Over the past years, countries worldwide have faced a common hurdle: waste overload driven by over-consumption and poor waste management. The issues have intensified due to improper waste measures, which we habitually create, such as landfill and incineration, significant contributors to greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming. These activities have greatly instigated negative environmental impacts and pollution that threatens human livelihood.
To address Thailand’s waste problems, SCG has introduced an organizational practice built upon the Circular Economy “SCG Circular Way” and embedded it into business operations and sustainable development strategy. The goal is to maximize resource usage and recycling to maintain the wealth of natural resources and deliver sustainability to the next generation to come. SCG has refined the concept and practices to fit the nature of corporate and communities for wider-scale adoption. SCG also develops innovation and fosters collaborations both at home and overseas to seek mutual solutions. Today, we are going to decode what makes SCG Circular Way a solution to waste crisis.
Born in Organization, Flourish in Community
An SCG’s internal waste management project, “Bang Sue Model,” has embraced SCG Circular Way, a practice built upon the Circular Economy principles. It has put a core emphasis on recycling within the value chain and achieving a closed-loop process where streams of waste, raw materials, expired goods, and energy are recreated and repurposed within a continuous flow. This model promotes proper recycling and encourages employees to practice “Resource Maximization, Correct Sorting, Proper Disposal.”
The internal project’s success has extended to Map Ta Phut communities in Rayong province under the name “Community Like Waste,” a project that engages local units of home, school, temple, and waste bank. The initiative aims to bring about resource management and waste management at source practice to increase recycling and reduce landfill. The community leaders are equipped with the knowledge and tasked to pass on the learning to community members. To date, with only one year of project implementation, as high as 6,500 kilograms of waste have been successfully recycled.
Innovation: Solution for Sustainability
Aside from being a corporate model for sustainability that integrates the Circular Economy concept to promote and create value among employees and drive sustainable business growth, SCG also strives to develop digital technology platforms to achieve broader goals. Among them is “KoomKah,” a web application that enables a comprehensive and efficient waste bank management that operates along with the “Bang Sue Model” and “Community Like Waste.” The platform offers several features: waste data records, trading amount calculation, membership database management, point redemption and collection history, and trading report. Users can also download the activity with a selected period in an excel file for further evaluation.
Besides, SCG also develop water treatment innovations using its innovation know-how based on the circular economy as follows:
- DIY Grease Trap is made from accessible materials that are easy to set up in the household. This grease trap can intercept food scraps and separate grease from the water before releasing it into the drainage system.
- Aquonic 600 helps manage and turn dirty greywater from toilet and kitchen use into pathogen-free reusable water utilizing biological and electro-chemical processes. The byproduct water is free from disease, color, or odor, and is reusable.
- HDPE–Bone Litter Trap is a floating litter trap made from a superior grade polyethylene compound of HDPE with increased buoyancy and waste interception performance along with UV resistance, a lifespan of 25 years, and recyclability in line with the Circular Economy. To date, 24 SCG-DMCR Litter Traps are installed in 13 provinces and productively intercept over 40 tons of garbage, a great solution to prevent waste from entering the ocean.
Build Collaboration and Expand Public Engagement
Over the years, SCG is committed to raising awareness and promoting the Circular Economy with the practice of SCG Circular Way among employees and consistently expands the concept adoption in communities. It has marked a significant milestone in promoting the industry’s green business philosophy on top of fostering network and participation of all sectors both at home and aboard. SCG has collaborated with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) to tackle the national level problems. As part of an international community, SCG has joined a global effort with international partners by being a member of several organizations, such as Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) to solve ocean waste with waste management solution, and partnering with the Ocean Cleanup, a leading environmental technology startup, to research and develop technology to minimize waste problems in Thai oceans.
Collaboration and mutual concern for the environment are key to a waste crisis solution. It can be achieved at an individual level via environmental education among corporate staff or the public through initiatives and activities at home and overseas. With a greener mindset, people will seek better innovations and more effective solutions based on SCG Circular Way to meet unfulfilled needs. You can go green and start recycling today at home with “Resource Maximization, Correct Sorting, Proper Disposal.”
