Thailand’s Pollution Control Department has traced the industrial waste, found in a confiscated truck, to a waste recycling plant in Ayutthaya province, according to Pitaya Pramotvoraphan, deputy director-general of the department.

The truck, still loaded with industrial waste, was impounded at the Song Khon Tambon Administration Organisation (TAO) in Saraburi, after it was caught discharging some of the waste onto land of the Kaeng Khoi industrial estate in Saraburi.

On February 12^th, a pickup truck was seen parked next the impounded truck, allegedly to transfer the waste onto the pickup, which belongs to the Aek U Thai recycling company in Ayutthaya, said Pitaya, adding that the company was already suspected of being linked to industrial waste found dumped in a warehouse in Phachi district on February 27^th.

He said that the waste found at and around the warehouse was of a similar type as the waste dumped in the industrial estate.

A complaint has already been filed by the management of the industrial estate with the police at Kaeng Khoi police station.

The Ecological Alert and Recovery Thailand (EARTH) Foundation has blamed the Industrial Works Department for its alleged negligence in allowing Aek U Thai to continue accept waste for recycling, despite being temporarily closed by the department.

Penchome Saetang, the foundation’s director, also questioned why industrial companies continue to use the services of the Aek U Thai recycling company when it has been closed since February 16^th.

She wonders whether the provincial industrial works officials in Ayutthaya has informed Aek U Thai’s customers about the company’s closure.