Director-General of the Department of Factories visits the area to strictly control and manage hazardous chemicals hidden in illegal warehouses in Ayutthaya, saying! Where the waste comes from, that’s where the responsibility lies.
On March 24, 2023 at 4:00 p.m., Mr. Chulapong Thawisri, Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works, visited the area to inspect the problem of illegal storage of various types of hazardous chemicals, approximately 4,000 tons, in 5 old warehouses without business licenses , located in Phachi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province . Ms. Jinda Techasarin, Director of the Industrial Waste Management Division, Mr. Thira Kaewpimol, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Industry, representatives of the Environmental Management Industry Group, Federation of Thai Industries, Ms. Apisara Ket-in, Phachi District Chief, local government officials, officers from the Central Investigation Bureau, and representatives of the Ecological Restoration Foundation joined the visit.
Mr. Chulaphong revealed that the urgent solution is to urgently clean up the chemical-contaminated wastewater that leaked in the warehouse area and surrounding areas to prevent the spread to the community’s public water sources by pumping the contaminated wastewater, which is concentrated acidic, into 1,000-liter plastic tanks, or what is known as Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), as well as plastic scraps, scrap iron, contaminated soil, and contaminated materials, into large flexible packaging, or Big Bags, before transporting it to store inside the warehouse, which is lined with industrial canvas to prevent seepage onto the floor, before being disposed of and treated according to academic principles, which has received permission from the warehouse owner to use the area to store the pumped contaminated wastewater. The contaminated water is pumped into the cement pond, which used to be the location of the warehouse’s truck scale, and the public canal along the highway department road in front of the warehouse, along with adjusting the soil with lime. As for the soil pond inside the warehouse, which is 120 square meters wide and 4 meters deep, with a volume of approximately 480 cubic meters of acidic wastewater, it is currently underway. It is expected to take another 2 days to complete. More than 100 tons of liquid contaminated wastewater have been pumped out and it is estimated that around 300 tons remain. However, there are still other areas that need to be surveyed to collect samples to test for chemicals to determine the correct management method.
In this collection of contaminated wastewater , the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) received good cooperation from the Environmental Management Industry Group, Federation of Thai Industries. Led by Intree Ecocycle Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Siam City Cement Group. With a network of more than 23 partners including Akki Prakarn Public Company Limited, Better World Green Public Company Limited, Innovest Company Limited, TARF Company Limited, SCI Eco Services Company Limited, Simsulalai Company Limited, Siam Environmental Technology Company Limited, Sukcharoensap Wangyen Company Limited, Matsuda Sangyo (Thailand) Company Limited, Environmental Conservation Management and Development Public Company Limited, Waste Management Siam Company Limited, TPI Polene Public Company Limited, One More Link Company Limited, Chuchok Transport Company Limited, S. Kanok Environmental Management Company Limited, Prime Road Power Public Company Limited, ASW Paper and Transportation Company Limited, West Synergy Company Limited, Wongtrakul Lohakit Company Limited, Tree Eco West Management Co., Ltd., Asia Cement Public Company Limited and A & A Winner Co., Ltd., including other companies in Phachi District, with Phachi District providing facilities.
Later at 5:00 p.m., the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works held a meeting with Mr. Pitiya Pramote Voraphan, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Pollution Control, and his team visited the area to follow up on the progress of problem solving at the meeting room on the 2nd floor of the Phachi District Office, Phachi Subdistrict, Phachi District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Province. He informed the meeting about the operational guidelines of the Department of Industrial Works. The Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) has been applied according to the Ministry of Industry’s Announcement on the Management of Waste or Unused Materials B.E. 2566 , which stipulates liability from the origin of the generating factory until the waste or unused materials are completely managed, unlike the previous case where liability would end only when the receiving factory received the waste or unused materials. The announcement was signed on March 16, 2023 and is currently being published in the Government Gazette.
Then at 6:00 p.m., the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works traveled to the Phachi Police Station to submit additional documents and evidence for consideration of the case, along with filing additional charges of possession of Category 3 hazardous substances without permission under the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535 and the charges of setting up and operating a factory without a license under the Factory Act B.E. 2535.
Meanwhile, the RTA Has issued an order for the warehouse owners, namely Phet Phet Phon Company Limited, owner of warehouse buildings 1-3, and Mr. Wiwat Sakcharoenchai, owner of warehouse buildings 4-5, including Pheu Son Company Limited, tenant of warehouse buildings 1-3, and Mr. Chatuwut, tenant of warehouse buildings 4-5, who are linked to the owner of the chemical waste, to be initially liable as the unauthorized possessors of hazardous materials, which has been ordered to remove all hazardous waste for proper disposal and treatment according to academic principles by March 30, 2023. In addition, the IEAT. A letter will be issued to summon those involved to provide additional facts to support the trial proceedings.
“Every second of the problem that occurs has an impact on the environment, quality of life and public health. This case will be an example of the wrongdoings linked to the irresponsible owners of waste, which has also damaged the overall picture of the industry. I confirm that I will use legal tools to make the wrongdoers responsible and punished by law,” the Director-General of the Department of Factories concluded.
#Department of Industrial Works #Department of Industrial Works #DIW #MIND #Ministry of Industry #Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya Provincial Industry Office #Pollution Control Department #Federation of Thai Industries #Factory Act #Hazardous Substances Act #Industrial Waste #Hazardous Waste #Pachi Warehouse #PolluterPaysPrinciple #Liability