App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

Applied Environmental Research

Journal homepage : http://www.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer

SWOT Analysis for Preliminary Study of Municipal Waste Management Toward a Zero Waste Highland Community in Northern

Nittaya Pasukphun1,*, Anuttara Hongtong1, Vivat Keawdunglek1, Yanasinee Suma1,2, Pussadee Laor1, Tawatchai Apidechkul1,2

1 Environmental Health Department, School of Health Science, Mae Fah Luang University, 333 Moo 1 Thasud, Meung , 57100, Thailand 2 Excellence Center of the Hill Tribe Health Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand * Corresponding author: Email: [email protected], [email protected]

Article History Submitted: 17 October 2017/ Accepted: 15 December 2017/ Published online: 27 August 2018

Abstract This research aims to investigate the situation of municipal waste management in the highlands of Chiang Rai, Thailand in order to formulate a preliminary strategic action plan for efficient management of municipal solid waste. In-depth interviews, questionnaires and discussions between government officers and community residents were conducted, in addition to analysis of the composition of solid waste in the municipality. SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) of current municipal waste management was performed and considered together with the assessment indicators of zero waste management: geo-administrative, socio-cultural, management, environment, economic, organization and governance and policy, in order to identify key domains and locally relevant indicators. The results pointed to two main weaknesses of municipal waste management: lack of knowledge, combined with low levels of implementation of best practice in waste management. This was attributed mainly to language barriers impeding knowledge exchange. To improve the prospects for a zero-waste community in these highland areas, there is a need to improve administration and the social attitudes by promoting the 3Rs concept and initiating waste utilization projects to raise awareness and consciousness within local communities. Importantly, imparting the knowledge of waste management using effective parent language for communication is a key success factor for enhancing the effectiveness of municipal waste management.

Keywords: Municipal waste management; Highland; Zero waste; Northern Thailand; SWOT 56 App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

