Phuket suspends waste acceptance indefinitely amid landfill crisis

Phuket City Municipality has suspended waste acceptance at its landfill indefinitely from 8 November 2026, saying accumulated rubbish has exceeded available capacity and access to the site was disrupted by illegally dumped waste.

The municipality said Phuket has accumulated more than 1.2 million tonnes of waste, compared with an original landfill capacity of 900,000 tonnes. It described the situation as the province’s seventh waste crisis.

Data recorded on 7 November showed that the holding pit near the incinerators contained 12,090 tonnes of waste, above its designated capacity of 9,000 tonnes. Waste had risen close to the incinerator rim even though both incinerators were operating, according to the municipality.

Phuket City Municipality Mayor Supachok La-ongphet said officials were managing landfill areas four and five on a day-to-day basis. They have been spreading waste higher across areas where older rubbish has been removed and are hiring additional machinery to prepare more space.

The suspension followed an incident on the morning of 8 November in which several garbage trucks reportedly dumped their loads on the road leading to the landfill instead of waiting to enter the site. The municipality said the waste prevented other trucks from reaching the landfill.

Waste acceptance will resume after the access area has been restored and the municipality has held discussions with all local administrative organisations and relevant contractors, it said.

A second incinerator is expected to begin operating in June 2027, adding capacity for 500 tonnes of waste per day. The existing incinerator can process 700 tonnes daily, which would bring Phuket’s combined incineration capacity to 1,200 tonnes a day.

Supachok said additional incineration would address the problem only at the disposal stage and urged residents, businesses and government agencies to reduce waste at its source.