Urbanization in Bhutan has taken place at a rapid pace over the last 10 years or so. By 2005, the proportion of Bhutanese urban population had grown to 31 percent. It is projected that by 2020 half of the Bhutanese population will be living in urban areas. Burgeoning urban population has created several environmental problems such as air and water pollution, water shortage, increase of municipal waste volumes and types, congestion of traffic and buildings, and land degradation. The Thimphu Municipality has not yet developed any standard and effective strategy for waste management at the household and community levels.
These guidelines aim to provide a framework for preventing recycling-related plastic and pellet losses, and environmental leakage. The guidelines are useful for a broad spectrum of stakeholders, particularly policymakers and key plastic recycling actors, including informal waste pickers, junkshops, consolidators, and plastic recycling craft villages. The application of these guidelines is expected to contribute to improving production efficiency in the plastic recycling chain while preventing plastic leakage into the environment.
The manual aim to support both formal and informal recycling enterprises in preventing plastic pollution by advocating best practices and promoting proper housekeeping within informal recycling facilities.
The main goal of this study is to evaluate plastic and pellet losses and leakage from the logistical handling and pre-processing operations of informal recycling groups in Thailand, focusing on recovered post-consumer plastic waste and factory processing operations. The focus areas of this study are the Nonthaburi Municipality and Pattaya City.
This study was conducted following on a simplified three-step approach: 1) collect and analyse data and information relevant to plastic leakage from informal sector recycling; 2) engage with key stakeholders; and 3) disseminate the outcomes of the study.
