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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Sandra Laville

Thailand bans imports of plastic waste to curb toxic pollution

A worker sorts plastic waste for recycling in Samut Prakan province, Thailand.
A worker sorts plastic waste for recycling in Samut Prakan province, Thailand. Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

Thailand has banned plastic waste imports over concerns about toxic pollution, as experts warn that failure to agree a global treaty to cut plastic waste will harm human health.

A law banning imports of plastic waste came into force this month in Thailand, after years of campaigning by activists. Thailand is one of several south-east Asian countries that has historically been paid to receive plastic waste from developed nations. The country became a leading destination for exports of plastic waste from Europe, the US, the UK and Japan in 2018 after China, the world’s biggest market for household waste, imposed a ban.

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