In an expansive warehouse in eastern Thailand, near a major highway, government inspector Thitipas Choddaechachainun meticulously examines piles of discarded electronics—circuit boards, scrap metal, and aging computer accessories. Each week, she and her team from the Thai Ministry of Industry investigate unauthorized facilities handling electronic waste, collecting samples for laboratory testing and regulatory enforcement.
Choddaechachainun leads a dedicated task force addressing the country’s growing challenge with electronic waste, or e-waste. Despite routine inspections and raids on these unlicensed processing sites—many hidden in rural regions to avoid scrutiny—the scale of the problem continues to intensify.
Thailand is experiencing the consequences of a shift in global e-waste flows. Historically, countries like China handled the bulk of electronic refuse from wealthier nations, especially the United States and those within the European Union. That changed in 2018, when China instituted a ban on e-waste imports, prompting exporters to seek alternatives across Southeast Asia, including Thailand.
Thailand implemented its own ban on importing e-waste in 2020. Nonetheless, the results have not been favorable. According to Earth Thailand, a nonprofit focused on environmental protection, the amount of e-waste entering the nation has increased from approximately 3,000 tons annually before China’s restriction to almost 60,000 tons now.
This influx is partly fueled by high turnover rates in electronic devices among Western consumers. Frequent upgrades to smartphones, laptops, and other electronic goods—combined with widespread ownership of large household appliances—generate substantial waste. Although international regulations aim to prevent the export of hazardous waste to developing nations, loopholes remain. For example, shipments are often misdeclared as used electronics meant for resale, only to be dismantled and smelted upon arrival.
The process of recycling comes with considerable environmental hazards. When e-waste reaches Thailand, it is broken down and melted to recover precious materials, including copper and gold. Although this recovery technique is lucrative, it releases hazardous materials like mercury and lead, polluting the air, soil, and water.
Thai authorities estimate that most of the recovered metals are sent to China, leaving behind the environmental and social toll.
Thai Industry Minister Akanat Promphan speaks out regarding the damage these operations inflict. He stresses that the unlawful recycling sector fails to benefit the country’s economy and instead causes harm to local environments and populations. His department has initiated a more intensive effort to close down illegal activities and remove foreign-owned facilities engaged in unlawful practices.
Thailand is being treated as a waste deposit site, Promphan notes. “We are contending with a global waste disposal activity that offers no advantage to our nation and causes significant harm.”
The harmful effects reach ordinary people such as Seng Wongsena, a 57-year-old agricultural worker in eastern Thailand. He asserts that contaminated runoff from a nearby smelting plant has negatively impacted his cassava crop, and the odor of burning waste disturbs his rest at night. Community activists argue that the smelting operation lacks proper authorization and are urging government officials to take action.
On a global scale, the implications are sobering. Data from the United Nations indicates that more than 60 million tonnes of e-waste are generated globally each year—double the volume recorded 15 years ago. Forecasts suggest that this figure could rise by over 30% by the end of the decade.
Although the worrying increase continues, only about 20% of global electronic waste is managed using sustainable and environmentally safe techniques. The rest is dumped in landfills or processed in dangerous environments, often in countries lacking strict regulations.
Several countries have implemented laws concerning extended producer responsibility, which make producers responsible for the disposal of their products at the end of their life cycles. Firms like Apple, Samsung, and Dell are being encouraged to create mechanisms for taking back and recycling their products.
Thailand is considering a similar legal framework, aiming to strengthen local regulation and reduce illegal activities linked to electronic waste management. Promphan is optimistic about its future implementation.
“I’m hopeful that we will pass this new law soon—either by the end of this year or early next year,” he says. “We need comprehensive action to eliminate this illicit industry and protect our people and environment.”
As Thailand moves forward with legal reform and enhances regulation, their actions reflect a smaller aspect of a more extensive issue. Managing electronic waste necessitates worldwide collaboration, clear supply networks, and teamwork between consumers and producers. Without major transformation, the ecological impact of our technological era might surpass its advantages.
