Tak factory that transported cadmium waste to Samut Sakhon comes under scrutiny
Following the furore over the storage of thousands of tons of cadmium waste in Samut Sakhon province, officials in Tak province on Friday inspected seven cadmium waste pits at a factory from where the waste had originated and said they did not find anything illegal about the transaction.
They found one pit had been excavated, and the remaining six pits were scheduled for relocation
Tak Provincial Industry Office is currently gathering data for submission to the Ministry of Industry but they confirmed that the licensing process had adhered to the guidelines outlined in the industrial factory manual.
After Samut Sakhon Governor Phol Damtham, along with relevant agencies, inspected a factory in the province and discovered 15,000 tons of cadmium waste, transported from a buried pit in Tak province, the cadmium was confiscated. The governor declared the area surrounding the warehouses a disaster zone. The governor revealed that the cadmium waste had been transported to the area since August last year. He has ordered that it be sent back to the original site in Tak within seven days.
On Thursday, Tak provincial officials inspected the lead and zinc smelting factory of Bound and Beyond Pcl in Mueang district following reports that the factory had sold lead and cadmium waste, which had been buried, to a factory in Samut Sakhon province.
Upon inspection, it was found that the location was no longer suitable for operating as a factory following the dismantling of the factory building and production machinery. Additionally, it was discovered that the company had been authorised to remove waste totalling 15,000 tons from the factory and dispose them of at the factory in Samut Sakhon province.
Inspection of the seven cadmium waste pits showed that two of them had been emptied. Some of the cadmium waste, both in big bags and not yet packed, was stored inside the building. Initially, the officials collected samples of cadmium waste from both the pits and the building for further analysis and investigation.
According to additional information by the Tak Provincial Industry Office, pit No. 5 was excavated in 2023, and the material was utilised by J&T Metal Co Ltd.
Pits 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 will be excavated in 2024-25 and the material utilised by J&T Metal Co Ltd.
Cadmium is associated with many human health problems, including damage to the lungs and kidneys, besides causing fragile bones and cancer.
