Thailand releases latest Draft WEEE Act for public consultation 
The Pollution Control Department (PCD), Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand released a draft of the Disposal and Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act of B.E. XXXX for public consultation in April 2021. PCD has been working for the bill for years and a previous public consultation took place in August 2018. Changes from the previous draft in 2018 include the followings;
- Target products are deleted from the draft Act. The old draft in 2018 focused on 5 target products; televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners, personal computers, and phones & mobile phones. The new draft prescribes that target products shall be specified by the announcement of the Committee on WEEE Management. Hence, target products will be clarified by a subsidiary notification following the establishment of the Act.
- The main responsibility of the manufacturer and importer focuses on a financial contribution to the WEEE Fund, which would be established under the Act. The old draft in 2018 requires manufacture and importer to collect end-of-life products and prepare and implement their recycling plan. The new draft requires financial contribution for WEEE management rather than the implementation of the recycling scheme as producer responsibility.
PCD receives public comments until 23 May 2021. The bill is expected to be approved by the parliament within 2021.
