Mr. Tewakul Jullmanee and Dr. Somsak Pitaksanurat explained why domestic waste reduction strategies were so important for Khon Kaen Municipality, and revised a pilot community participation project to be further expanded.

1. The City

Khon Kaen Municipality (KKM) is located in the northeast of Thailand, some 450 kilometers from Bangkok. Covering an area of 46km², Khon Kaen has a population of around 150,000, including 50,000 non-registered inhabitants. The city has become the educational, economic, transportation and cultural center of the region. 

There are 28 solid waste collection vehicles which can collect 95.8% of the solid waste generated in the municipal area. This has been increasing each year, and is currently at 163 tons per day, or 0.89 kg/person/day. The solid waste disposal site, located 17 kilometers from the collection areas, is not sufficient to take the city’s waste, as it covers a small area and lacks topsoil for daily covering. Organic waste makes up 48% of the total amount, and the municipality has formulated some effective 3R policies under its slogan to ‘stop waste where it starts’, such as the successful ‘pig feed project’, under which liquid fertilizer is made from organic waste collected from citizens (see AUICK Newsletter No. 51).

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2. Action Plan Progress

Local Community education to promote waste reduction under the Action Plan for Khon Kaen

The Action Plan formulated by Ms. Piyanuch Panchapan, Sanitary Officer of Khon Kaen Municipality, at the First 2008 Workshop, aimed to reduce the quantity of garbage produced in the city by 10% from 150 tons/day to 135 tons/day, through increased citizen awareness. The Bureau of City Natural Resource and Environment Management created partnerships and networks with private sector and educational institutions, and established a committee to oversee the implementation of the practical steps of the Action Plan. Starting in 5 pilot communities of 84, community leaders were trained on the 3Rs, with emphasis on ‘reducing’ the amount of waste generated. Partnerships were set up with sorting and recycling centers, as well as shops to buy used items. The community leaders then trained citizens to gather data on the composition of waste, so that it could be reduced and segregated. The training promoted composting of kitchen waste to make organic fertilizer, and separation of papers and plastics. Citizens participated in discussion sessions and motivational events to share ideas on how to reduce waste. City clean-up days and recycling markets increased community participation in waste reduction. The remaining component of the plan is to assess each pilot community’s measures to reduce waste, and then reward and promote the most successful community.

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3. Proposed Action Plan Revision

Visiting Tamondai Community Welfare Center showed the Khon Kaen participants of the First 2009 Workshop the importance of promoting the environmental activities of a local community. Their revised Action Plan will reward the area of Khon Kaen that has most effectively reduced its waste production, and disseminate its achievements citywide. Then, with local government funding, NGO resources and university personnel, the network among the public, private and education sectors will be expanded, and environmental and 3R training and information dissemination increased. With each expansion of the plan, more local communities will be rewarded, and more momentum will be gained, and the promotion of Khon Kaen as an ‘Ecological Town’ will be through its active community base.

Khon Kaen Time Frame for Revised Action Plan: June 2009 - September 2010

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