New measures for importing plastic scraps have been launched to prevent harm to public health and the environment, as well as to encourage more domestic recycling. This measure has been approved by the Cabinet and will be effective from January 1, 2025.
“Plastic problem” is a very important problem that the whole world is concerned about because it has a great impact on the environment and human health and tends to become more and more severe. Therefore, we must find a way to solve the problem urgently.
The Department of International Trade recently issued two regulations on measures for importing plastic scraps, in accordance with the Cabinet’s approval of the principle (draft) of the Ministry of Commerce’s announcement on December 3, 2024, which was published in the Government Gazette on December 16, 2024.
The two announcements of the Ministry of Commerce are as follows:
- The Ministry of Commerce’s announcement on specifying plastic scraps as goods requiring permission to be imported into the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2567 is a permission to import plastic scraps under the customs tariff of 39.15 in general areas only in cases where there is no plastic scrap in the country or in an insufficient quantity, in an amount consistent with the actual production capacity according to the policy of the National Environment Board, with the Department of Industrial Works being the one to consider issuing an import permit in accordance with the criteria, methods, and conditions specified in the Ministry of Commerce’s regulation on permitting the import of plastic scraps into the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2567, which will be effective from December 17, 2567 to December 31, 2567, and operators must complete the import by December 31, 2567.
- The Ministry of Commerce Announcement on the Designation of Plastic Scrap as a Prohibited Good for Import into the Kingdom of Thailand B.E. 2567, which is a ban on the import of plastic scrap under tariff No. 39.15 in all areas. Business operators will not be able to import plastic scrap under tariff No. 39.15 into the Kingdom of Thailand from January 1, 2568 onwards.
Throughout the past, Thailand has faced the problem of smuggling electronic waste mixed with plastic waste. In addition, the amount of plastic waste in Thailand has increased significantly. The Cabinet has therefore approved the policy to control the import of plastic scraps, as proposed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on February 21, 2023, to set guidelines for the management and solution of plastic scraps, both imported and existing in the country, in a systematic and comprehensive manner.
By assigning relevant agencies to set measures to supervise the import of plastic scraps for use as raw materials in industrial plants, including supporting the recycling of domestic plastic scraps into the production process to maximize benefits in line with the BCG Economy Model.
The new measures to import plastic scrap into Thailand will help stimulate domestic recycling and reduce the amount of plastic waste and its impact on the environment and communities.
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