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Thammasat Waste Tracking: August 2019 – June 2020

Since August 2019 – June 2020, Thammasat University has monitored the amount of waste generated by the university and how they were treated. Almost a year after implementing the waste tracking, the statistic shows that the total amount of waste generated by the university has decreased but increasing the proportion of waste recycled by Thammasat University Facilities is still a challenge.

Figure 1: Total amount of waste (Kg.)

Since August 2020, the total amount of waste generated by Thammasat university gradually decreased. In the pre-lockdown period, the waste was reduced from 314,587 Kg. in August 2019 to 253,718.50 Kg in February 2020. During the lock down, the amount of waste decreased dramatically as the university was operating at the minimal level. All classes were migrated online. After the lockdown, in May and June, the amount of waste resumed its level but still less than the February-2020 level. Therefore, the overall trend of the amount of waste is decreasing, which is positive from the environmental point of view.

Figure 2: Waste recycled by Facilities within Thammasat University (Kg)

Thammasat University has two waste management facilities, namely TU Recycle Bank, and TU waste facility. The Recycle Bank buys recyclable waste from faculties and university departments and then the waste is managed by an outsourced private sector. All other waste from within the university will be segregated by TU waste facility before sending the rest to the municipality’s waste facility.

Figure 3: Proportion of Recycled Waste to Total Waste (%)

According to the statistic, the TU Recycle Bank played more important role in recycling waste in Thammasat as every month from August 2019 onwards the Recycle Bank bought recyclable waste and managed them at the larger amount. Nonetheless, the proportion of waste recycled by the facilities in Thammasat University is gradually decreasing. This poses a challenge to Thammasat Recycling Facilities.

Interestingly, during the lockdown, the proportion (figure 3) and number of recycled waste (figure 4) spiked in March and April 2020. This is explained by the increase in the use of food delivery service during the lockdown for students in the dormitory and Thammasat Field Hospital. The university responded to this increase of waste from food delivery by implementing a project “Pinto Save the World”, replacing plastic packaging with food carrier (or Pinto) for food delivered to patients and medical staff in Thammasat Field Hospital, which may contribute to the reduction of recycled waste in May 2020. In contrast, the total waste sent to the municipality’s waste facility was greatly reduced due to the lock down (figure 4).

Figure 4: Amount of Waste, classified by waste management methods (Kg.)

The non-recyclable waste from the TU waste facilities will be transferred to the municipality’s waste facility. The facility then segregates the waste once again and utilizes the different kinds of waste for different purpose. For instance, food waste will be utilized as bio-fuel and organic fertilizer, the rest will be used for Refuse-Derive Fuel (RDF). No waste goes to landfill.

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Environmental policies extended to suppliers

Thammasat University ensures that the minimization policies are extended to outsourced suppliers and the supply chain, especially suppliers of equipment, stationary, and building contracts. The supporting evidence attached herewith is the contract for hygienic service and facility maintenance between Thammasat University and a private sector for buildings of medical science faculties.

As shown in the contract attached herewith, the company has to use environmentally friendly cleaning solutions which has to be tested by the university committee (p.10/29 and 17/29 – in the red square). The company is also required to have publicly accepted standard for pollution control in place for the whole period of the contract.

Regarding waste management, the company is obliged to arrange a proper garbage transportation from the faculties to an assigned waste management facility. The garbage has to be classified and managed properly (p.10/29, 18/29 – in the red square).

The similar requirements were applied to other contracts too, for instance, the contract for hygienic service and facility maintenance between Thammasat University and a private sector for common areas in Thammasat University Rangsit Campus.

Please see the document here:

Contract-Medical Science FacultiesDownload
Contract-TU common area-RangsitDownload
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Extending disposable policy to outsourced services: MOU with CPALL

0n July 5, 2018, Thammasat signed MOU with 30 thai universities, in the name of Sustainable University Network (SUN), and CPAll, the largest supply-chain convenient stores (7-Eleven), for the initiative on reduction of single use plastics on campus.

The MOU was signed at Thammasat University, with representative from Pollution Control Department witnessing the signing. The initiative was planned to be tracked by mobile phone application, created by another private sector company (Kid Kid company limited).

The measures stated in the MOU are as follows:

  1. By default, plastic bag will not be given unless the product is hot. The store may sell plastic bags or prepare bags for borrow, or any other measures depending on agreement between the university and the company;
  2. Reducing number of plastic cups by 7-Eleven reducing 2 baht per cup to motivate customers to bring their own cups;
  3. By default, plastic spoons, forks, and straws will not be given to customers automatically. The cashier staff must ask customer first if they want one;
  4. Universities in this MOU and the company will stop using foam-based utensils in 7-Eleven and in-university canteen or restaurants.

Please see the MOU below:

MOU-CPAll-SUN (TH)Download