The government’s policy for stores to stop giving away single-use plastic bags can negatively affect small and medium-sized plastic bag producers as well as small-scale vendors, according to Thai Plastic Industrial (1994) Co.

Hundreds of SMEs were producing single-use plastic bags and their sales already dropped by 20-30% due to the economic slowdown. The anti-plastic bag campaign would worsen their conditions, said Theerachai Theerarujinont, president of the company.

Small shopkeepers and vendors at markets and on streets would be affected too as single-use plastic bag manufacturers were turning to make other products, he said.

Mr. Theerachai said his company was not affected because it mainly produced food plastic bags. It also makes single-use plastic bags but for wet markets, community markets and small vendors. Department stores are not their customers. However, his company shelved its project to double its production of plastic bags, he said.

Mr Theerachai proposed the government call off the anti-plastic bag policy and prioritize the development of standard plastic waste incinerators. Singapore had such facilities and used outputs for land reclamation, he said.

Source: TNA