In a significant stride towards environmental sustainability, WWF-Thailand recently hosted four WWF Plastic ACTion (PACT) workshops as part of the Plastic Smart Cities project.
PACT leads the way in reducing the environmental footprint
The PACT workshops took place from the end of April 2024 to May 2024, starting with Hatyai and Surat Thani in collaboration with the municipalities, followed by workshops in Koh Samui and Songkhla.
These workshops aimed to educate attendees on reducing their environmental footprint, with a particular focus on single-use plastics in the food and hospitality industries. The events showed strong engagement, attracting a combined total of nearly 500 participants, across four cities, primarily representatives from the local food & beverage industry and hotels.
Participants also received comprehensive waste management training, sustainable management guidelines from experienced businesses, and engaged in insightful discussions. The events also provided opportunities for attendees to connect with vendors who can support their transition to more sustainable practices. Key collaborators included WWF Thailand’s PACT partners, such as LINEMAN Wongnai, a major food delivery platform, and CaneX Bio-Packaging, a supplier of sustainable packaging solutions.
Commitment to reduce single-use plastic in Thailand with PACT
Prior to the workshops, 21 local establishments had committed to the PACT agreement to reduce single-use plastics in their operations. Following the workshops, over 16 more businesses expressed interest in joining PACT, reflecting a growing awareness and commitment to sustainable practices.
At the opening ceremony of the workshop in Surat Thani, Mr. Prasert Boonprasop, Mayor of Surat Thani municipality, presented plaques to the 10 pilot PACT partners, showcasing the municipality’s strong support and recognition of the importance of PACT commitment. This acknowledgment not only fostered a sense of moral value among the partners, but also reinforced their dedication to reducing plastic waste thereby inspiring others to join the initiative. Surat Thani Municipality’s proactive approach to sustainability positions it as a model city – their high level of commitment towards sustainability was evident in their active engagement and strong ownership of the PACT programme, making them stand out as one of the primary driving forces behind the success of PACT.
This successful series of workshops represents a significant milestone for the Plastic Smart Cities programme in Thailand and highlights a shared dedication among major businesses, local authorities, and communities to adopting more sustainable business models and progressing towards a circular economy.
PACT in Action: Local Restaurant in Hat Yai
Above image shows the restaurant’s effort to replace and reduce single-use plastic
A PACT partner – a local restaurant in Hat Yai, found that after implementing the replace and reduce model in their operations for a month, they reduced 63.66 kg of plastic waste. Previously, the restaurant used single-use plastic for utensils, condiments like ketchup, and sauces, amounting to 958.01kg of plastic waste from March 2023 to March 2024. After their commitment to PACT, they reduced single-use plastic by changing it into reusable containers or eliminating unnecessary plastic.
As of June 2024, WWF Thailand has successfully partnered with 38 businesses through PACT, including large corporations such as LINEMAN Wongnai, Mitrphol and foodpanda, as well as local and small businesses in the pilot cities. As all four pilot cities in Thailand advance with PACT, we anticipate achieving even more significant milestones. These efforts will contribute to reducing plastic usage and leakage into nature, advancing a circular economy with collaborative efforts from all sectors. Together, we are forging a path to a more sustainable future for Thailand.
