Arbeitsgemeinschaft Projekt Umwelt Asien

Working Team
Project Environmental and Nature Protection Asia

Information

THE SITUATION

Nowadays, nature and environmental protection are globally significant.

Preventing further global warming, better use of natural resources, preventing further pollution, etc. are important criteria, not only in terms of a future worth living, but ultimately for the survival of mankind.

Particularly the way how to deal with waste plays a crucial role.

In many countries there is now often – within the population as well as within the government – a strong conservation and environmental awareness.

Government agencies, the media, numerous organisations and associations, etc. inform about nature and environmental protection and promoting the natural and environmental thought.

Having in mind the need of reducing the accruing waste and disposing the accumulated waste environmentally safe, there are usually well thought out professional disposal concepts with a functional logistic, starting with the accumulating of the waste, on its transport, up to the disposal/treatment.

But there are still many countries – particularly in Asia – where the circumstances are completely different.

Due to the different mentality, by not or not sufficiently available information on issues of nature and environmental protection, by missing or inadequate logistics, disposal capacity, financial resources, etc. a worrying situation has now arisen, which requires immediate action.

Neither within the population, nor within government agencies there is often no natural and environmental awareness available.

In many places the disposal question is not or not sufficiently clarified.

Also on ‘dream islands’ and on ‘dream beaches’ there is usually no effective, professional disposal concept. So it happens, that there are illegal dumps emerged on beaches and its adjacencies – without any concepts to dispose them. Often the waste is also buried just on the beach or nearby – or disposed in the sea.

Especially on small islands the disposal problem is particularly serious. Here are no capacities / resources available to carry away existing waste and to dispose it properly. Incinerators on site are not available.

(All photos were taken in the period March / April 2016 on Ko Lanta, Ko Phangan, Ko Samui and Ko Kret – Thailand.)

Dealing with waste is only one part of the whole environmental issue, as can be observed in many countries in the Asian region.

By the continuing pollution of the seas – and their systematic ‘looting’ – more environmental problems arose.

Sewage and faeces are often discharged directly into the sea. In particular on smaller islands there is no sewage treatment available.

By the continuing excessive fishing, fish stocks are seriously depleted.

The trawls used from the fishing operations destroy the ‘underwater landscape’ often irretrievably.

The result is: nature and environment are permanently damaged or destroyed.

A meaningful television documentary on this subject, based on expert research, can be found here:

“Thailand – Naturzerstörung im Tropenparadies” (Doku, Phoenix, 2014)

A meaningful private documentary on this subject, based on expert research, can be found here:

Müll an Thailands Stränden (private Doku von Mathias Peer)

According to scientific evidence currently 60-80% of the global environmental and nature problems have their origin in Asia, with the following countries forefront:
China, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand.

Links to selected publications:

Print Media Links:

(1) “Samuis Müllproblem gerät total außer Kontrolle” (“Der Farang”)

(2) “Chaos um Samuis Müllberg: Keiner traut sich ran” (“Der Farang”)

(3) “Ko Samui erstickt in seinem eigenen Müll” (“Thailandtip.info”)

(4) “Thailand erstickt im Plastikmüll” (“Thaizeit.de”)

(5) “Kampf gegen den Müll” (“JungeWelt.de”)

(6) “Thailand benötigt besseres Abfallmanagement”(“GTAI.de”)

(7) Probleme mit dem Plastikmüll in Thailand (“Thailandtip.info”)

Video Links (Youtube):

(1) “Thailands Inseln – Ein bedrohtes Paradies” (Doku, Phoenix, 2014)

(2) Müll an Thailands Stränden (private Doku von Mathias Peer)

(3) “Plastik: Der Fluch der Meere” (Doku, ARTE)

(4) Ocean Cleanup – Das Umwelt-Projekt von Boyan Slat

(5) Videoclip zur Müll-Problematik auf Ko Samui (Strand)

(6) Videoclip zur Müll-Problematik auf Ko Samui (Müllverbrennungsanlage)

The current situation can be summarized as follows:

In some countries, much is done for nature and environmental protection, in other countries less, sometimes in other countries next to nothing.

Current scientific findings show, that regarding to the global, existing pollution of the environment an alarming situation has already arisen, which forces immediate action.

Just an example:

If nothing will be done immediately against the (increasing) pollution of the oceans, irreparable conditions will arise in the near future. If you compare the quantity of plastic waste existing (and steadily increasing!) in the seas, it is to be assumed that there is waste as much as fish in a few years (ratio 1 : 1, based on the weight)! The ‘underwater landscape’ will be irretrievably destroyed, with all its consequences for mankind.

A clever, far-sighted person (Richard von Weizsäcker) once said:
“Man needs nature, nature does not need man.
Man is part of nature, he is not superior to her.
Only when he understands this, he has a chance of survival. “

If one takes the current environmental situation (worldwide), man has no chance to survive. He is in the process of destroying his livelihood – in order ultimately to abolish himself.

THE BEGINNING

The idea for this nature and environment protection project arose at an appointment on the island of Ko Poda (Krabi, Thailand) in March 2013.

Then someone tried to get rid of a disued tractor, by digging on the beach (see photo). What fortunately failed.

