“TIPMSE” รวมพลัง 149 องค์กร ปลดล็อก กม. EPR ปูทางเรียกคืนบรรจุภัณฑ์สู่วงจรรีไซเคิล“TIPMSE” Unites 149 Organizations to Unlock EPR Legislation, Paving the Way for Recycling of Packaging

The FTI supports “TIPMSE” in its efforts to collaborate and expand its network, opening pathways for producers of all sizes along with 48 new members to drive EPR  under the new global trade regulations set for 2027. The emphasis is on maximizing resource efficiency, returning packaging to reuse, creating a sustainable resource cycle, and reducing carbon emissions towards the Net Zero target.

On October 2, 2024, government and private sector organizations held an event to promote the expansion of producer responsibility throughout the product life cycle, known as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), at the “PackBack in Action Year 3: The Drive for EPR in Thailand.” This initiative aims to announce a commitment towards maximizing resource efficiency and concretely returning packaging back to use in Thailand, honored by Dr. Chayanan Pakkijit, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) and Chairman of the EPR Driving Committee, who opened the event reflecting the progress and direction of the ministry's circular economy initiatives.  This is a national agenda and a collaboration with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) in developing the EPR system for packaging in Thailand at  the Plenary Hall, 1st Floor, Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

Mr. Kriangkrai Thiennukul, President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), stated that today FTI, in collaboration with both government and private sector partners, organized the “PackBack in Action Year 3: The Drive for EPR in Thailand” event to express the intention to use resources and raw materials efficiently and sustainably. Thai operators, whether large enterprises or SMEs, must be aware of the implications of various measures from abroad affecting exports. Furthermore, once the Sustainable Packaging Management Act is enacted, all companies will need to comply with it. Currently, the Packaging and Recycling Management Institute for the Environment (TIPMSE) under the operation of FTI has coordinated with both government and private networks to prepare for mandatory enforcement, which is expected to be announced as a law in 2027.”

Mr. Kosit Suksing, Vice President of the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and President of the Packaging and Recycling Management Institute for the Environment (TIPMSE), emphasized the role of the private sector in driving EPR alongside the government as a transformation of the country's environmental development strategy, reflecting the participation of all sectors. He noted that the industry must engage from the outset. TIPMSE has acted as the core in preparing for readiness, including providing comments on the development of the EPR draft legislation, developing incentive measures, creating a database system to support EPR, promoting design for recycling (D4R), and communicating to stimulate action in the responsibility chain. Furthermore, they are implementing EPR principles in pilot models for collection in targeted areas as part of the Pack Back Project in Chonburi province across three municipalities, namely Saen Suk Municipality, Ban Bueng Municipality, and Koh Sichang Subdistrict Municipality, with plans to expand to nine more municipalities in 2024 to develop local collection systems and elevate them to city ordinances or local regulations, thereby creating a model to support local differences based on contextual challenges, ensuring that large, medium, and small producers understand and participate in preparing for future mandatory EPR compliance.

The development of the EPR mechanism using the production sector will be a significant tool and strategy in advancing towards substantially reducing greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide, methane, or sulfur dioxide within specified timelines to achieve the Net Zero greenhouse gas emission target. This aligns with the government's policy to pursue a new economic model called or Bio-Circular-Green Economy that harnesses Thailand's strengths, especially adopting the principles of Circular Economy (CE) as a sustainable development framework that the industry is continuously integrating into business practices under the new global trade regulations that address climate change, a critical issue prioritized by all countries.  Therefore, the establishment of the EPR system requires cooperation from all relevant sectors to create a comprehensive and systematic management mechanism. Currently, the waste management legislation has gaps where local administrative organizations are solely responsible for collection and disposal without provisions for sorting and recycling. Enacting the EPR as a mandatory law in 2027 sends a signal for all sectors to prepare for the optimal reuse of used packaging to enhance the economic value for the country while caring for the environment sustainably.