Bangkok is grappling with significant challenges in waste management, as food makes up nearly half of the garbage generated in the city.
The question is how the government, businesses and the public can collaborate to address food waste in Bangkok.
In fiscal 2024, spanning Oct 1, 2023 to Sept 30, 2024, authorities collected an average of 9,238 tonnes of waste per day, according to the Environment Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
This was a modest rise from the 8,775 tonnes of waste generated on average daily in fiscal 2023.
Mr Panuwatt says food waste contributed more than 49% of total waste collected in fiscal 2024.
Panuwatt Ontes, director of the Solid Waste and Sewage Management Office at the BMA's Environment Department, attributed this rise to the recovery of business activities, such as the return of dining in at restaurants.
The increase in waste also aligns with the tourism boom, which resulted in more waste from communities, restaurants and hotels.
"Food waste made up more than 49% of total waste collected in fiscal 2024, translating into more than 4,500 tonnes per day," said Mr Panuwatt.
Non-recycled plastics account for around 18% of total waste, while non-recycled paper represents 10% of daily collection, according to the department.
For fiscal 2024, more than 7 billion baht was allocated for waste management in Bangkok, he said.
Managing organic waste such as food waste and leaves is not an easy task. When organic matter is buried in landfills and decomposes without adequate oxygen, it produces methane gas, a significant greenhouse gas, said Mr Panuwatt.
Food waste reduction
Mrs Thaniwan acknowledged restaurants are a significant source of food waste.
Thaniwan Kulmongkol, president of the Thai Restaurant Association, acknowledged the restaurant sector is a significant generator of waste.
"A large restaurant can produce up to a tonne of waste a day," she said.
That makes it essential for restaurant operators to implement effective waste management strategies such as garbage separation, said Mrs Thaniwan.
Waewrut Chananpukdee, vice-president of human resources and corporate communications at Yip In Tsoi & Co Ltd, said with more than 100 employees on-site, the company generates a considerable amount of waste.
The company's cafeteria operations can create food waste, and to address the issue it initiated several plans to minimise food loss, she said.
Ms Waewrut says Yip In Tsoi developed the YWASTES app to track all waste generated.
Ms Waewrut highlighted the importance of food literacy in this effort.
"Being aware of the unique characteristics of food such as ingredient substitutions and availability of seasonal ingredients allows us to enhance our food preparation and cost management," she said.
By using seasonal ingredients, the company not only offers customers affordable options, but also mitigates the risk of chemicals associated with off-season farming, said Ms Waewrut.
Moreover, using local ingredients reduces the need for imports, lowering carbon emissions related to transport.
Another effective strategy involves managing the supply of raw materials to match demand in the cafeteria, she said.
"Our approach is to prepare food in appropriate quantities, which nearly eliminates leftovers, thereby minimising food loss," said Ms Waewrut.
By understanding the ingredients, the chef's team can create new dishes that use any leftover items and ensure maximum food utilisation, she said.
Ms Waewrut said providing employees with nutritious and delicious food can also lower the risk of illness, thereby reducing related costs for the company.
Yip In Tsoi also developed the "YWASTES" app to track all waste generated, including food and other types of garbage.
This tool helps users plan waste management strategies and develop initiatives to reduce garbage.
By implementing these measures, the company observed a significant reduction in its food waste, from 775 kilogrammes per year in 2020 to 443kg in 2024.
Ms Waewrut said food waste such as scraps of vegetables, fruit and meat are placed in food composter machines to create fertiliser.
She encouraged restaurants to consider donating surplus food that is safe to consume to vulnerable communities in an effort to combat food loss.
Higher fee
Mr Panuwatt said the BMA plans to revise garbage collection fees soon.
For households generating no more than 20 litres of garbage per day, or about 4kg, he said the monthly fee will increase from 20 baht to 60 baht.
This new regulation is expected to be implemented in October this year, affecting 2 million households.
However, households that register with the BMA and participate in a rubbish sorting campaign can take photos of their efforts and submit them via the BKK WASTE PAY mobile app. These households will continue to pay the monthly fee of 20 baht, said Mr Panuwatt.
For large properties such as shopping malls that produce more than 200kg of garbage a day, the BMA is hiking the collection fee to 8,000 baht from 2,000 baht for every 200kg.
In addition, the BMA is promoting a waste separation campaign dubbed "Mai Te Ruam", aimed at simplifying recycling processes.
He said around 40% of household waste is food waste, another 40% is recyclable waste, and 20% is non-recyclable waste.
"If we can separate food waste from other types of garbage and convert it into fertiliser while properly sorting recyclables, we can reduce substantial amounts of waste," said Mr Panuwatt.
People sort rubbish at waste sorting bins in Bangkok.
Collaboration key
He said a challenge for BMA is the shortage of specialised food waste collection trucks, as it currently has only 1-2 of these trucks in each district.
As a consequence, the authority is prioritising food waste collection from restaurants and large malls first.
The BMA wants to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
The authority intends to increase the volume of waste converted into fertiliser and expand the amount of garbage being burned in incinerators to produce electricity, said Mr Panuwatt.
The BMA also plans to build a specialised food waste composting plant.
As public concern about global environmental issues spreads, restaurants with food waste reduction initiatives could leverage this strategy to attract environmentally conscious customers, said Ms Waewrut.
To reduce waste, Mr Panuwatt recommended individuals buy only necessary amounts of food.
If possible, he said they should separate food waste and convert it into fertiliser.
Mr Panuwatt encouraged private businesses to install organic waste bins at their properties to facilitate proper separation of garbage.
Moreover, he said private operators should consider lowering prices for food that is close to expiration to reduce waste, or initiate food donation projects for those in need.
Reducing food waste in Bangkok requires collaboration from the public and private sectors, said Mr Panuwatt.
The basic structures need to be improved and campaigns must be maintained for waste separation and reduction, he said.
