Government urged to promote use of bioplastics

BANGKOK, May 22 (TNA) -- Current decline in global crude oil prices has negatively affected bioplastics industry in Thailand, said Kittipong Limsuwanroj, director of Thai Bioplastics Industry Association (TBIA). Prices of bioplastics have already risen about 30 per cent more than ordinary plastics, causing them to lose competitiveness, said Mr Kittipong. Bioplastics industry offers advantages to agricultural sector while there are signs that bioplastics would gain more popularity as they could help solve global warming problem, he said, urging the Thai government should find ways in promoting production and marketing such as issuing a law requiring that manufacturing of plastic products should carry the same amount of products made from bioplastics. He said the government could also offer incentives on tax reduction for shopping malls to switch to using bags made from bioplastics, aimed at promoting the industry. Worldwide production of bioplastics in 2014 amounted 1.7 million tonnes and is projected to soar to 7.85 million tonnes in 2062. The government and the private sector should cooperate in promoting the industry, aimed at making Thailand the biotechnology industrial hub so that the country could see some 105 billion baht new investment in the bioplastics business. Besides creating new 86,500 jobs in the industry, it could help reduce emission of about 4.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. (TNA)