Public and private cooperate in solving Koh Tao's waste problem. The shops on Koh Tao will replace bottled beer with aluminum-canned beer, starting from September 1, 2023.
On August 28, 2023, government agencies and private sectors signed a memorandum of cooperation on the Project on Packaging Waste Management along the Value Chain by Packaging Transition, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and Solid Waste Management System in Koh Tao, Koh Phangan District, Surat Thani Province. This project was initiated from a collaboration between Pollution Control Department, Surat Thani Province, Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Department of Tourism, Koh Tao Subdistrict Municipality, Resources Management for Sustainability (3R) Foundation, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), CP All Public Company Limited and Koh Tao Tourism Association and Koh Tao Conservation Club.
Mr. Pinsak Suraswadi, Director General of Pollution Control Department, said the Pollution Control Department is now studying the law on sustainable packaging management with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Koh Tao is a pilot project for transitioning packaging to be brought to the island. In addition, there will be a campaign to reduce the use of single-use plastics. This could result in a reduction of the amount of waste disposed and marine debris.
Reference: https://www.pcd.go.th/pcd_news/30345