Thailand has joined the global effort to tackle plastic waste by banning imports of plastic waste starting January 1, 2025. For years, it had been a key destination for waste from countries like the United States and Japan, which sent millions of tons of scraps. But this practice, often referred to as “waste colonialism,” has left lasting damage to health and the environment.
The move to ban plastic waste imports aims to curb toxic pollution. Between 2018 and 2021, Thailand imported over 1.1 million tons of plastic scraps. Much of this waste was poorly managed, with factories burning it instead of recycling. In 2023, Japan alone sent 50,000 tons of plastic waste to Thailand.
Environmental activists had long called for the ban. Back in 2019, Thai campaigners and Greenpeace protested during the ASEAN summit, urging action against plastic and electronic waste. The recent ban reflects years of advocacy to prioritize better solutions over harmful practices.
Exporting waste is often cheaper for wealthier nations than managing it domestically. Countries like Thailand, with lower labor costs and weaker regulations, become attractive destinations. This allows rich nations to claim they are meeting recycling goals while shifting the burden to the Global South.
This practice isn’t limited to international trade. In the U.S., states with stricter waste regulations often send their trash to southern states, where it’s cheaper to operate landfills due to weaker regulations.
For some countries in the Global South, accepting plastic waste provides economic incentives and job opportunities. The global plastic waste management market was valued at $37 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to $44 billion by 2027. In 2022, countries like Turkey, Malaysia, and Vietnam earned hundreds of millions of dollars from importing scrap plastic. However, these financial benefits often come at the cost of significant environmental and health impacts.
Plastic waste is challenging to recycle, especially mixed plastics often contaminated with non-recyclable materials. These plastics are melted into pellets, burned, or dumped. Burning releases toxic chemicals, increasing risks of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, particularly in areas with inadequate waste management.
Microplastics—tiny plastic particles that take centuries to break down—are another growing concern. Found in air, water, and food, these particles pose risks to human health and ecosystems. Despite awareness, microplastics continue to accumulate due to the lack of better solutions.
Thailand isn’t alone in battling waste colonialism. After China’s 2018 ban on importing plastic waste, Southeast Asian nations like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia became new dumping grounds. For example, plastic waste imports to Thailand spiked tenfold in 2018.
Even countries like Turkey, initially open to plastic waste imports, have faced challenges. In 2021, Turkey banned certain plastic imports under public pressure but later reversed the decision due to reliance on imported raw materials for its plastic industry.
Yes, some wealthy nations, like the Netherlands, both export and import plastic waste. As a major international port, the Netherlands processes large amounts of plastic waste, much of it in transit. Additionally, industrialized nations often import secondary plastics as a cheaper alternative to building robust recycling systems.
Developed nations with advanced recycling capabilities continue to export significant amounts of plastic waste to countries with limited waste management systems. For example, Germany, the UK, and the US collectively export millions of tons of plastic annually, shifting the environmental and health burden to less wealthy nations. Critics argue this perpetuates a colonial dynamic where wealthier nations exploit poorer ones for their benefit.
Some nations are taking steps to address the issue. The European Union plans to ban plastic waste exports to non-OECD countries by mid-2026. Stricter rules will apply to exports within OECD countries, with exemptions granted only to those that can prove sustainable waste management.
A global treaty on plastic waste could provide a framework for reducing plastic production, improving recycling, and phasing out harmful chemicals. However, a December 2024 UN summit failed to reach an agreement due to opposition from oil-producing nations like Saudi Arabia and Russia, which have economic interests tied to plastics.
While the treaty remains unresolved, countries must pursue better solutions locally, such as reducing single-use plastics, investing in sustainable materials, and improving recycling systems.
01/22/2025 – Written by the FalseSolutions.org Team
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