Waste management is becoming a growing concern worldwide. It is particularly gaining increased attention in rapidly developing countries like Thailand. Finding viable solutions to counter the waste management challenge has long been a desired priority of Thai Governments. In this regard, this research aims to study the processes that have contributed to successful waste management by the local government of Phang Khon Subdistrict under Phang Khon District of Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand. The information for this research will be collected by interviewing the local government authorities of the sub-district along with literature reviews of books, journals, articles and other secondary sources related to waste management. As the study area has previously received a number of awards and recognition for its efforts in waste management, we may discover whether or not it has made any improvements to the existing processes of waste management.
BEST-PRACTICES OF WASTE MANAGEMENT IN PHANG KHON DISTRICT OF SAKON NAKHON PROVINCE, THAILAND Chadathon Uthai chadathon_thai@hotmail.com Assoc Prof Dr Sekson Yongvanit sekyon@kku.ac.th Surachai Khanchaiyaphum Khanchaiyaphum1@yahoo.com Faculty of Humanities and Social Science, Khon Kaen University, Thailand Abstract Waste management is becoming a growing concern worldwide It is particularly gaining increased attention in rapidly developing countries like Thailand Finding viable solutions to counter the waste management challenge has long been a desired priority of Thai Governments In this regard, this research aims to study the processes that have contributed to successful waste management by the local government of Phang Khon Subdistrict under Phang Khon District of Sakon Nakhon Province, Thailand The information for this research will be collected by interviewing the local government authorities of the sub-district along with literature reviews of books, journals, articles and other secondary sources related to waste management As the study area has previously received a number of awards and recognition for its efforts in waste management, we may discover whether or not it has made any improvements to the existing processes of waste management Keywords: Waste Management, Local Government Introduction Waste management, at this moment, has become the significantly concern worldwide Because of the environmental issue is the problem which all continents are facing while every relevant party recognize and concern Moreover, it requires urgent solving - action since the problem is occurring at all levels - local community, municipality, metropolitan, nation, up to global - level Many countries have begun to concern on waste management since 1972 The Human Environment Summit is the starting point for sustainable development - concept that the encouraging more environmental - concern by worldwide Many countries had been issued serious regulations on waste management i.e Canada: focus on reducing of unnecessary packaging waste by encouraging the public's involvement, United States of America: issues the policy of waste reduction at its origin, change the buying selective behavior to select the least waste and pollution - product, Taiwan: issues supportive law for recycle that every person response to tax as the social burden to change the behavior of consumption emphasizing on the reuse to reduce waste (Sunee Mallika and party, 2000), and California, 835 United States of America: announce "Zero Waste - California" goal by letting public participation of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle in their daily life According to "What a Waste: a Global Review of Solid Waste Management" report, world bank mentioned that Solid Waste Management in the municipality is the most importance service that the municipality government provides for its residents in all countries among low and medium income countries With poorly waste management could cause of severe effect on human‘s health, contributes to city & globe‘s environment and economic - system For Thailand, local administrative organization has the significant mission to pay attention the natural resources and qualify the environmental problems on its own area Thailand prioritize the waste management since the signing of the World Master Plan 1992 for sustainable development or Agenda 21 during the Earth Summit on the Environment deriving to changing of Thailand's bureaucratic reformation that the local administrative organization authorize to manage the natural resources and environment The main responsibility of the local administrative organization is solid waste management service as the basic public utility service (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1994) Later in 2004, the Asean Summit on Sustainable Urban Environment define waste management strategy as Clean Land project aiming on well waste management covering collection, general and hazardous waste disposal, reducing waste and recycle, together with growing the green space in urban area including setting policy on waste management accordingly The goal has been set through the National Economic and Social Development Plan 10 (2007 - 2011) to maintain and qualify the environment at the appropriate level for well living and not threaten to the ecology while enhancing the effectiveness of mechanism for community's waste management, electronics waste, hazardous waste, and contaminated waste By creating business incentive to reduce and sorting out waste at its origin, support private enterprise on recycling waste, develop the collection and sorting system with basic infrastructure Also legalize that business operators have to responsible to their product's waste applying with tax system (The Office of the National Economy and Social Development Board) In 2009, the Zero Waste Community project had been implied by the Department of Environmental Quality Promotion At present, the government set the solid waste management‘s master plan to authorize the local administrative organization