Solid Waste Management in AMATA City Industrial Estates
In 2022, the Company provided solid waste management services to factory operators in both industrial estates, totaling 27,974.92 tons, of which 21,195.28 tons came from AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate and 6,779.64 tons came from AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate. To accomplish the Company’s objectives of reducing the amount of solid waste disposed to landfills, the Company focused on improving the waste management process from sending to landfills to sorting recyclable waste and the production of alternative fuels in the form of waste fuels (Refuse-derived Fuel, or RDF), which will be used as a fuel for co-incineration at cement plants.
In 2022, the Company managed to separate 10.70% of recyclable waste and 89.30% of waste that can be used for refuse-derived fuel (RDF) production from the total amount of solid waste in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate in the Company’s waste separation plant. The Company was able to reduce the amount of waste dumped in landfills to 0% of the total amount of solid waste managed in the waste separation plant.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand in 2020–2022 significantly increased infectious waste due to self-protection measures in the Company’s offices and the customers’ factories, such as face masks and ATK (Rapid Antigen Test Kit). Although the proportion of infectious waste was small in comparison to the total amount of solid waste the Company managed for customers, the Company still needs certified and licensed contractors for infectious waste disposal services. While self-managed waste disposal in the factories causes them higher operational costs, the demand for infectious waste disposal, a new waste management service, has increased significantly recently. The Company, therefore, has developed its infectious waste disposal services by selecting qualified and authorized contractors to serve its customers in both AMATA City Industrial Estates. The Company oversees and monitors infectious waste disposal by using GPS trackers in garbage trucks from departure to the infectious waste incinerator, as well as providing a real-time transportation route report to the customers to build their trust. In 2022, 23.49 tons of infectious waste, accounting for 0.8% of the total waste the Company managed in 2022, were disposed.
As a result of the Zero Waste to Landfill approach, the Company reduced waste management costs by 2.4 million baht in 2022, and 80% of the factory operators who use the Company's waste management services were satisfied and confident in the Company's waste management, ensuring that no waste was illegally disposed. The surrounding communities of AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate were more confident in the industrial estates' waste management practices.
Waste Management Using Technology & Innovation
The recycling resource maximization principle, in collaboration with innovative technology business partners, enables more cost-effective utilization of recyclable waste, such as reusing sorted plastic waste as a component of recycled plastic road construction (Plastic Road) in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate. The Plastic Road has been paved in 3 locations, totaling 1,990 meters, and using 16.89 tons of plastic waste. In 2022, the company invited factory operators to send plastic waste to build the fourth location of the Plastic Road Project, where 14 factories expressed interest and sent a total of 2,039 kilograms of plastic waste to the project.
The Company developed a smart waste collection system (Koom Kah Smart Manifest), in collaboration with SCG Chemicals, to enhance the potential of waste collection management within industrial estates by using information technology to provide real-time waste collection data for the waste collection operators and their customers, which created transparency and boosted confidence in the waste disposal process. AMATA Industrial Estates are ready to move towards a Smart Environment City, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, they also reduced paper contact between waste collection operators and their customers by using online approval. All customers in AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate (100%) used the system in 2022, and the system will be used at AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate accordingly.
The Company aims to reduce paper use in the offices and promote wastepaper recycling and has cooperated with SCG Packaging Public Company Limited to develop the “Paper X Project: The Value of Your Waste” to produce recycled paper from the Company’s wastepaper. The project helps reduce natural resource consumption, waste, and environmental impact. In 2022, the project recycled 744 kilograms of wastepaper.
Promoting Customers’ Participation of Industrial Waste Management
The Company is aware of the negative impacts on the environment and the surrounding communities caused by inefficient waste management that does not comply with laws and regulations on both hazardous and non-hazardous waste from the factories that do not use AMATA Facility Service Co., Ltd.’s (AFS) solid waste management. As a result, the Company encourages participation and provides accurate knowledge and understanding of solid waste and industrial waste management standards required by law to the factories in AMATA City Chonburi and AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estates.
In addition, the Company has continued to organize the “AMATA Best Waste Management Awards” project, an annual event held from 2014 to the present, to promote and encourage the factories to increase the efficiency of non-hazardous industrial waste management, solid waste management, and sewage. By applying the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) principles in waste management, the factories can reduce their production costs. The Company’s goal is to provide customers with effective industrial waste and solid waste management within their factories before sending them to the waste separation plant to increase the ratio of waste that can be used for refuse-derive fuel (RDF) production and recyclable waste.
A total of 81 factories from AMATA City Chonburi Industrial Estate and AMATA City Rayong Industrial Estate applied for the project in 2022. They were more interested in participating than in the 2021 project with 72 factories. This year, the assessment criteria were revised to reflect sustainable development principles, with a focus on the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The assessment process was also modified to conform to the New Normal principles, with both online and onsite assessments, making it more appropriate for the COVID-19 pandemic situation and more responsive to customer needs.
In 2022, there was public relations work to clarify the project details through various electronic media, such as the Company website, Line officials, and Line groups, as well as online meetings. All application forms and attached documents were dispatched and submitted electronically. The assessment and consultation were available both online and onsite, depending on the factory’s needs.
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