HSM Chula Advances the End of Waste Mission to End “Hazardous Waste” from Household to Factory 

Hazardous waste is close to us and the community. The Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM) Chula has used research to push the End of Waste policy, manage E-Waste continuously, and conduct Mega Project research to study oil rigs that will not be used in the future, while pleading for all sectors to participate in solving the problem for better health and environment. 

“More than 7 hours — Fire have been engulfing a large recycling plant. Neighbors had to evacuate in the middle of the night. ”Sept. 6 2024  from Thairath Online 

“Officials shut down unlicensed metal recycling plant” 13  Nov 2024 from Thai PBS 

Breaking News! Fire broke out at a recycling plant in Bangpoo, Samutprakarn and is still not under control. ”Jan 2 2025 from Matichon Online 

“The plastic waste recycling plant in Samut Sakhon, backed by Chinese investors, smuggled waste from China and operated without permission “Jan 30 2025 from The Standard 

These headlines reflect the problem of toxic substances and hazardous waste lurking in many areas throughout Thailand. It is like a time bomb waiting to explode and such reports seems to be increasing everyday.  Only in the first month of 2025, there have been reports of fires at two waste disposal plants already! 

“These are problems that are waiting to be handled properly. If the hazardous waste is not handled properly, the area will be contaminated and the hazardous waste will go into the soil, water, and evaporate into the atmosphere, affecting health and the environment. Some chemicals we do not smell on the day of the spill, but we have already inhaled it.  In the next 10 years, if we have cancer, will we look back to see if it is because of the chemicals that we inhaled that day?” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha Khaodhiar, Director of HSM said. 

The Center of Excellence on Hazardous Substance Management (HSM) Chula has been in operation since 1999. Its main mission is research, academic services, consulting, guidance and transfer of technological knowledge through conferences, training and various advocacy activities through the media on various occasions. In addition, the HSM laboratory also provides inspection and analysis services of environmental specimens, such as measurement of various parameters for monitoring the water quality, wastewater, soil quality, air quality, sludge, and heavy metal analysis.  Other services include detection of solid and liquid carbon content, water ion content, inorganic substance, and organic matter. 

“Currently, HSM Chula focuses on the application of research findings in the management of industrial waste and hazardous waste generated in communities and households. We work closely with the industry sector in passing on knowledge and developing personnel in solving the problem of industrial hazardous waste — both the local community level, and national policy.” Assoc. Dr. Sutha said.

Household hazardous waste – the Danger closer to us than we think 

When it comes to hazardous waste, many people think of the waste generated in industrial plants, but hazardous waste is actually closer to us than one thinks. 

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha refers to the definition of “hazardous waste” as surplus or deteriorated things, and any chemical containers, food containers, ashes, animal droppings, animal carcasses, or anything else collected from the roads, markets, animal cages, or elsewhere.  It also includes infectious, toxic, or hazardous waste from the community. 

“We all play a part in creating hazardous waste. Insecticides, toilet cleaners, car polishes, spray paints, batteries, light bulbs, expired drugs, car batteries, and motor oil are hazardous waste found in households. Particularly in elderly societies, there are bedridden patients at home, and garbage trucks now have to deal with disposed injection needles and syringes — items that requires proper know-how and effective management of the disposal and sorting.  They also must know where to take these wastes for disposal,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha gave examples of hazardous waste found in households and communities, which requires proper management practices. 

Continuous e-Waste Management 

Hazardous waste that becomes increasingly prevalent in the digital society is electronic waste, which Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha said to be HSM’s focus and what the Center has been dedicated to for a long time. From the Chula Rak Lok (Chula Love the Earth), the Project that recycles mobile phones and related devices, to Research Project on e-waste, and hazardous waste in the community that study where they come from and what happen to those e-waste.  

HSM Chula  hazardous substances and waste from other e-waste such as air-conditioner refrigerant. 

“Household AC refrigerant generates 2,000 times more greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide!” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha said. “So, HSM has been working with business operators to see how we can recover the AC refrigerant in a closed system to reduce global warming and to learn if it’s possible to reuse that refrigerant. If not, how do we improve it’s quality and whether it is cost effective? ”Assoc. Prof. Dr. Suktha emphasized. “We focus on waste reuse and recycling, and if we can’t, we think about appropriate management practices to reduce the impact on the environment.  

In addition, HSM also looks into how to reuse/recycle and reuse EV car batteries and solar panels. 

“We received a grant from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) to study how to salvage EV car batteries that expired but can still hold the charge to be used as backup power elsewhere. Therefore, we are studying how to collect these expired EV car batteries to be repurposed as second-life batteries in the future.” 

