SAMUT PRAKAN: Police will press charges against an electronic-waste sorting factory and a foam factory in Bang Bo district of Samut Prakan, following a search on Saturday.
A team, led by deputy police chief Gen Wirachai Songmetta and joined by Industry Ministry officials, searched the two-rai compound of Wang Xiao-Tong Electronics Co Ltd after complaints of possible illegal storage of electronic waste.
Company owner Sunisa Limvanich was present and cooperated during the search.
Officials found several large bags of electronic waste, TV and computer components stacked on top of one another.
According to police, the company buys old parts of computers, TV sets and electronic circuits without a required licence for operating a recycling business, said Pol Gen Virachai.
A look into its sales records found it used individual names to trade. It buys the waste, sorts it and then sells it to companies that dispose of it without a licence, thy said.
"It's a network. The parts are imported and declared as plastic scrap and then delivered to the factory here," Pol Gen Wirachai said.
The search followed the raid and closure of a factory alleged to be part of the same network and the same district last week. Another company was also identified as the importer of the waste, he added.
Thailand has emerged as a new dumping ground for scrap electronics from around the world, say police and environmentalists, reflecting the impact of China’s crackdown on imports of high-tech trash.
Wang Xiao-Tong Electronics will initially be charged with violating the 1992 hazardous materials law for importing and possessing Type-3 hazardous materials without a permit.
It also breached the 1992 factories law for operating a Type-3 factory without a permit, officials said.
According to its website, Wang Xiao-Tong Electronics buys computers from businesses, government agencies, schools and hospitals. It primarily buys monitors, printed circuit boards, batteries and computer parts. (continued below)
After the search at Wang Xiao-Tong Electronics, the team moved on to Thai Insufoam Industries Co Ltd, an expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) factory located nearby.
They found the coal-fired plant did not have an air purifying system to eliminate odours. It also was found to have discharged wastewater improperly.
A sample of the discharged water was taken to be tested for heavy metals.
The company will be charged with improperly discharging waste and pollution under the factories law, punishable by a fine up to 200,000 baht.
