Driving the Circular Economy from Waste Materials in Khaopoopchang Town Municipality, Songkhla Province, Thailand

Abstract

Unfortunately, within our previous the traditional linear pattern , it has been the standard appear to production and consumption following take, make, use, dispose. A lot of waste becomes in unfavorable spaces. In contrast, the circular economy aims to make minimum use of raw materials, maximum reuse of products and components, high quality reuse of raw materials as much as possible and reducing emissions, waste and eventually costs. Mixed method was used research consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches. Documentary research, in-depth interviews and focus groups were used as data gathering tools, for qualitative approach. 400 of questionnaire survey were used for quantitative procedure. The results displayed that total cost of waste management in Khaopoopchang town municipality was 25,241,987 Baht per year; operational statement was 14,474,000 Baht, 57.34%, personal budget was 6,638,040 Baht, 26.30%, waste management was 4,129,947 Baht, 16.36%. Moreover, the total cost of garbage disposal was 1,830 Baht per ton; fixed cost was 480 Baht per ton, variable cost 1,350 Baht per ton. Using polluter pay principle, in term of 42,942 residences in area, garbage disposal fee was 588 Baht per year per person. Waste management must be an integration plan coping with waste generator, communities, all the way down to waste disposer, government agencies. As part of the plan, source reduction is considered vital to the success of an integrated solid waste management. Thus, making the community responsible for their waste is the key of the plan. A create incentives to change consumer behavior which involves inhabitants to handle and separate waste collection and improve recycling before in landfill them to reduce the number of the trash at the source and to facilitate recycling.