RAYONG, Thailand – Residents living near Pinthong Industrial Estate 6 in Rayong have called for an urgent investigation into a warehouse where container trucks have been delivering material resembling industrial waste and discarded electronic equipment, raising concerns about dust pollution, public health and the legality of the shipments.
The warehouse, located at No. 14, Village 1, in Nikhom Phatthana district, has reportedly received container trucks almost daily. Residents said five containers arrived on October 10 alone.
Locals suspect the containers hold industrial waste, electronic scrap and discarded electrical appliances. Workers were seen using a modified forklift to unload the material and move it into the warehouse, sending dust into the surrounding air.
Reporters visiting the site observed several workers unloading the material, with some not wearing respiratory protection. The material appeared to include fragments of electronic equipment, industrial waste and obsolete appliances, although its composition has not been officially confirmed.
Residents fear that airborne dust could affect the health of people living nearby. They are also questioning where the material originated, who imported it and whether the shipments were cleared under the required permits and regulations.
Particular concern centres on whether any of the material falls under hazardous waste controls governed by the Basel Convention, an international agreement regulating the cross-border movement and disposal of hazardous waste. Determining whether the shipments fall within those rules requires examination of the materials, their origin, import documentation and findings by the relevant authorities.
Residents have urged the Rayong governor, Nikhom Phatthana district chief, Rayong provincial industry office and relevant customs authorities, including those at Laem Chabang Port, to investigate the importer, verify permits and establish whether the materials are prohibited or subject to special controls.
They have also called for checks on potential environmental and health impacts, dust-control measures and workplace safety. No official findings on the materials’ composition, import status or possible violations were provided in the report.