Introduction cipality or sub-districts of Chiang Rai. The Thailand has long suffered from municipal burden is especially acute in small communities waste management (MWM) as a result of rapid lacking the capability to manage waste. More- and unfettered urban development, and the lack over, the efficiency of MWM in highland areas of effective disposal systems. In 2015, Thailand may be impeded by other factors such as produced a total of 27.1 million tons of solid topography, culture and traditions of hill tribes waste- 73,560 tons/day or 1.13 kg/capita/day. in the area, as well as access to education and However, only 11.8 million tons could be the impacts of tourism. Around 52% of Chiang treated in sanitary landfills or other appropriate Rai area comprises mountainous areas (1,500 - disposal methods. Approximately 5.6 million 2,000 masl) which makes travelling inconve- tons of waste was recycled, with 15.2 million nient and slow, particularly during the rainy tons still awaiting disposal [1]. When combined season. A further difficulty is posed by the with 30 million tons of previously accumulated traditional cultures of hill tribes in the area, solid waste, full disposal will require massive which typically live in small, isolated com- additional effort, time and budget. munities with distinctive linguistic and cultural Overall, solid waste in Thailand comprises backgrounds, migrating frequently and with organic waste from food (64%), plastics (17%) limited or no access to basic social services and paper (8%) ranked second and third, res- including education and health [5]. pectively [2]. Lack of effective MWM pro- Considering the impacts of these factors, grammes increase the risks of severe health implementation of a zero waste programme is a hazards including communicable diseases, bad very challenging prospect in this remote area. odours, nuisance, and environmental impacts With the ambitious long-term goal to virtually such as pollution of soil, water and air if the eliminate the need for disposal, it also involves waste is burnt in an uncontrolled manner, as rethinking product design in order to prevent or frequently occurs [3]. reduce waste before it occurs. Waste that With municipal waste generation in northern cannot be avoided should be designed for Thailand amounting to 10,266.76 tons/day, the optimal recovery through recycling. Also, three highest generators of waste are the mu- materials should always be used and managed nicipalities of Chiang Mai (1,658.5 tons/day), in ways that preserve their value, minimize Chiang Rai (1,100.47 tons/day), and Nakhon their environmental impacts, and conserve Sawan (1,027.62 tons/day). In these three mu- natural resources. Products that cannot be nicipalities 31.1% and 25% of total waste were redesigned or recycled should be replaced with properly treated and recycled, respectively, alternatives [6]. However, MWM deals with while 43.9% accumulated in the municipal budget allocations of local municipality, public and sub-district areas [4]. In Chiang Rai, 25% acceptance and adverse impacts on environment was properly treated, with 18% recycled and [7] and generally in developing countries, a over half (57%) accumulating in the municipal waste management system consists of planning, and sub-district area [5]. MWM in northern engineering, organization administration, finan- Thailand is managed by the municipality or cial and legal aspects of activities associated sub-district organization, which face a range of with generation, storage, collection, transpor- challenges such as improper disposal methods, tation and disposal in an environmentally limited sites for disposal and low efficiency of compatible manner adopting principles of eco- waste collection. Low collection rates lead nomy and aesthetics [8]. If the population and increasing accumulation of waste in the muni- resources are not supported by innovative App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64 57 approaches to enhance community participation Materials and methods and boost government support, deterioration of 1) Study area environmental quality and social conflicts are The study area was located in three villages all but inevitable [9]. This approach would in , northern Thailand: Mae promote effective strategies for conflict reso- Salong Nai, Mae Salong Nok, and Therdthai lution in participatory environmental manage- sub-district (part of Mae Fah Luang District). ment [10]. It is becoming increasingly evident The area close to District (the major that a waste management programme that border crossing between Thailand and Myanmar) ignores the social aspect is doomed to failure. is shown in Figure 1. The elevation of the study The problems of public participation in planning area was between 1,500-2,000 masl, with natural and implementation are no less important than tropical forests dominating this mountainous the technical or economic aspects in waste landscape. The study site was some 60km from management and decision-making [11]. the city of Chiang Rai itself. There are six main The key tool used for the current study is hill tribes living in this study area: Akha, Lahu, SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Op- Karen, Hmong, Yao and Lisu- all with their portunities and Threats). Recently, a SWOT own distinct cultural beliefs and languages. analysis on environmental management was The populations in Mae Salong Nai, Mae carried out [5]. In this study, solid waste ge- Salong Nok, and Therdthai sub-district were neration and its composition were investigated 25,565, 15,829 and 22,620, respectively with including in-depth interviews, questionnaires more than 30% comprising ethnic minorities and discussion sessions between stakeholders [12-15]. Because of the large population and its namely government officers and community popularity as a tourist destination, the area has residents in order to formulate a preliminary many hotels, shops, schools, hospitals and SWM strategy and action under the zero-waste market. Despite this, the main occupation is framework. farming of crops such as corn, tea and rice using traditional methods suitable to these mountainous slopes.

Figure 1 Location of study area (Therdthai, Mae Salong Nai, and Mae Salong Nok Sub-district). 58 App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

