Bangkok's Green Lung aims to tackle 500 tonnes of waste to protect Bryde's whales

Bang Kachao’s ambitious target has been set by the “Care the Whale” project, now in its fourth year under the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and partners.

Dubbed Bangkok’s lung for its mangrove forests and farms, Bang Kachao is an artificial island formed by a bend in the Chao Phraya River capped by a canal. It lies south of Bangkok towards the mouth of the Chao Phraya River, an area famous for frequent sightings of Bryde whales.

“Last year, the project successfully separated over 354 tonnes of waste from communities in Bang Kachao, most of it food waste,” said Keerati Kosijaroen, SET’s head of corporate social responsibility and corporate communication.

Waste separation efforts in the area over the past three years have removed around 341.5 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to planting 37,951 trees, he added.

“This year we raised the target for waste separation by 40% to at least 500 tonnes.”

Keerati explained that instead of being dumped into canals that drain into the river, food waste is sorted and sent to make bio-extract at a recycling centre in Wat Jakdaeng Temple.

Bio-extract liquid is used to boost microbes in soil to increase agricultural yield.

The project also handles multi-layer plastic waste, using a specialised process not available at the community recycling centre.

Meanwhile, project partner Princ Hospital Suvarnabhumi has established drop points in Bang Kachao for medical waste so it can be disposed of properly. The hospital also recycles aluminium waste into prosthetics for patients.

Beverage manufacturer Osotspa Plc is lending a hand by buying glass bottles from the community at 0.5 baht per kilo to recycle in its bottling facility. Last year, the company bought 20,623 kilos of glass bottles from Bang Kachao.

Visit https://www.setsocialimpact.com/carethewhale for more information on the Green Lung’s efforts to conserve its giant marine neighbours.