Prachinburi at risk of industrial waste contamination after flood

Pictures of oil-like scum on floodwater in Prachinburi have led to concerns of toxic contamination from industrial waste dumping sites in the area.

Oil-like scum floating on floodwaters in Prachinburi (Photo from EARTH Foundation)

On 29 September, the Ecological Alert and Recovery (EARTH) Thailand Foundation posted on its Facebook page that it had received pictures from locals in Prachinburi of oil-like scum on floodwaters covering rice fields in Prachinburi’s Si Maha Phot district. Locals said that the scum extends across waters flowing into the Si Mahosot district.

EARTH Foundation speculated that it may originate from an industrial waste landfill operated by Green Environment Technology company, which has a permit for waste sorting and landfill disposal. The company also has a permit for processing used lubricant and solvent, shredding electronic parts, and converting non-toxic waste into bricks.

Sumet Rianpongnam, an environmental activist from the Strong Prachinburi group, said that locals also informed his group about the scum. He said that chemicals and toxins were seeping out of the landfill before the flood. On  25 September, heavy rain caused a flood, and rainwater in the landfill overflowed, spreading toxic chemicals into rice fields.

“Oil was leaking before … but the problem has gotten worse with the flood. It now extends across thousands of rai … [and] we don‘t know how far the toxins will spread,“ said Sumet.

Observing that it depends on the flow of floodwaters, he expressed concern that as the water rises, more contamination could leak out of the site, which is now underwater.

The Strong Prachinburi group lodged a complaint with Prachinburi’s Provincial Industry Office on 28 September, according to EARTH Foundation. They have not received a response.

Meanwhile, officials from the Environment and Pollution Control Office 7 visited the Si Maha Phot district on 1 October to collect samples of the floodwater.