News Forum - Island of rubbish: Koh Samui’s pollution problem remains unsolved

[DrPhibes]

Was living at the north end of Lamai beach right on the beach bungalow from Jan 6 - May 30th and saw the same trash of plastic, fishing nets, M-150/beer bottles, nobody cared but the crew at New Hut (flags on the beach) who made sure the beach out in front of them was cleaned and often groomed.   Speaking of derelict resorts, I often would walk the length of Lamai beach and it looks like "Life After People"  with only a few beach front resorts not run down to crap (Aloha being one of them).  Given the new projections for international travelers is down from the rosy 3.2 million to just 150,000 for the entire 2021 year (with a chunk of that guys trying to get home to their families from abroad), Thailand now on Red lists for travel, it is only going to get worse.  Too bad, I have some GREAT memories of Lamai from the early 90's, tough to see it like this.

https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/tourism/prediction-for-international-travellers-to-thailand-lowered-again

If you search for Lamai beach walking 4k on youtube there is a guys putting out walking videos of the beach and such over the last 6 months.

 

[HolyCowCm]

9 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Confirmed! I volunteered in a pristine beach GH in Bai Xep Vietnam...a small GH on beach next to a 5 star resort..white sand--blue water....and every morning on the water line...yep..wait for it................trash!!!

We would pick it up as the local laughed at us and they too would trash beach...i recall the temp was 116 and burned the hell out of my feet...more laughing......the trash of course coming from the fishermen and tides

The GH owners tried to buy big blue cans to chain on beach to inspire locals to use them....they got stolen...

Humans can be so so stupid and uncaring.

[HolyCowCm]

4 hours ago, KaptainRob said:

There are so many simple options available for refuse collection and disposal or re-purposing that I'm surprised no enterprising Thai's have cottoned on to the potential for selling systems to regional government.

Separate collection bins for waste and recyclables is a start and Thai's are generally excellent at recycling.

Green waste should only be accommodated in designated dumping sites where it may be put through a shredder and turned into compost. 

Household garbage is sorted & processed at a receiving station - plenty of cheap labour for that.  All perishable matter including some plastic then feeds into a macerator and turns everything into 'mince', some of which can be mixed in with compost, the rest going to a suitably contained landfill and mixed daily with fill soil to cover and compact.  Apart from an expensive maceration machine and conveyor belts, other equipment is readily available.

The above is a simple overview of one system I saw many years ago and I'm sure it's more advanced nowadays. 

Incineration is a poor option used extensively in Indonesia anywhere that's too far from the sea.  The rampant dumping of waste directly into the ocean by Indo's is appalling.

I recently read a discouraging recycling article and most will no be recycled. The reality about recycling is it doesn't work and ends up being thrown away in most western places and 3rd world places. The reason is because, yes, the actual container or item can be recycled, but when it comes to say like bottles there needs to be more done. Bottle caps aren't' recyclable and neither is the plastic shrink wrap and so they needs to be taken off. and to do so in huge bulk it becomes way too time consuming and costly. Also on some bottles, the cap will have a protective piece liner that snaps off and stay on the bottle, and that is not recyclable and cannot be put into the process of when they break the plastic down. Easier and faster to just throw it away than making it into reusable plastic. another problem is that the colors need to be separated and if mixed is just easier to toss away rather than separate. Lastly, the plastic is not all the same and the recycle triangle will have a number in it, say 1- 7. These supposedly need to be matched with the same numbers.

I read this article after I had read an article about Malaysia and the Philippines sending the garbage back to the senders, and then that led me to read about what is actually the case in the USA and that the recycling there is only a fairy tale cover up. USA doesn't recycle anywhere near efficient numbers, and not sure but maybe it is in the low 25% at best that makes it. 

So now just recently I take the initiative to go the next step and take the shrink wrap etc. off of the bottles. 

This would be a good thing for the TT members to look into and start doin g if not already. Just a darn shame it is all mostly a fairytale. But for places like Thailand and other places where labor is cheap, then I presume it does work out to a point as the people can handle the domestic turn over, but in western worlds and the volume and where labor is expensive there is no way in heck it will ever work until the system is completely overhauled. In reality it is just way too sad.

 

[KaptainRob]

2 minutes ago, HolyCowCm said:

The reason is because, yes, the actual container or item can be recycled, but when it comes to say like bottles there needs to be more done. Bottle caps aren't' recyclable and neither is the plastic shrink wrap and so they needs to be taken off. and to do so in huge bulk it becomes way too time consuming and costly. Also on some bottles, the cap will have a protective piece liner that snaps off and stay on the bottle, and that is not recyclable and cannot be put into the process of when they break the plastic down. Easier and faster to just throw it away than making it into reusable plastic. another problem is that the colors need to be separated and if mixed is just easier to toss away rather than separate. Lastly, the plastic is not all the same and the recycle triangle will have a number in it, say 1- 7. These supposedly need to be matched with the same numbers.

NZ has been recycling since Adam was a boy, or I was  same thing, as raw materials used to be expensive to ship in.  Glass was always crushed and still is, though with newer cleaning/sorting machines.  Plastic waste is hand sorted on a conveyor system, same in Aus, into type and no doubt sorters quickly learn which types are which by familiarity.