being an important role on solid and hazardous waste management in the community Phang Khon Municipality, Phang Khon District, Sakonnakorn Province is the local administrative organization that having awarded on contributing waste management since 2009-2016 and become a prototype community on waste management Phang Khon municipality is the local administrative organization that having policy to solving on environment earnestly and continuously since 2007 In 2011, Phang Khon Municipality had been awarded as the 1st prize of Zero Waste community from Department of Environment Quality Promotion In 2013, they had been awarded as prototype organization for Health Quality Promotion and Environmental Health on the community participating environmental management In 2014, they had been awarded as Good 836 Governance on Environment from Prime Minister's Office In 2016, they had been awarded as earnestly continuous working organization on environment from Department of Environment Quality Promotion From the accomplishment of Phang Khon Municipality study, to study on the accomplishment factor of contributing waste management by Phang Khon Municipality, Sakonnakorn Province, the researcher is interested to study in order to be a lesson and direction to encourage other local administrative organizations to apply the contributing waste management into their area effectively Terminology Waste Management means performance with waste beginning from giving information, public hearing activity, policy and mission planning, and applying process by using "3Rs" (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) Local Administrative Organization means Phang Khon Municipality, Phang Khon District, Sakonnakorn Province Method To studying in well waste management by Phang Khon Municipality for gathering the circumstance of accomplishment on waste management by Phang Khon Municipality and studying of influencing factors of the accomplishment of the research methodology on qualitative research by informative collection The information is dividing into types as followings: 2.1 Primary information from collecting by exploring the area, interviewing relevant performing persons For this article, mentioning of interview of Permanent Secretary of Phang Khon Municipality - Mr Surachai Khanchaiyabhum 2.2 Secondary information is gathering from reports and relevant data on execution and performance on waste management by local administrative organization such as Department of Environment Quality Promotion, Pollution Control Department, other organizations and relevant articles and websites Qualitative Analysis: Researcher use data organizing which is the management process by several methods to get information orderly both physical - systematic information, easy to utilize, collection, and recall for apply when needed - and content - to classify the information-category prioritize and relativity of information to be promptly show and present systematically in conclusion, interpretation by both primary and secondary information To select the local administrative organization for the study, researcher select Phang Khon Municipality, Phang Khon District, Sakonnakorn Province because of the organization has well managed on contributing waste management as awarded continuously since 2009 - 2016 being the prototype community of waste management Phang Khon Municipality is the local administrative organization having earnest environmental problem management and continuously since 2009 In 2011, Phang Khon Municipality had been awarded the first prize on zero waste community from Department 837 of Environmental Quality Promotion In 2013, they had been awarded as prototype organization on health and environment promotion as prototype community on contributing environment community In 2014, they had been awarded as Good Governance on Environment from Prime Minister's Office And in 2016, awarded as earnestly continuous working organization on environment from Department of Environment Quality Promotion Results From the inspection result integrated drive of natural resources management policy and environmental waste management and environment on the fiscal year 2016, found that the solid waste - situation in Sakonnakorn Province containing of solid waste approximately 1,040 tons per day Solid waste from municipality/SAO is divided into 431 tons per day with service provided and 609 tons per day without service Phang Khon Municipality is having guidelines on waste management at its origin including sorting waste by supporting public, education institutions, business enterprises, and service providers to reduce, sorting general waste and recycle by 3Rs activity (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Phang Khon Municipality provides assembling places according to the principle on one third of Sakonnakorn Province The municipality also provides proper landfill according to the sanitary one of two in Sakonnakorn Province Phang Khon Municipality's waste management at its destination provides landfill over 50 Rai being the first solid waste disposal center of the country which setting conditions setting and supporting local administrative organization with memorandum of agreement Each organization that would use the landfill must have executing plan and reducing waste at its origin clearly before gaining the permission to dispose solid waste at the landfill of Phang Khon Municipality in order to extend the lifetime of landfill and being part of sustainable waste management The well waste management of Phang Khon Municipality is aiming of good will on mutual contributing on municipal and social administrative management Phang Khon Municipality consists of 11 communities, all communities join the zero waste community project which the Department of Environment Quality Promotion encouraging local administrative organization since 2009 To manage solid waste in the community prioritize on the mutual contribution principle and open to public‘s contribution starting from decision making process with