Chonburi Officials Uncovered Cadmium Waste in Warehouse Owned by Chinese

PRESS RELEASE:

Chonburi Provincial Police, alongside the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division, uncovered a substantial amount of cadmium waste in a warehouse in Khlong Kiew subdistrict, Ban Bueng district, Chonburi province, on April 6.

The operation led to the confiscation of 4,200 bags of the hazardous material, weighing an estimated 6,720 tonnes, previously traced to a factory in Samut Sakhon. The warehouse is owned by a 38-year-old Chinese national, Liu Lu, who admitted to acquiring the waste for distribution.

The incident follows the initial discovery of 100 bags of cadmium waste on April 3 in Samut Sakhon province. The waste is believed to have been illegally shipped from Tak province, a region now declared a disaster zone due to the environmental threat. The Samut Sakhon Governor has since ordered the waste returned to Tak for proper disposal within seven days. The incident led to a 90-day ban on access to the affected factory and surrounding areas in the province.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has directed Industry Minister Pimpatra Wichaikul to personally inspect the situation and ensure the swift handling of the toxic waste. The Industry Minister later revealed a discrepancy in the accounted waste, with 2,440 tonnes located but 10,000 tonnes missing until their discovery in Chonburi.

The incident has brought to light the dangers of cadmium, a toxic metal that poses severe environmental and health risks upon exposure. The Tak Provincial Industry Office has defended the legality of the waste transport, insisting on compliance with all relevant regulations and confirming the factory’s operation under a valid license.

Related article:

The Ministry of Industry is currently investigating the disappearance of over 10,000 tonnes of hazardous cadmium tailings from a smelting plant in Samut Sakhon province. The shortfall was identified during a routine inspection led by Industry Minister Pimphattra Wichaikul, revealing a major discrepancy between the documented transport of 13,450 tonnes from Tak province and the mere 2,440 tonnes found on site.

The preceding is a press release from the Thai Government PR Department.

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Goongnang Suksawat
Goong Nang is a News Translator who has worked professionally for multiple news organizations in Thailand for many years and has worked with The Pattaya News for five years. Specializes primarily in local news for Phuket, Pattaya, and also some national news, with emphasis on translation between Thai to English and working as an intermediary between reporters and English-speaking writers. Originally from Nakhon Si Thammarat, but lives in Phuket and Krabi except when commuting between the three.