Thai officials seize over 200 tons of electronic waste illegally imported from the US

Category: Top Stories

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. on track / ɒn træk / (idiom) – going as planned or expected, and likely to finish successfully
    Example:

    We are on track to finish the project by Friday.


  2. press charges / prɛs ˈtʃɑrdʒ ɪz / (idiom) – to make an official complaint to the police or a court, asking them to punish someone for doing something wrong or illegal
    Example:

    He was caught stealing, and the store owner chose to press charges.


  3. laden / ˈleɪd n / (adj.) – carrying or containing a lot of things
    Example:

    Before the party, the table was laden with bowls of snacks and drinks, ready for the guests to enjoy.


  4. lax / læks / (adj.) – not severe, careful, or strong enough
    Example:

    The school has a lax policy about cell phones, so students use them often in class.


  5. extract / ɪkˈstrækt / (v.) – to take or pull something out from something else, often with some effort
    Example:

    It was hard to extract the nail from the old piece of wood without any tools like a hammer.


Article

Read the text below.

Thai officials said they seized 238 tons of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States at the port of Bangkok, one of the biggest lots they’ve found this year.


The waste, which came in 10 large containers, was declared as mixed metal scrap but turned out to be circuit boards mixed in a huge pile of metal scrap, said Theeraj Athanavanich, director-general of the Customs Department. It was found in a random inspection.


A U.N. report last year said electronic waste is piling up worldwide. Some 62 million tons of electronic waste were generated in 2022 and that figure is on track to reach 82 million tons by 2030, the report said. It said only 22% of the waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022 and that quantity is expected to fall to 20% by the end of the decade due to higher consumption, limited repair options, shorter product life cycles, and inadequate management infrastructure.


Theeraj said Thai authorities are looking to press charges, including falsely declaring imported goods, illegally importing electronic waste and planning to return the waste to its country of origin.


“It’s important that we take action on this kind of goods,” he said. “There are environmental impacts that are dangerous to the people, especially communities around factories that might import these things for processing, then recycling.”


Electronic waste creates huge health hazards. Many components are laden with lead and mercury, cadmium and other toxins. Recyclers are after gold, silver, palladium and copper, mainly from printed circuit boards, but lax controls mean that facilities often burn plastics to release encased copper and use unsafe methods to extract precious metals.


Thailand passed a ban on the import of a range of electronic waste products in 2020. The Cabinet in February approved an expanded list of the banned waste.


Sunthron Kewsawang, deputy director-general of the Department of Industrial Works, said officials suspected at least two factories in Samut Sakhon province, which borders Bangkok, are involved in importing the waste.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • A UN report says that people buying more products and companies making products that don’t last long are big reasons for the increasing e-waste. What are some ways you try to make your personal belongings, like phones or clothes, last longer? Do you think it’s important to try and make things last, or is it better to just replace them when they are old? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you feel pressure to buy new electronic devices often? Why or why not? Do you think companies design products to last a long time, or do they want people to buy new ones more quickly? Why? Do you think older, well-made items are often better than newer ones? Why do you say so? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • What do you think are some good solutions to the e-waste problem (ex. give discounts to consumers who recycle, make products last longer)? Does your community have good systems for collecting different types of waste, including e-waste? Do you think people in your country consume too much, too little, or just the right amount of products, like clothes or electronic devices? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • Imagine a world where electronics are designed to last for 20 years. How do you think that would change our lives? Do you believe the e-waste problem is mainly caused by companies that make products with shorter life cycles or people who consume too much? Why do you say so? Discuss.