SA KAEO, July 9 (TNA) – Sa Kaeo governor ordered electronic waste, found in the forest reserve to be moved from the site within 15 days.
Wichit Chartpaisit, the provincial governor instructed local authorities to set up a working committee to deal with the relocation of the 300-tonne e-waste, discovered in Kao Sap Plu-Kao Phu Heep in Wang Nam Yen district after Monday’s inspection in order to allow the Pollution Control Department to inspect the site for possible contamination of the toxins from the e-waste due to improper management.
Sa Kaeo Provincial Industry Office filed a complaint to the police to take legal action against the business owner, who is responsible for the e-waste disposal.
Somsak Kruengkrai, head of the Industrial Plant division, the provincial industrial office said it was illegal to move this kind of waste. The initial investigation traced the origins of the waste, which were two plants in the eastern provinces.
Moreover, legal action has been taken against the suspects in relation to employment of illegal migrant workers and violation of the Forest Act, the National Reserved Forest Act and the Groundwater Act.
Somsak said the e-waste has been seized and the suspects face a maximum fine of 200,000 baht and/or upto two years in jail. The waste will be moved back to the origins.
The man, identified as Boonyuen, who claimed to be the recycling business owner for garbage recycling said the waste was carried by trucks into the area in Sa Kaeo for sorting on June 10 after a waste disposal company failed to find a dump site in nearby provinces. (TNA)