Three villages from each sub-district were Results and discussion selected on the basis of population density, 1) Current municipal waste management ethnic group, and access to basic services such practices as markets, hospital, shops and schools. In Mae Domestic activities account for a major pro- Salong Nai, Ban Hin-taek was selected, having portion of solid waste in the three communities, the largest hospital in Mae Fah Luang District, contributing 12.51, 5.1 and 5.6 tons/day for as well as a market, school and local shops. For Mae Salong Nai, Mae Salong Nok, and Therd- Mae Salong Nok, the village of Ban thai sub-district, or 3.7, 0.9 and 1.1 kg/capita/ was selected. Due to its popularity as a tourist day, respectively. Compostable or organic waste attraction, the area has numerous hotels, shops, was the largest category of waste, accounting schools, temples and a public health centres. for 40-70% of the total weight. General waste Ban Therdthai of Therd thai sub-district was accounted for 12-29%, while recyclable waste selected due to the presence of the largest accounted for 8-26%. Alarmingly, hazardous market and other services including a school, waste was also present in significant quantities shop and church. (from 1-11%), mostly in the form of medical waste from local hospitals. However, govern- 2) Data collection ment officers reported that their investigation Information on solid waste management found this was as an anomaly resulting from including waste collection, storage, point sche- incorrect collection; therefore this category is dule, transportation; routes and vehicle types, excluded from discussion in this paper. landfill locations and operation was collected Food waste and garden waste were found in using a by survey, interviews and review of similar amounts; however, it was difficult to secondary data. identify the exact composition due to mixing In-depth interviews were conducted with and decomposition. The highest percentage of government officers from each sub-district, recyclable waste was represented by plastic focusing on waste management policy and ope- (11.83-23.75%), milk cartons (15-22.50%) and ration. Additionally, group discussions were glass (32.5-66.24%). Vehicle tyres were found organized for each sub-district, attended by only at Therdthai sub-district, comprising 40% stakeholders including district government of recyclable waste, while small amounts of officers, community leaders and represen- metals (0.64-1.25%) were identified at Mae tatives from several groups of residents Salong Nai and Mae Salong Nok sub-districts. including hill tribes and different age groups. Plastic bags represented the largest stream of The discussions aimed to gain an under- general waste, found in the range of 32.92- standing of the views of the sub-district 63.20%, followed by packaging and paper populations on the current waste management waste, accounting for 13.18-40.52% and 9.03- situation, including practices, problems and 35.13%, respectively. success factors. SWOT analysis was sub- Management of solid waste covers all steps sequently performed in order to arrive at in the process, from waste generation, storage recommendations to help formulate a preli- and handling, to collection, transportation and minary strategic action plan for MWM for disposal. Municipal solid waste management in these three communities, within the zero-waste Mae Fah Luang district is operated by the Sub- framework. district Administrative Organization (SAO) of each sub-district. Promoting waste reduction at source is not widely practiced. The SAO aims App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64 59 to provide the basic equipment and education truck (Figure 3). Household wastes are tran- of waste separation as shown in Figure 2. sported to the respective landfill for each sub- Coverage of collection services of each SAO is district, located more than 10 km from each incomplete with only around 50% of total community. Mae Fah Luang district lacks villages in each sub-district served, due to the enough flat land for landfill disposal, and for rugged terrain and lack of roads. As for waste the past three years has faced an overload of storage, SAO provides a large plastic bin in waste that cannot be disposed of. Furthermore, front of every household to serve as a collec- the landfill has never been operated as a tion point. Waste is stored without separation sanitary landfill, and thus has become effect- but some waste is recycled. Nevertheless, since tively an open dumping site (see Figure 3). In 2016, Mae Salong Nai has adjusted to use Mae Salong Nai sub-district, an incinerator plastic bags instead of waste bins, and no operated for several years, but was incorrectly longer collect organic waste. The waste collec- operated, with high-moisture mixed waste tion schedules of the 3 sub-districts are similar, resulting in incomplete combustion, effectively that is, one collection per week using a 3-ton also becoming an open burning site. 100

80

60 55 55 43 45 45 40 36

Per centage 18 20 4 0 Mae Salong Nai Mae Salong Nok Therd Thai (SAOs)

Waste bin purchasing Operation on waste separation projects Incinerator purchasing Waste collection house Waste collection truck purchasing Landfill preparation Figure 2 Budget spending within 3 years of each Sub-district Administrative Organization.

Figure 3 Overview of solid waste management in study areas. 60 App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

2) SWOT analysis of community municipal marized in Table 1, including recommendations waste management for a proposed strategic action plan for the A SWOT analysis was performed by community. In terms of strengths (S) and threats government officers, community leaders, and (T), all government officers from the three sub- representatives from several groups of residents districts identified similar provisions, namely such as hill tribes, including all major age S1-S4 and T1-T4. In terms of opportunities, the groups, in order to identify opportunities to national waste management agenda and zero improve municipal waste management and waste promotion agenda in Chiang Rai (O1 and future challenges for zero waste in their res- O2) was raised by a government officer from pective communities. The findings are sum- Mae Salong Nok sub-district.

