DIW Coordinates with Customs Department to Block Illegal Import of "Spent Catalyst"

DIW inspected 30 shipping containers and discovered Spent Catalyst, a type of industrial waste classified as a hazardous substance. The DIW has coordinated with the Customs Department to push the shipment out of the country, as it was imported and transited without legal authorization.

On April 1, 2026, the Director-General of the Department of Industrial Works (DIW) assigned officials from the Industrial Waste Management Division to join forces with the Customs Department at Laem Chabang Port, Chonburi Province, to inspect suspicious cargo following irregularities in a large shipment from Kuwait. The shipment, consisting of 30 containers weighing over 375 tons, was declared as "Molybdenum Concentrate." However, laboratory analysis revealed that the material was "Spent Catalyst" contaminated with valuable molybdenum and various heavy metals, including Lead, Cadmium, Mercury. The material is classified as a Type 3 Hazardous Substance under List 5.2 (Chemical Waste). Transboundary movement of such waste is strictly regulated under the Hazardous Substances Act B.E. 2535 (1992) and its amendments, which require permission from the DIW before to import or export.

Because the importing company has not obtained the required permits, the DIW and the Customs Department are ordering the immediate removal of the shipment from the country. Officials emphasized that shipment is not a natural mineral but rather industrial waste. Permitting imports under false declarations poses severe long-term risks to both the environment and public health.

Source: https://www.diw.go.th/webdiw/pr69-123/