Schools, restaurants told to stop using foam boxes

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2009
Deputy Mayor Apichart Virapal told a conference that Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest producer of garbage. The country dumps 45,000 pieces of plastic or foam per person, per year.
Deputy Mayor Apichart Virapal told a conference that Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest producer of garbage. The country dumps 45,000 pieces of plastic or foam per person, per year.

Schools, restaurants and government workers were told to cut use of plastic and foam containers and adapt cloth bags and other biodegradable materials.

Deputy Mayor Apichart Virapal opened the Aug. 29 lecture for about 70 civil servants and businesspeople.

He said Thailand is Southeast Asia’s largest producer of garbage at 1.76 kilograms per person, per day. The country dumps 45,000 pieces of plastic or foam per person, per year, he said.

He said Pattaya needs to cut back on plastic and foam use, and said government workers need to take a lead role in the campaign. Restaurants also must stop using foam and adapt paper or cloth bags and containers.

The training sessions laid out the challenges facing the country’s environment and the effects the trash has.

Apichart stressed the need for more garbage separation, reduction of use of plastic, and stopping the use of foam containers.