Thailand has become the latest country to respond to the global plastic waste crisis by banning the import of plastic waste.

For years, the country has been a major destination for plastic waste from developed countries such as the United States and Japan.

Here’s information about the ban, global plastic waste imports and its environmental and health impacts.

Why does Thailand ban the import of plastic waste?

Thailand has stopped importing plastic waste from January 1, 2025 in a bid to curb toxic pollution in the country.

Since 2018, Thailand has been a major importer of plastic waste from developed countries such as the United States, Britain and Japan.

According to Thai officials, the country imported more than 1.1 million tons of plastic waste between 2018 and 2021. In 2023, Japan alone exported approximately 50 million kilograms (50,000 tons) of plastic waste to Thailand.

These imported products are often mishandled, with many factories burning the waste rather than recycling it.

The new ban, proposed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, was approved by the country’s cabinet in December 2024. However, environmentalists have been pushing for this move for years. In 2019, Thai and Greenpeace activists held demonstrations during the 34th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Bangkok, demanding a ban on electronic and plastic waste.

Why do Western countries export plastic waste to countries such as Thailand?

This is cold economics.

Western countries often export waste, including plastic, to countries such as Thailand because it is cheaper and easier than managing waste domestically.

Southern countries, including Thailand, generally have lower labor costs and lower exchange rates, allowing them to process and recycle waste at a lower cost than Western countries. For a wealthy country, recycling prices have fallen, but it can still claim to have met recycling targets and demonstrate its commitment to a clean, green environment.

Economics further explains why this practice is also common in wealthy but unequal countries—like the United States, where this dynamic persists at home as well.

For years, northeastern U.S. states have been shipping waste to southern states, which have weaker environmental regulations and lower wages and land values, making it cheaper to operate landfills.

In 2018, a “poop train” filled with sewage from New York and New Jersey was parked in the southeastern US state of Alabama for several months, sparking public outrage.

Why do countries in the Global South agree with this?

Countries in the Global South often accept plastic waste due to economic incentives. Repurposing imported plastic waste can also create jobs and support local economies.

The global plastic waste management market is expected to be worth US$37 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow to approximately US$44 billion by 2027.

For example, estimates from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC) show that Turkey earned $252 million in 2022 from importing scrap plastics. Malaysia imported US$238 million worth of scrap plastic that year, Vietnam imported US$182 million, and Indonesia imported US$104 million.

What impact does this plastic waste have on health and the environment?

Plastic waste, especially mixed household plastics, is either melted down into plastic pellets, incinerated, or dumped. These mixed plastics are difficult to recycle because they are often mixed with non-recyclable items such as bottles and packaging. The melted pellets are used to make products such as packaging or furniture.

Experts have also warned that a major human health crisis could result if the United Nations fails to resolve ongoing disagreements over a treaty to end plastic pollution.

Key concerns include increasing exposure to microplastics – tiny plastic particles produced by the breakdown of larger plastic items – which are everywhere from the air and water to food and human tissue.

Sometimes, microplastics are added to certain products to enhance their performance. For example, they are used as abrasive beads in exfoliating scrubs or toothpastes. Even if rinsed off, they do not break down with water but accumulate in the environment.

Study finds microplastics can be taken It will decompose and disappear after 100 to 1000 years.

People are also at risk of inhaling toxic pollutants from burned plastic waste. According to an article published in the British Medical Journal in January, this burning releases harmful chemicals and particles that increase the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular disease, especially in areas with poor waste management.

Which other countries receive plastic waste from Western countries?

Several other Southeast Asian countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, have historically been paid to take in plastic waste.

China was previously the largest domestic waste market and occupied the world’s largest domestic waste treatment market. nearly half The amount of plastic waste worldwide had been decreasing since 1992 until the ban was implemented in 2018. This became a watershed moment for trade.

In the same year, according to statistics from the Thai Customs Department, plastic waste shipped to Thailand surged to more than 500,000 tons in 2018, a tenfold increase from the average volume before 2015.

At the same time, after China implemented the ban, the UK began to export more plastic waste to Turkey, with the volume increasing from 12,000 tons in 2016 to 209,642 tons in 2020, accounting for approximately 30% of the UK’s plastic waste exports.

In May 2021, Türkiye announced a ban on the import of ethylene polymer plastic waste, which is commonly used in food packaging and containers such as bottles. The bill was repealed within days of its implementation as the local plastics industry relied on imported waste as raw materials.

Why do activists call it “waste colonialism”?

Many of the world’s leading plastic waste exporters are developed economies with strong recycling capabilities. this Top 10 The exporting countries are all high-income developed countries – seven of which are European. Together they account for 71% of global plastic waste exports, totaling more than 4.4 million tonnes per year.

For example, Germany exports approximately 688,067 tons per year, making it the world’s largest exporter. The UK exports around 600,000 tonnes a year, accounting for 61% of its plastic waste.

In contrast, the United States does recycle most of its plastic waste. But U.S. exports are still huge: In 2018, the U.S. exported 1.07 million tons of plastic waste abroad, accounting for about one-third of its recycling volume, and 78% of it was exported to countries with inadequate waste management systems.

Has any Western country stopped exporting plastic waste to the Southern Hemisphere?

Yes, some Western countries have taken steps to stop or reduce exports.

In 2023, the European Union announced that it would ban the export of plastic waste to poorer countries outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) from mid-2026 to protect the environment and health of these countries. The OECD is a trade and development organization composed of 38 major rich countries.

Exports to OECD countries will have stricter rules, and non-OECD countries can apply for exemptions from the new EU rules if they demonstrate they can manage waste sustainably.

What’s the solution?

Many activists believe such country- or group-specific restrictions are just a patchwork of solutions.

They have been calling for an effective global treaty on plastic waste. This will establish legally binding rules to reduce plastic production and improve the global waste management and recycling framework.

In December 2024, during the UN-led talks in Busan, South Korea, countries failed to agree on a treaty. More than 100 countries have backed a draft plan to reduce the production of 400 million tons of plastic a year and phase out certain chemicals and single-use plastics. However, oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Russia opposed production cuts, leading to the failure of negotiations. Plastic is made from petrochemicals found in oil and natural gas, making its production closely tied to the fossil fuel industry.

It’s unclear when the next global negotiations around a plastics treaty will take place.