Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division (NRECD) officers seized more than 14,000 tonnes of aluminium dross from two Chinese-owned aluminium smelters in Nakhon Pathom and Samut Sakhon provinces yesterday.
The seizures of the hazardous waste, at the Perm Poon Sap in Mueang district of Nakhon Pathom and at the Thai Pao smelter in Mueang district of Samut Sakhon, follow the interception of a truck in Nakhon Pathom by highways police on Saturday.
Police found several large bags containing aluminium dross on the truck and the driver could not produce any official permit for the movement of the hazardous waste. He told the highways police that he received the bags from the Perm Poon Sap factory, to be taken to the Thai Pao factory in Samut Sakhon.
The Nakhon Pathom provincial industrial works office was alerted by the highways police, prompting the searches of the Thai Pao and Perm Boon Sap aluminium smelters by NRECD officers and industrial works officials yesterday.
No officials were present at the two factories at the time they were searched. Samples of the waste were, however, collected and sent for testing.
Chulapong Thaveesri, director-general of Industrial Works Department, said that aluminium dross is a Category 3 hazardous material and possession of it requires a permit from the department.
He said that the two smelters were illegally constructed and do not have operating licenses. Anyone who builds a factory without a permit is liable to imprisonment of up to two years and/or a fine of 200,000 baht on conviction, while operating the factory without a license is also subject to similar penalties.
Pol Maj-Gen Watcharin Phusit, commander of NRECD, said that his men are looking for the Chinese owners of the two aluminium smelters for questioning.
Aluminium dross is a waste product produced when refining aluminium. It consists of metal, salt oxide and other non-metallic substances.
