Thai officials seize over 200 tons of electronic waste illegally imported from the US

 

Thai officials said Wednesday they seized 238 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States at the port of Bangkok, one of the biggest lots they’ve found this year.

The waste, which came in 10 large containers, was declared as mixed metal scrap but turned out to be circuit boards mixed in a huge pile of metal scrap, said Theeraj Athanavanich, director-general of the Customs Department. It was found Tuesday in a random inspection.

A U.N. report last year said electronic waste is piling up worldwide. Some 62 million tons of electronic waste was generated in 2022 and that figure is on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030, the report said. It said only 22% of the waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022 and that quantity is expected to fall to 20% by the end of the decade due to higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, and inadequate management infrastructure.

Theeraj said Thai authorities are looking to press charges including falsely declaring imported goods, illegally importing electronic waste and planning to return the waste to its country of origin.

“It’s important that we take action on this kind of goods,” he said. “There are environmental impacts that are dangerous to the people, especially communities around factories that might import these things for processing, then recycling.”

Electronic waste creates huge health hazards. Many components are laden with lead and mercury, cadmium and other toxins. Recyclers are after gold, silver, palladium and copper, mainly from printed circuit boards, but lax controls mean that facilities often burn plastics to release encased copper and use unsafe methods to extract precious metals.

Thailand passed a ban on the import of a range of electronic waste products in 2020. The Cabinet in February approved an expanded list of the banned waste.

Sunthron Kewsawang, deputy director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, said officials suspected at least two factories in Samut Sakhon province, which borders Bangkok, are involved in importing the waste.

In January, the Customs Department said it seized 256 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from Japan and Hong Kong at a port in eastern Thailand.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/thailand-illegal-import-electronic-waste-bangkok-port-994ef5e8c3776e9b77580d9954eebaeb

Comprehension

Where was the electronic waste found and how much was seized?
What country did the electronic waste come from?
What was the waste falsely declared as?
What harmful substances can be found in electronic waste?
What valuable materials are recyclers trying to get from e-waste?
Why is burning plastics to get copper dangerous?
When did Thailand first ban the import of certain e-waste products?
What is Thailand planning to do with the seized waste?

Discussion

Why is electronic waste a serious problem for the environment and health?
Do you think countries should be allowed to send their waste to other countries? Why or why not?
What can people do to reduce electronic waste in their homes?
Have you or your family ever recycled old phones or computers? What was the process like?
Should governments punish companies that break environmental laws? Why?
What are some safe and responsible ways to recycle electronics?
How can schools and communities help teach people about the dangers of e-waste?
Do you think technology companies should help manage electronic waste?
How can we make electronic products last longer?
What do you think will happen if electronic waste keeps increasing?

Vocabulary

Seize – to take something officially, often by law or force
Electronic waste (e-waste) – old or broken electronic devices and parts
Declared – officially said or written (e.g., on import/export forms)
Toxins – harmful or poisonous substances
Hazard – a danger or risk
Recycle – to process waste and make it useful again
Illegal – not allowed by law
Ban – an official rule that stops something from being done or used