Packaging waste from the Norwegian fishing industry in washing up on the Thai beach of Koh Samui. It is estimated that the Norwegian fish exporters produce 65 million Styrofoam boxes every year , and the fact that many ends up in Thailand has made big environmental organizations speak out.
“It is a shame that Norwegian companies, which like to appear sustainable, contribute to worsening the plastic pollution in other countries,” secretary general of the WWF World Nature Fund, Karoline Andaur told NRK. “It is not the responsibility of Thai waste workers to clean up after Norwegian seafood exporters.”
The owner of a local sorting center in Koh Samui, Anusit Srisra, is also frustrated, as there are certain challenges in recycling foreign waste. The Styrofoam boxes are reportedly harder to recycle in Thailand due to the wind dispersal and the presence of specific color pigments, which can not be processed.
Frode Pleym, the Greenpeace Norway leader, also finds the situation highly problematic and stated the following to the Norwegian media NRK:
“I get sick and pissed off by these pictures. It is embarrassing to be Norwegian when these areas overflow with plastic and Styrofoam packaging with Norwegian flags on it. I hope the government is just as embarrassed, and gets a comprehensive and binding global plastic agreement in place.”
In response the Norwegian Government acknowledged the complexity of the negotiations when it comes to major plastic-producing countries, and the countries which are a affected by the plastic waste.
The Norwegian seafood industry, also acknowledge the problems and has expressed, through the company Grieg Seafood that they will look into certain aspects of the packaging:
“If the color pigment on the boxes is an obstacle to reuse, that is something we have to look at,” said Grieg Seafood’s Kristina Furnes.
Source: Salmon Business
