Phuket seeks second incinerator as waste pressure grows

Authorities in Phuket are seeking approval to build a second incinerator as the province struggles to handle growing volumes of waste and accumulated rubbish at landfill sites.

Phuket has one incinerator, with capacity for about 700 tonnes of waste a day. The province generates about 1,200 tonnes daily, rising to an estimated 1,500 tonnes during the high tourist season, according to officials.

As much as 1.3 million tonnes of waste has accumulated at landfills supervised by the Phuket municipal office. Waste that is not incinerated is sent to other landfill sites in the province, which are becoming overwhelmed.

Mr Suwit said at a meeting on Wednesday that the existing incinerator was unable to meet demand and that a second facility was needed as a long-term waste-disposal solution.

Officials have identified a 128,000-square-metre plot in Bang Khanun Forest Park, near Phuket International Airport, as a potential site. The land belongs to the Royal Forest Department and is under the supervision of the Third Naval Area Command.

The meeting discussed seeking the navy’s permission to use the land. Mr Suwit said authorities had already prepared a budget for the project.

If permission is granted, the organisation will seek contractors to carry out surveys, prepare the construction design and conduct an environmental impact assessment, he said.

Phuket has a permanent population of about 450,000, while the number can reach one million during the peak tourism season. Phuket municipality has about 72,000 residents.

The Pollution Control Department says only 10% of Phuket’s rubbish is recycled, while 60% is organic waste.

Separately, the Phuket provincial hall and the Phuket provincial administration organisation have each allocated B40 million to acquire garbage-sorting machines for use at existing dump sites, Mr Suwit said.