Garbage in Samui Solid Waste Incineration plant in Thailand

Asia Toxic Tour Action against incinerator in Phuket. Greenpeace released a scientific report which reveals serious contamination in ash dumped beside the facility To highlight the threats posed by the incinerator to the environment and local residents, activists posted warning signs around the plant and the adjacent ash pits. "The results clearly demonstrate that incineration does not solve the garbage problem but in fact transforms it into a chemical menace which is much more difficult to deal with. Instead of giving Phuket a clean image, this incinerator is polluting an island paradise heavily dependent on tourism," said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Tara Buakamsri. The scientific study showed elevated levels of toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium and copper in the incinerator ash dumped in open pits close to mangrove areas. Lead and cadmium levels in the ash of the Phuket incinerator were found to be 30 to 100 times higher than background levels.