Talkings with locals, who own a restaurant on the island, then revealed that any disposal problem on the island (as well as on other islands) is completely unclear. Behind the restaurant there are also metres high mountains of empty bottles, cans, old coconuts, etc ..

Further talks followed on Koh Samui, Koh Phangan, Ko Kret and Ko Lanta – with the result, that the waste disposal – especially on the islands – in fact represents a serious problem.

Thereupon, first talks with disposal companies and authorities were conducted.

What can we do?

THE PROJECT

With this project we want to built up an information and service system in Asian countries according to current international professional standards, aimed at eliminating or reducing the existing natural and environmental problems.

Since we first need to create an awareness, we want to draw attention to the current environmental situation with several information campaigns in the media (TV, radio, print media) and to show solutions for how this situation can be changed (improved).

At the same time, we want to talk to selected authorities (eg with the school authorities, to provide information on nature and environmental issues already in school – which is currently the case in almost no Asian country).

Our information and service system should include inter alia:

The organisation and implementation of waste management measures,
the creation of solutions for a reliable, sustainable waste management,
the creation of sustainable nature and environmental protection concepts,
informing the public on issues of nature and environmental protection and
promoting possibly already existing local disposal and nature and environmental protection projects.

All services are provided exclusively in coordination with the regional authorities.

In this context, we also want to provide technical and financial support to the regional authorities to built up such systems.

We want start in Southeast-Asia, in Thailand – and here regarding to the planned disposal measures of the project) specifically on selected islands, initially on

Ko Kret
Ko Lanta
Ko Phangan
Ko Samui
Ko Lipe
and other.

Depending on the available resources other areas (islands and mainland) and other countries should follow (eg., for example, the Philippines, …..).

We want to raise the necessary funds for this project through donation.

A TV information campaign (production of a corresponding TV-Spot and its broadcasting, initially over the period of 3 months) costs (converted) about 85,000 USD (special price; we have already led discussions with several production companies and TV stations, the our action with special prices for production and broadcasting of the spot).

For a one-time, complete environmentally waste disposal on a smaller island about (converted) 10,000 USD are needed (capture, transport for loading, loading of vessel, transport, unloading of the vessel, transport to the incinerator, etc.). For a medium-sized island, the costs amount about 25,000 USD.

To establish a permanent, functioning, sustainable concept (information of the public on questions of environmental and nature conservation and environmentally sound disposal measures at selected ‘focal points’) at different locations, the salaries for permanent employees will initially be about 20,000 USD / month (or once around USD 2,4 million). (Calculation basis: project run time initially 10 years).

NEWS

Unfortunately, the funds needed to complete the project as a whole are not yet available.

Therefore, we have started with partial projects in Thailand and Indonesia.

Thailand

To the current/new pilot projects: click here..!!

Bangkok

Currently the production of a tv-spot is planned, with the topic “reduction of plastic waste – on the countryside and in the seas“, which is to be broadcasted on Thai television after its completion (for a longer period of time).

We are looking for sponsors who support the production and broadcasting of this spot financially.

In this context, we have also write to the Thai royal house.

Ko Samui

The only incinerator on the island is not operating anymore. Even before it’s total failure it has never worked properly.

Currently there are about 300,000 tons of waste on Samui, stockpiled. Every day about 150 tonnes are being added.

The responsible authorities are overburdened.

Links to selected publications on this issue:

Print Media Links

“Ko Samui erstickt in seinem eigenen Müll” (“Thailandtip.info”)

“Chaos um Samuis Müllberg: Keiner traut sich ran” (“Der Farang”)

“Samuis Müllproblem gerät total außer Kontrolle” (“Der Farang”)

Video Links (Youtube)

Videoclip zur Müll-Problematik auf Ko Samui (Strand)

Videoclip zur Müll-Problematik auf Ko Samui (Müllverbrennungsanlage)

Urgent action is needed to solve this problem in the short term.

Currently in this respect we are in conversation with renowned international waste management companies.

We are looking for sponsors to financially support the necessary measures.

Ko Phangan

An extensive waste disposal action is in preparation.

In this context, we held further discussions on site.

We are looking for sponsors who support the action financially.

Ko Tao

We were on site again.

It was noted, that the Wastewater that incurred on the island is often dumped untreated into the sea.

Also the disposal of the waste has become a serious problem.

Neither a sewage treatment plant nor opportunities for environment friendly waste disposal / treatment are available on the island.

We are currently talking to important international waste disposal companies.

We are looking for sponsors to financially support the necessary measures.

Ko Lipe

One of the world’s most beautiful islands – and its beautiful beaches – are in great danger.

We were on site again, where we remove several kilograms of glass shards (swept from the sea) from the beaches in more actions (in particular at the Sunrise-Beach, northern section, but also at the Bundhaya- and Pattaya Beach).

An extensive waste disposal project is currently being prepared, also on other islands nearby.

We are looking for sponsors who support this action financially.

Indonesia

Bali

Bali has a serious garbage problem.

Not only the island itself, but also the sea surfaces surrounding the island, are heavily burdened with (plastic) waste.

We are currently in talks with regional authorities and the Indonesian government.

We are looking for sponsors who support this action financially.

Lombok

(see Bali)

Belitung

(in progress)