municipality continuously and equally by both direct and indirect to get initiative and consistency on the execution and capable to accomplishment on developing public's life quality and better living of public Project which is relevant to solid waste management will be open to the public's contribution at the beginning throughout contributing execution process as below: 1) Co-initiated: At the beginning, Phang Khon Municipality start by environmental and community waste management project on public's meeting within the community among committee of Ban Mai community, Nong Sa Phang community, governor, Phang Khon Municipality's officers, and officers from the Department of Environment Quality Promotion, and Resource Officer of Sakonnakorn Province in order to find pattern and process on mutual waste management 838 2) Co-leadership and planning: Municipality and community-leaders join to plan the implementation for generating knowledge and recognition of the process to get accomplishment as plan through the study of community waste element Phang Khon Municipality, the Department of Environment Quality Promotion, and Rajamangala University of Technology Isan provide training of environmental development project by community network, educational institution, community leader in the topic of "Community Waste Element" 3) Joint-investment: Municipality and public joining the investment on the activity/ project in order to gain ownership from public sector such as selling waste separating bin 20L at 10 THB per piece while the municipality buy it at 59 THB per piece, or purchasing of cement edge banding, and reusing of wasteful product i.e use sliver as stall, creating household manure Phang Khon Municipality performing zero bin on the road project by raising understanding about the bin and selling household bin to the waste disposal at origin Each household will sort its waste in the house and not put any bin at front of the house The municipality will collect waste as appointment by the truck The municipality provide developing project to clean up the Baan Mai community and Nong Sa Phang community is joining at the beginning period by collocation of the community road twice a month as Big Cleaning Day People in the community join with Phang Khon Municipality's officers cutting grass and sweeping road 4) Co-operate: Municipality and community will co-operate closely and continuously on the activity/ project by waste disposal from its origin to reduce waste for landfill, community sorting waste, municipality purchases waste as appointing on every first Thursday of every month The place and will be indicated with members within the community Furthermore, there is a local manure making project from sliver, grass, organic waste from food ferment in the cement edge banding This household manure making from food waste, vegetable waste, fruit waste, grass, leaves, branches not to dispose to the waste disposal by the municipality under the zero bin on the road project Household can sorting its waste and selling out 5) Co-follow up and assessment: The municipality encourage the community acting on the follow up and assessment of the activity/ project time to time i.e previously the municipality will assign its car to patrol for buying recycle waste at member's houses which consume time and resources Later, the community assessment and decide to set the mutual place for gathering those waste instead 6) Acquisition benefit from those projects: The municipality accomplish the generating consciousness about 3Rs (Reduce Reuse Recycle) for public and reduce waste to be filled at the municipality's landfill while public sector gain as revenue Phang Khon Municipality performs the "Collecting waste Gaining revenue Saving future" project for funeral aid which derive as benefit for member of the project In case a people in the member's family pass away, there will be a 5,000 THB aid per time with the condition that the member could not get cash until the member accumulate their account at 300 THB and being a member at least month continuously in order to receive the funeral aid benefit 839 According to the project performance, the community getting better environment and health, also roads are cleaned The operating project on waste management by Phang Khon Municipality could be managed effectively by gaining mutual contribution of Phang Khon Municipality, public sector in the community, relevant organizations, and relevant persons whereas well waste management factors of Phang Khon Municipality contain of followings: Internal Factors: Administration of Phan Khon Municipality, contributing of the policy and mission setting, mutual execution among direct response organization and personnel through execution of activity/ project, public relation, equipment machine vehicle availability, place, budget and expenses Social, Phang Khon Municipality and community co-setting plan, policy, and process supporting the community to be zero waste community Also, the communities contributing on reduce, reuse, and recycle project (3Rs), organic - recycle - general and hazardous waste management activities, and encouraging the discipline on general waste management within the community Phang Khon Municipality has earnestly and wisely support with boundary budget by gaining the mutual contribution from organization networks, working and supporting closely with local community with dramatically development by bringing the community leaders to field trip from other local administrative organizations that success and selects the project which suitable with its culture and precise need of local community External Factor is another factor that enhances the waste management‘s accomplishment by Phang Khon Municipality containing of government policy, cooperation from external organization to support the zero waste community To performing each project, Phang Khon Municipality together with community allocate the job distribution i.e waste bank activity, hazardous waste for point, central manure making Moreover, competition