Bangkok markets join food waste reduction drive

Nearly 200 fresh markets in Bangkok have joined a Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) campaign to classify food scraps from other waste, which helps reduce carbon emissions by about 142.5 tonnes per day.

BMA spokesman Aekvarunyoo Amrapala said 184 fresh markets in 50 districts have joined the campaign, and at least 75 tonnes of food scraps are better managed per day with it.

Food scraps including vegetables, fruits and other foods piled up in waste bins produce a foul odour and are a breeding ground for germs which can spread into nearby water sources, and also produce a large amount of methane gas, he said, elaborating that methane is 28 times more potent in destroying the ozone layer than carbon dioxide and it is part of the global climate crisis.

Almost half of the sorted waste was sent to farmers while 30% was sent to district offices for making fertiliser, he added.