Project: Biodegradable Plastic Bags for Organic Fertilizer Production on Samet Island
Location: Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park
Duration: July 2010 - June 2011
Collaborating Partners: PTT, the Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, and the National Innovation Agency, Ministry of Science and Technology
Problem: Waste management on Samet Island is inadequate. The enormous amount of waste is creating landfill problems and needs to be brought to the mainland for processing
Objective:
- Reduction of non-biodegradable plastic bags
- Increased efficiency in destroying waste leading to an expansion of landfill
- Encouragement of people to separate their trash
Located 200 kilometres southeast of Bangkok in Rayong province, Khao Laem Ya – Mu Ko Samet National Park is one of Thailand’s most popular tourist destinations. Covering 131 square kilometres of land and sea, Mu Ko Samet National Park has to cope with six tons of waste per day – of which 3.6 tons per day or approximately 100 tons per month is organic garbage. This huge amount of waste takes its toll on the environment and the cost of shipping waste to the mainland for disposal is increasing.
PTT is collaborating with the Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC), and the National Innovation Agency (NIA), Ministry of Science and Technology, to optimize the benefits of organic waste by using biodegradable plastic bags when sorting organic garbage, then allowing both the bags and the garbage to decompose into organic fertilizer.
The biodegradable plastic bags are made of PBS compound, which decomposes naturally in composting sites and they are suitable for use when sorting organic garbage from households. This initiative will help reduce the amount of garbage to be disposed of by approximately 100 tons per month, decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 tons throughout the project and provide organic fertilizer for plantations on the Samet Island.
- Bag size: width x height = 30 inches x 40 inches
- Bag will biodegrade along with organic waste within two months
Process: Workplace Training > Distribution of Bio Plastic Bags > Separation of organic waste into bioplastic bags, Bioplastic bags undergo 20 days fermentation in Fertilizer Plant > Transportation to waste fermentation plant