BANGKOK, 22 July 2014, – The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission together with the Department of Pollution Control (PCD) are planning to regulate the disposal of obsolete mobile phone batteries.
The campaign emerged after records showed the nation’s electronics garbage collection has increased exponentially over recent years.
Residents are urged to dispose of unused and obsolete batteries at one of the NBTC’s designated areas, officials said, adding that they would collect and dispose of these items appropriately and in accordance with the safety codes. They believe doing so would significantly reduce electronics waste while minimizing the impact on the environment and health.
Meanwhile, the Department of Pollution Control has indicated that there were 8.52 million discarded mobile phones and household telephones in 2012, forecasting the number would reach 10.91 million in 2016. The Department stated electronics waste tends to increase at the rate of 7% annually.
More importantly obsolete cell phones can leak deadly chemicals such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic, while citing LED displays that contain cancer inducing agents.
The Department is particularly concerned about the newer models of mobile phones which tend to have more advanced and larger LED screens, adding however that Thailand does not yet have the know-how to ensure their correct disposal or recycling.
