COMPLETION REPORTA Comparative Study of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Chiang Rai Provience, Thailand andUonuma-Niigata, JapanDr. Nittaya Pasukphun
Lecturer
Environmental Health Department, School of Health Science
Mae Fah Luang University
This research project aims to find out why existing solid waste management methods are less effective inChiang Rai province, northern Thailand, as well as compare the key factors in term of waste composition, wastemanagement (sorting, waste storage and handling, waste collection, waste transportation and waste treatment anddisposal,) policy and regulation, people knowledge, attitude and practice, technique and technology that areresponsible for effective solid waste management between Thailand and Japan in order to define the best way toapply Japanese solid waste management technique to be the appropriate technology in Chiang Rai and being
guideline for Thai solid waste management in agriculture.
In this study, there were not significant differences between villagers of Uonuma and Mae Chan forknowledge, attitude and practice on solid waste management. While, it found the clearly differences on the waste
management namely; (1) waste categories and sorting (2) waste treatment and disposal and (3) policy andregulation.
(1) Waste categories and sorting
Solid waste in Uonuma is categorized into 5 types, combustible, non-combustible, recyclable, hazardous
waste and bulky waste. While, waste in Mae Chan is categorized into 4 types; general waste, compostable waste,
recycle waste and hazardous waste. The waste sorting in each category of Uonuma and Mae Chan is very
difference especially in general and compostable waste sorting of Mae Chan. As mention, garden waste and foodwaste can be combustible waste in Uonuma while they are compostable waste in Mae Chan, also plastic bag andpackaging are the type of general waste in Mae Chan but they are also combustible waste in Uonuma. Waste
category and sorting are accordance to used treatment technology in each country.

(2) Waste treatment and disposal
From the study, it have no the process of waste treatment in Mae Chan due to dumping the collected
waste to landfill while the combustible waste have been treated by incinerator to reduce volume before leaving
only ash to landfill. As for disposal, landfill operation is not effectively according to no daily cover and liner
therefore, it become open dumping. Landfill in Mae Chan needs to reduce amount of waste by open burning
because the daily overloaded of waste whereas, the sanitary landfill is operating in Unomuma.

UonumaMae Chan(3) Policy and regulation
Since 2014, Mae Chan Municipality had established a policy for waste separation, recycle waste, plastic
bottle, paper and glass has separated in order to sell to waste market. As for general waste; plastic bags and piece ofplastic and paper were collected and transport to Mae Sai Material Recovery Facility for RDF production.
However, the collected waste in large amount still have transported to landfill. Furthermore, there are 2
government sections; Municipality and Sub-district Administrative Organization (SAO) which take responsibility
on solid waste management by own areas without cooperation but operating with the same landfill.
As for Uonuma, Eco-plant is only operating for waste management that brings out the effective waste
management. Importantly, the policy of fee of waste management, 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and fineand penalties for waste dumping and burning are established and enforce in the area. Moreover, waste
management instruction is provided to villagers with clear details and easy to understand.
On the other hand, agricultural waste; rice straw is not define as “waste” in Uonuma. It is utilized as
fertilizer and vegetable gardens. Contrastingly, open burning is the method of farmer in Mae Chan to eliminate therice straw without considering of its usefulness.

Rice straw utilization in Uonuma

Guideline of waste management for Mae Chan district learning from Uonuma
1.3Rs concept promotion
Waste to landfill needs to be reduce by 3Rs concept promotion especially plastic bag, piece of plastic or
paper and packaging should go on by “Reduce” and rice straw can be “ recycle”.

2. Fee and Fine of waste management
Government section should convince the local people to pay fee for waste management service including
fine and penalties in case of doing the appropriate household waste management.

3. Instruction of waste management
Make and provide the effective instruction of waste management which consist of waste categories andsorting, waste collection schedule, fee, fine and penalties, campaign and promotion etc.

Publication of the Results of Research Project:
Verbal Presentation (Date, Venue, Name of Conference, Title of Presentation, Presenter, etc.)

Thesis (Name of Journal and its Date, Title and Author of Thesis, etc.)
The results of this research will be submitted to the Journal;
1. Applied Environmental Research (TCI) (to be submitted by July,2017)“Solid waste management practices in Mae Chan-Chiang Rai, Thailand and Uonuma-Niigata, Japan”
2. EnviornmentAsia (Elsevier BV, Thomson Reuters) (to be submitted by August, 2017)“A comparative study of municipal solid waste management in Mae Chan-Chiang Rai, Thailand and UonumaNiigata, Japan”
Book (Publisher and Date of the Book, Title and Author of the Book, etc.)