among organizations can be count as another factor to the accomplishment of waste management with zero waste community - competition by the Department of Environment Quality Promotion, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has been an important motivation for community and local administrative organization to earnestly cooperate and accomplished Discussion and Conclusion Local Administrative Organization could be counting as the local operating organization who plays important role on general and hazardous waste management in the community since sorting at origin until its destination According with the master plan for solid waste management (2016 - 2021), the importance is given to local administrative organization as a success factor It is an important implementation unit to deliver the practice and operation of solid and hazardous waste management according to the principle starting of sorting solid and hazardous community waste at origin, transportation, up to the solid waste disposal, hazardous and contaminated waste, including the solid waste disposal according to the principle (Pollution Control Department, 2016 page 25) likewise, the cooperating among government organizations, private business, and public sector 840 Waste management of Phang Khon Municipality has been accomplished due to the mutual contribution of public sector agreeable with Tiwa Prasuwan, (2016) from studying of contributing waste management from local administrative organization and community in Tambol Baan Laeng, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province Found that the pattern and method of contribution solid waste management of Tambol Baan Laeng, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province should require integration from local administrative organizations in the community with private business by using appropriate solid waste management in the community with promotion to sorting waste Additionally, Study of Siwaporn Sirijarmorn and Chamlong Phoboon (2010) on good governance on environment management by local administrative organization: a case study of Muang Sri Racha Municipality, Chonburi Province found that environment management of local administrative organization need the principle of contribution while the local administrative organization comprise the contribution from all aspects and supporting the public in the decision-making and development process Nevertheless, Phang Khon Municipality is the only local administrative organization of Sakonnakorn Province that have a place for mutual hazardous waste for the community (master plan of nation - solid waste management 2016 - 2021) performing through the hazardous waste for point project Phang Khon Municipality collecting hazardous waste from the hazardous waste for point project from community and dispose by the removal of fluorescent lamp from Dr Somsak Pitaksanurat, Faculty of Public Health, Khon Kaen University Together with community activity of sorting waste at origin particularly on hazardous waste along the Collecting waste Gaining revenue Safe future, hazardous waste for point projects Sustainable and developing contribution procedure of community by Phang Khon Municipality emphasize on the project which have mutual benefits i.e Gaining revenue and funeral aid benefit from selling recycle waste, sorting hazardous waste for point by household, also facilitation the community members to participate the activity more easy, less time consumption, and importantly to select the community from volunteer basis joining the municipality's activity without forcing This could be a factor that leads to the sustainability because most people in the community are interested to join the project especially, leading members in the community will be the push forward to success (Department of Environment Quality Promotion, Manual for Zero Waste community 2011) References Pollution Control from https://goo.gl/2fRTML Department (PCD), Knowledge of 3Rs search Pollution Control Department, Process and Prerequisites of Reduce and Using of Solid Waste 1,000 books published second edition Bangkok 2005 Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2014) Report of Thailand's Pollution situation 2014 search from https://goo.gl/wYrZ7g Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2015) Report of Thailand's Pollution situation 2015 search from https://goo.gl/YTYCrF 841 Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (2016) Master plan of nation‘s solid waste management (2016 – 2021) Bangkok: Active Print Department of Environment Quality Promotion (2011) Zero Waste Community manual Bangkok Tavilvadee Bureekul (2008) Document from field trip of the committee of political development and public contribution Senate Tiwa Prasuwan (20160 Contributing waste management by local administrative organization and community of Tambol Baan Laeng, Muang Rayong District, Rayong Province Journal of research and development Valaya Alongkorn under the Royal Patronage, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Page 45-61 Sunee Mallikamalya (2000) Full Research Report, Public participation in community garbage management Bangkok: Center of Law and Environment Development Chulalonkorn University 10 Siwaporn Sirijarmorn and Chamlong Phoboon Good governance on environment management by local administrative organization Journal of Environment Management Year Issue (2010): 52-57 842 ... hazardous waste management in the community Phang Khon Municipality, Phang Khon District, Sakonnakorn Province is the local administrative organization that having awarded on contributing waste management. .. Local Administrative Organization means Phang Khon Municipality, Phang Khon District, Sakonnakorn Province Method To studying in well waste management by Phang Khon Municipality for gathering the... of sustainable waste management The well waste management of Phang Khon Municipality is aiming of good will on mutual contributing on municipal and social administrative management Phang Khon Municipality