A Thai artist with a message on waste recycling and reduction
Plastics, foams, spunbond bags, clothes and tobacco butts should be disposed of properly for sustainable environment preservation, a renowned Thai upcycle artist said on Tuesday.
Upcycled artworks by Wishulada Panthanuvong have been showcased in many art exhibitions in Bangkok to inspire people to upcycle waste for new items, warn how much waste is generated each year, and campaign for waste reduction.
She will be among 76 artists (22 Thais and 54 foreigners) to showcase artworks at the upcoming Bangkok Art Biennale 2024 at venues across the capital from October 24 to February 25.
Wishulada told the Nation Group’s media arm, Krungthep Turakij, that plastics, especially plastic straws, should be reduced or eliminated to mitigate impact on the ecosystem.
She asked product manufacturers to pay attention to which plastic is eco-friendly, adding that biodegradable plastic waste needs a different disposal method compared to an ordinary one.
She pointed out that foams, which play an important role in daily life as food containers and packages, were more dangerous than plastics, as they cannot be recycled.
Despite awareness of climate change, she noted that vendors faced difficulty in changing their packages as the price of paper boxes is higher than foam containers.
Apart from campaigns on recycling and waste sorting, the government should seek ways to support entrepreneurs on changing their packages, she said.
She added that plastic-containing spunbond bags were difficult for recycling. “Plastics can mitigate reforestation, but they should be sorted properly,” she added.
Wishulada said that fast fashion had triggered an increase in textile waste. Although clothes can be donated to others, donation of clothes that cannot be worn could result in waste, which adversely impacts the environment, she said.
She pointed out that tobacco butts were not biodegradable, saying that such substances could affect the marine ecosystem.
“The most important thing to make the world better is people should observe their actions whether it affects the environment and themselves,” she said.
Wishulada will have a booth to showcase her upcycled works at the upcoming “Sustainability Expo 2024” at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre in Bangkok from September 27 to October 6.
Also, she has been invited to share how people can protect the environment on September 29.
