Opportunities and Challenges in Landfill Mining Business in Thailand in the Government Agencies' View Point

In 2023, 26.95 million tons of municipal solid waste were generated in Thailand. Only a third was reused, a third was disposed of correctly, and a third was disposed of incorrectly. Thailand's waste management is one of the important aspects of environmental management. Moreover, two-thirds of that waste is disposed of in landfills, with not less than 18 million tons yearly. Reusing the disposed waste in landfills is an intriguing concept that should be developed. In Thailand, municipal waste management regulations involve mainly three ministries, each having different roles in managing and monitoring the management processes. Still, there are no regulations on landfill mining. This research interviews seven government agencies related to municipal waste management; the agencies are divided into operators and policymakers. The interviewees agreed that landfill mining could be a good technique for reducing the environmental impact of the currently operating and non-operating landfills and that the recovered material could be used as the secondary fuel for waste-to-energy power plants. However, regulating the landfill mining process with the current policy structure and the multiple ministries involved will be challenging.