Table 1 SWOT analysis and agenda of waste management External Factors Opportunity (O) Threat (T) • (O1) Waste management is • (T1) There is no organization an important national agenda which buys waste that can be sold that the government is because of the inconvenience of considering. transportation. • (O2) In Chiang Rai, there • (T2) There are many tourists. SWOT are communities’ models that Waste management may be analysis apply Zero Waste ineffective. Management concept. • (T3) In the future, there may be a change in the solid waste collection fees, to which local people may not agree. • (T4) Some waste may be generated by smuggling of people living outside the area. Strength (S) • (S1) People have cooperated and • Develop community • Establish a waste bank in the participated in the community's waste networks that supports in community to encourage people to management. effective community’s waste separate the waste that can be sold • (S2) There is model community on management (S1, S2, O2) from other types of waste (S1, S2, waste management. • Support budgets that focus S3, S4, T1) • (S3) Local authorities are involved on waste management at the • Provide public media associated in the community's waste source to reduce community’s with community’s waste management. waste management budgets management to tourists and the • (S4) There are budgets to support (S3, S4, O1) general public by focusing on the community's waste management. participation of enterprises and people in the area (S1, S2, S3, S4, T2, T3, T4) Weakness (W) • (W1) Habits and behaviors of • Create other types of tools • Develop a model community that Internal FactorsInternal community members who do not that publish knowledge about has a solid waste management cooperate on waste separation appropriate waste process based on Zero Waste • (W2) Lack of knowledge on management, such as mobile Management concept by appropriate waste management. applications (O1, O2, cooperating with all sectors and • (W3) Local entrepreneurs do not W1,W2,W3, W4) organizations (W1, W2, W3, W4, focus on waste management. T1, T2, T3, T4) • (W4) It’s difficult to promote the community's waste management campaign because there are ethics in community which communicates with more than one language. App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64 61

Almost all stakeholders identified that the sold from other types of waste (S1, S2, S3, S4, behaviour and habits of villagers represented a T1) weakness, hampering the effectiveness of waste • Provide media associated with community separation programmes. Furthermore, all go- waste management to tourists and the general vernment officers identified language as a public by focusing on participation of enter- barrier to effective communication. Moreover, prises and local people (S1, S2, S3, S4, T2, T3, lack of knowledge of appropriate waste ma- T4) nagement methods was identified by the villa- • Create innovative tools to disseminate gers as another weakness. From the SWOT knowledge about appropriate waste manage- analysis, a preliminary strategy for municipal ment, e.g. mobile applications (O1, O2, W1, waste management was proposed, as presented W2, W3, W4) in Table 1. • Develop a model highland community While considering the overall factors of that has a solid waste management process strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, based on the Zero Waste management concept the following strategic actions were identified by cooperating with all sectors and stakeholders as opportunities to boost the effectiveness of (W1, W2, W3, W4, T1, T2, T3, T4). the municipality in MWM; • Develop community networks to support 3) Zero Waste (ZW) effective community-based waste management In this research ZW is defined as maxi- (S1, S2, O2) mizing recycling and focusing on the waste • Support budgets that focus on waste ma- hierarchy in Figure 4 by aiming to reduce the nagement at source to reduce the burden on amount of waste collected, and to reuse or community waste management budgets (S3, recycle waste as a resource (Reduce, Reuse, S4, O1) Recycle; 3Rs) without the need for landfill or • Establish a community waste bank to en- energy recovery [16]. Previous work has iden- courage people to separate wastes that can be tified key assessment indicators for zero waste management systems (also shown in Figure 4).

Key domain in Zero waste management

Key domain Zero Waste indicators

Geo-administrative Population, Household’s income, Household’s expenditures, Geographic boundary, Administrative boundary

Socio-culture Education, Awareness, Consumption, Behavior

Management Avoidance, Generation, Composition, Reuse, Recycle, Transport and recovery, Treatment, Disposal

Environment Env.burdens, Env.benefits, Health&safety

Economic Economic cost, Economic benefits, Incentives

Organization No. of infrastructures, No. of facility, No. of instruments, Human resources, Waste information

Governance and policy Awareness programme, Rules ®ulation, Compliance &audition, Waste export &import Figure 4 The waste hierarchy and key domains for zero waste management [17-18]. 62 App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

