Crop burning shortening average life expectancy
Air pollution, notably PM2.5 fine dust, caused by the burning of plantations, especially sugarcane, affects around 44 million people in Thailand every year, the Industry Ministry reported on Thursday.
PM2.5 refers to dust particles 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter, long-term exposure to which is linked with chronic diseases including lung and heart problems.
Thai farmers resort to burning their fields after harvest to get rid of the stumps. This method, while cost-saving, creates huge environmental impacts and is therefore illegal.
The ministry said it has been following the government’s policy in tackling the PM2.5 problems since 2019, including arresting farmers caught breaking the law by burning their crops.
“Burning crops is not only illegal, it creates a burden on the society,” said the ministry. “Air pollution from the smoke could linger in the atmosphere above densely populated areas for up to six months.”
It said the affected areas include the North, the Northeast, the East, and the Central region including the Bangkok metropolitan area, which have a combined population of about 44 million people.
To help sugarcane farmers struggling financially, the ministry has been providing a subsidy of 120 baht per tonne of output to hire labour or buy equipment to properly and cleanly get rid of the harvest stumps.
So far 14.38 billion baht has been disbursed, it said.
The ministry also supports farmers interested in using modern technology in sugarcane harvesting to reduce the need to burn their fields, it added.
A report by Air Quality Life Index said over 90% of the population in Thailand, like most Southeast Asian countries, are living in poorer air conditions than the safety standard set out by the World Health Organisation, which stipulates that the PM2.5 should not exceed 50 micrograms per 1 cubic metre of air.
This condition can shorten the average lifespan of Thais by 1.8 years, the Air Quality Life Index reports.