Re-using used oils has always been easy, same with glass and metals.  Plastic is a problem and with countries like China no longer accepting it, new products are being invented. PVC fence posts are a winner as they don't rot, are impervious to termites and easily sawn or drilled.  Another is building blocks, made in moulds under extremely high pressure (and a secret binding process).  Car tyres are still a big problem although many are now shredded for mixing in with bitumen, makes for a quieter road surface too!

[HolyCowCm]

1 minute ago, KaptainRob said:

NZ has been recycling since Adam was a boy, or I was  same thing, as raw materials used to be expensive to ship in.  Glass was always crushed and still is, though with newer cleaning/sorting machines.  Plastic waste is hand sorted on a conveyor system, same in Aus, into type and no doubt sorters quickly learn which types are which by familiarity.

Re-using used oils has always been easy, same with glass and metals.  Plastic is a problem and with countries like China no longer accepting it, new products are being invented. PVC fence posts are a winner as they don't rot, are impervious to termites and easily sawn or drilled.  Another is building blocks, made in moulds under extremely high pressure (and a secret binding process).  Car tyres are still a big problem although many are now shredded for mixing in with bitumen, makes for a quieter road surface too!

NZ doesn't surprise me to hear that. The West and the EU need to follow that format because for the USA it is definitely not working.

[PapayaBokBok]

13 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Humans can be so so stupid and uncaring.

Really did suck to see such a nice beach and have locals trash it and trying to lead by example..

Heres a write up of the place I volunteered...ate with the locals was always interesting at tiny table!

https://chanmantravels.com/2015/03/25/a-beautiful-beach-haven-in-bai-xep/

[PapayaBokBok]

13 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

USA it is definitely not working.

Confirmed----as why Im dying to escape this chaos  and pro covid politics..smh

[HolyCowCm]

7 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

Really did suck to see such a nice beach and have locals trash it and trying to lead by example..

Heres a write up of the place I volunteered...ate with the locals was always interesting at tiny table!

https://chanmantravels.com/2015/03/25/a-beautiful-beach-haven-in-bai-xep/

I love going to Vietnam. Before Covid I would go at least twice a year.

[PapayaBokBok]

16 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

I love going to Vietnam. Before Covid I would go at least twice a year.

should go check this spot or there is  5 STAR resort next door..the town of Quy Khon is small like Cm and is a mix of mountains and beach which u would have to yourself in daytime..I remember a couple cute gals walking up to me asking to practice english and dated a few, they held my hand for free!!! and even paid for my lunch.....very few tourists and had a private ac room for 300 bt...enjoyed my 6 weeks there @ Bai Xep

[HolyCowCm]

5 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

should go check this spot or there is  5 STAR resort next door..the town of Quy Khon is small like Cm and is a mix of mountains and beach which u would have to yourself in daytime..I remember a couple cute gals walking up to me asking to practice english and dated a few, they held my hand for free!!! and even paid for my lunch.....very few tourists and had a private ac room for 300 bt...enjoyed my 6 weeks there @ Bai Xep

Vietnam is fun. I have lots of Vietnamese friends there. Not looking for a GF but is flattering if they pay attention to you.

[Paulw]

On 9/10/2021 at 7:30 PM, DWiener said:

Dude, do you wear sunglasses and use a white cane on these walks?? Look closer. The beaches might look clean, but when you look at the rocks along the coastline there is plastic rubbish jammed in amongst them. 

I did a 3 hour trail bike ride up all over the island recently. Rubbish all around. I see it when I'm mountain biking. I see it whenever I look in any river or waterway. 

Add in all the crumbling derelict buildings that are full of rubbish and there isn't anywhere on the island that doesn't have an eyesore of rubbish ruining the view. 

The only thing that can save the island is a massive earthquake to pull all those god-awful 'pool villa's off the hills and break down all the crappy construction on the island, then a giant team of bulldozers followed by a lot of replanting. 

 

On 9/11/2021 at 11:24 AM, Cathy said:

One of the biggest problems I see is a lack of trash bins which are frequently emptied. I believe more people would be careful with their trash if there were places to put it. 

I believe the reasoning in arts of Asia for no trash bins is that 1) they get set on fire and 2) they get bombs put in them !!

[Paulw]

Just now, Paulw said:

I believe the reasoning in parts of Asia for no trash bins is that 1) they get set on fire and 2) they get bombs put in them !!

 

[PapayaBokBok]

18 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

Vietnam is fun. I have lots of Vietnamese friends there. Not looking for a GF but is flattering if they pay attention to you.

I was amazed at how nice and friendly they were after over a decade in LOS and the no money no honeys'

And eating Bahn Mi daily!!!! they grill em over there like a panini

[HolyCowCm]

5 hours ago, PapayaBokBok said:

I was amazed at how nice and friendly they were after over a decade in LOS and the no money no honeys'

And eating Bahn Mi daily!!!! they grill em over there like a panini

I love the street and shop sandwiches there. Fantastic. Ever get your ears cleaned of ear wax? Sort of on subject as it is pulling garbage from your ears, just not on Koh Samui.

[PapayaBokBok]

23 hours ago, HolyCowCm said:

I love the street and shop sandwiches there. Fantastic. Ever get your ears cleaned of ear wax? Sort of on subject as it is pulling garbage from your ears, just not on Koh Samui.

Yep with the lil ear pick....and also got a straight razor shave in Laos once..yikes!!!

I live right by "My Vietnam" rest in CM--canal rd left of Hello So lao rest...they have great food and I always get the huge bahn mi there...arroy dee! 250 bt...for a nice meal....my hiso meal when Im jonesin for one