4) Social culture and zero waste management tion, the strategy and action plan incorporates The SWOT revealed that insufficient know- implementation of the 3Rs, establishment of ledge was an important weakness in this study local waste banks, and waste utilization area, confirming the findings of previous work schemes, in order to support the ZW frame- in Romania, showing that local people and work. The 3Rs and waste utilization activities businesses prioritized “getting rid” of waste are recommended as household-level changes and were ignorant of the concept of sustainable to behaviour; these include replacement of development [19]. Education, awareness and plastic bags with fabric bags, production of bio- behaviour are thus key to the success of sus- extracts from food waste and composting, with tainable waste management programmes [18]. the aim of creating “Zero waste homes”. Waste The SWOT analysis also revealed challenges reduction at source is particularly important in in communication as a weakness and key these highland areas due to the absence of barrier to effective MWM (at least seven lan- sanitary disposal facilities, the poor roads and guages are used locally in the study area. Pro- rugged terrain. With improved communication, duction of effective media /educational tools in community awareness and behavioural change these languages are needed in order to address are expected to improve and the fraction of this fundamental barrier. plastic bags in the waste stream is expected to The preliminary proposed Zero Waste mu- decrease continuously. In the longer term, zero- nicipal waste strategy and action plan is waste households can indeed be achieved. At presented in Figure 5. Despite allocating the community level, making economic use of majority of its budget on initiatives such as local waste banks and waste utilization are waste separation training, the waste manage- strongly supported. ment problem remains unsolved. The new plan However, to succeed, this ZW management addresses the key constraint (lack of under- strategy needs the cooperation of SAOs, standing of the Thai language) by developing community leaders, villagers and the provincial parent language media such as video training, government, to support the ZW waste manage- workshops and instruction in languages in- ment policy and road map originally launched cluding Akha, Karen, Meo, and Yao. In addi- in 2014.

Figure 5 Proposed municipal waste management in framework of Zero Waste strategy and action plan. App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64 63

Conclusions ment in Thailand. Earth Engineering In this study, in-depth interviews and dis- Center. 2012. Columbia University, cussion sessions with stakeholder groups were Columbia. conducted in order to gain insight into the [3] Verma, R.L., Borongan, G., Memon, M. situation of solid waste management in Mae Municipal Solid Waste Management in Fah Luang district; Mea Salong Nok, Mae Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Current Salong Nai and Therdthai sub-districts. SWOT Practices and Future Recommendation. analysis revealed communication and language Procedia Environmental Sciences. 2016, as key barriers to adoption of practices leading 35, 127-139. to ZW households. The ZW concept was used [4] Regional Environment Office 1-4. Ministry as a guideline for improvement in waste ma- of Natural Resources and Environment nagement. The seven key domains of zero waste Environmental quality management plan management were considered and how they in Northern Thailand. Bangkok Thailand, related to the results. It was found that the 3Rs 2016. (reduce, reuse and recycle) concept was well [5] Food and Agriculture Organization. Case suited to the local situation in the study area, study on education opportunities for hill since the waste stream typically comprised tribes in northern Thailand. Food and plastic bags in the range of 32.92-63.20%, Agriculture Organization of the United while up to 70% of the daily waste stream Nations Regional Office for Asia and the comprised compostable waste. Pacific. Bangkok. RAP publication 2002/ Furthermore, lack of communication in va- 05, 2002. Thailand. rious hill tribe languages was identified as a [6] Malley, M.O., Brown, A. Zero Waste weakness, resulting in low levels of knowledge Maryland. Maryland’s Plan to Reduce, in relation to sustainable waste management. Reuse and Recycle. To increase local understanding and partici- [7] Ramakrishna, V. Life cycle assessment pation, it will be important to provide parent model for integrated solid waste manage- language media to educate the villagers in ment. International Journal of Engineer- order to reduce these communication barriers ing Research & Technology. 2013, 2(9), and achieve zero-waste households as a long- 1742-1748. term goal. [8] Dasgupta, T. Sustainable municipal solid waste management of Bhopal city. Inter- Acknowledgements national Journal of Scientific Engineering This research project was granted by and Technology. 2013, 2(11), 1103-1106. National Research Council of Thailand. [9] GTZ, 1988. Solid waste management with people participation: an example in References Nepal. German Agency for Technical [1] Pollution Control Department, Ministry Cooperation, Eschborn Sonderpubli- of Natural Resources and Environment, kation No. 231. Thailand. Waste and Hazardous Substances [10] Furedy, C. Emerging concepts of citizen Management Bureau. Implementation participation, cooperation and education report (October 1st, 2015-September for responsive solid waste management in 30th, 2016). 2016, Bangkok. Thailand. Asian cities. Resource Paper UNCRD [2] Chak, C. Generation and disposition of Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, 1991. municipal solid waste (MSW) manage- 64 App. Envi. Res. 40 (3): 55-64

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