The solar panel is another project that HSM has been working on. “When the large solar panels in solar farms that used to provide clean energy reached the end of life and can only generate a substandard yield of electricity, they become electronic waste. We are studying and talking to stakeholders and private entrepreneurs to find solutions to manage this problem. What to do with this in the future? Who will be responsible for the inspection of the second-hand items?” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha said. 

Oil Rigs — Future Hazardous Waste 

Not only does HSM Chula study and look for solutions for today’s hazardous waste, it also envisions the “waste in the future” to find solutions right now, such as the research on oil rigs in the Gulf of Thailand.  This project received research funding from Malaysia-Thailand Joint Authority (MTJA). 

“The oil rigs in the Gulf of Thailand are starting to be decommissioned. What do we do? Will it eventually reach the End of Life and become waste? The oil rigs are in the sea, under the jurisdiction to one agency. When it’s brought up on land, will it become industrial waste? What is the law for such a matter? When it is deommissioned, what options are there? If left in the Gulf of Thailand, will it cause environmental problems?” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha said. 

“Studying oil rigs will not end after the three years of research, but MTJA still wants HSM to serve as an information center for the future decommissioning of oil rigs. Currently, we’re renovating our laboratory to be a center with equipment to measure heavy metals, heavy metal deposits in the food chain, and provide sampling equipment for the Gulf of Thailand.” 

“The original laboratory used to be internship facility for master’s and doctoral students. Currently, HSM is developing a laboratory that will not only analyze the samples and return the results, but we will use the lab results for reference and support our research. “Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha discusses the direction of laboratory development. 

“End of Waste” –  New Life for “Hazardous Waste” 

According to the Department of Industrial Works, the Ministry of Industry, there are about 800 types of industrial waste generated in industrial plants, and 60% of these hazardous wastes have the potential to be converted into raw materials for production if handled properly. Therefore, the Department of Industrial Works, relevant agencies, and HSM have come up with the waste utilization policy, also known as End of Waste. “Waste, if proven to still be useful, has market value, and no longer causes harm to the environment will no longer be referred to as waste by law.” 

HSM Chula as a research agency with a laboratory that has been continuously improved for the past 20 years, can analyze samples to detect contaminants. The center’s experts, rerearchers, and strong network both at local and international levels with diverted knowledge and capabilities will help determine potential use and benefits for these waste. 

“30-50% of HSM’s research focus on how to reuse waste as much as possible and must make the most of the recycling. When doing research, it looks exciting, but when we’re going to sell, no one buys it because it is expensive, low quality, and seen as recycled. Now we must go above and beyond conventional research, which is to be able to sell products and study the market. “Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha said while giving an example of the “Gypsum Wall” which is made from the plaster mold waste previously used in casting and reused as plaster for wall making.” 

“This is the End of Waste example of HSM’s management of the waste from industrial plants and is a collaboration between waste-generating entrepreneurs, HSM researchers,  and entrepreneurs of wall products.  This wall material has been proven to be practical and has a market — not just research findings that get abandoned. There must be a real opportunity to market the product with the support from the Department of Industrial Works,” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha emphasized. 

End of Waste, therefore, is the management of hazardous waste to be reusable for the circular economy. It is an economic system that requires us to make the most of our resources in almost every process. There should be minimal to no waste generated to maximize the efficiency of the entire process. 

End of Waste starts with people’s sense of responsibility

HSM Chula works in both micro and macro levels, from truck drivers carrying hazardous waste, to operators of waste generators, to waste disposal operators, to the development of hazardous waste management personnel, to working at the national level, such as the study of oil rigs. This can be said that we work with the whole supply chain of waste. 

When asked what are the most important factors in the waste and hazardous waste management process, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sukha replied, “People matter. Technological advancement never stops, and we have managed to eliminate a lot of waste. But people should also show responsibility and concern in this matter.  I believe that big companies take this into account quite well. Otherwise, they can’t do business with others.” 

“The next challenge is how to make the general public, includes small companies in the supply chain, see the importance of this matter. We must focus on comprehensive waste management throughout the whole supply chain. The big company must help the small company. Because it is a matter of the country. It is a matter of well-being. If we fail, we all fail. If global warming kills the planet, we all perish.” Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sutha reiterated the importance for all parties to jointly manage the hazardous substances and wastes. 

Hazardous waste management cannot wait until tomorrow, but it should be done urgently today for a better tomorrow. 

Get to know and contact the Centre of Excellence for Hazardous Substances and Waste Management (HSM) at https://hsm.chula.ac.th/ or call 02 218 3952-3 and 02 218 4167. 

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Line