A ban on styrofoam packaging and single-use plastics in national parks in Thailand comes into effect (Photo: www.pattayamail.com)According to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation(DNP), the new regulations went into effect after being published in the RoyalGazette. The ban aligns with the government’s policy of converting Thailand’splastic use to 100 percent recyclable plastic by 2027.
The department said plastic bags with a thickness of fewer than 36 microns, aswell as plastic food containers, cups, straws, and cutlery, are now prohibitedat all national parks. Visitors caught bringing single-use plastic items orstyrofoam containers into the parks could now face a fine of up to 100,000baht.
Plastic waste, according to the DNP, endangers the lives of wild animals byclogging airways and disrupting the digestive system. These wastes can also endup in rivers and lakes, posing a threat to river ecology and marine life.
Although single-use plastic bags have been prohibited in supermarkets anddepartment stores since 2020, the DNP said small retailers and markets continueto distribute them. It added that increased demand for takeout food during theCOVID-19 pandemic in recent years has also exacerbated the plastic waste issueboth in Thailand and countries around the world./.
VNA
