Thailand enforces sweeping ban on electronic waste imports

Thailand has imposed a comprehensive ban on electronic waste imports as it grapples with a burgeoning e-waste problem. A 2021 report from the Pollution Control Department revealed that the country generates over 400,000 tonnes of domestic electronic waste annually.

Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand has taken a pivotal step towards sustainable environmental management with the implementation of a comprehensive ban on electronic waste imports.

A new ministerial notification from the Thai Ministry of Commerce, classifying e-waste as illegal for admission into the kingdom, went into effect on June 24, 2025, following its publication in the Royal Gazette that same day.

This latest decree supersedes a previous 2020 regulation, significantly updating and expanding the scope of the ban. The number of prohibited electronic waste items has increased from 428 to 463.

The ban covers a wider array of end-of-life electronic equipment including faulty circuit boards, used lithium batteries, non-functional mobile phones, and small electrical appliances containing hazardous residues.

Furthermore, customs tariff codes have been revised to align with the Harmonised System 2022, a measure designed to prevent false declarations and the illicit smuggling of e-waste in disguised forms.

The ban comes as Thailand grapples with a burgeoning e-waste problem. A 2021 report from the Pollution Control Department revealed that the country generates over 400,000 tonnes of domestic electronic waste annually.

Worryingly, only approximately 500 tonnes – a mere 0.125% – are collected and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. The vast majority often remains in homes, is sold as second-hand goods, or enters informal recycling channels.

Compounding this internal challenge, Thailand has also experienced a dramatic surge in e-waste imports. Figures show a leap from around 900 tonnes imported in 2014 to more than 50,000 tonnes by 2017./.

VNA