31-35 | Inspection and Control Section: Officials will be able to enter a product return centre, or any vehicle used to transport scrap products, to inspect the operations during any hours of the day, to control its compliance with this Act. |
| 5 | 36-42 | Penalties: A fine has been established for offenses such as disposing product remains in public areas, abandoned buildings, or mixed with solid waste. Disassembling scrap products are also not allowed. Manufacturers and importers who are not registered with the Pollution Control Department, and violating or failing to comply with the Act will be fined. |
Most of the produced electronic equipment contains heavy metals, and other potentially dangerous material, that could endanger the public’s health if leaked. To deal with the explosive growth of production of electrical and electronic equipment in the country, electric and electronic components must be collected, stored, and disassembled for future use. Additionally, product remnants must be disposed of in an appropriate manner. Thus, establishing an effective system for handling the waste products of electrical appliances and electronic devices, should be based on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principle, which places responsibility for product waste management on manufacturers and importers. This responsibility would include sending the product back to the scrap collection centre, product disassembly site, and proper disposal of waste from separation.
