Pubblicazione scientifica

Cigarette Waste in Popular Beaches in Thailand: High Densities that Demand Environmental Action

FILONE TECNOLOGICO	TEMA
economia circolare e sostenibilità

RIASSUNTO

Thailand, like all nations, has a responsibility to initiate environmental actions to preserve marine environments. Low- and middle-income countries face difficulties implementing feasible strategies to fulfill this ambitious goal. To contribute to the revitalization of Thailand’s marine ecosystems, we investigated the level of tobacco product waste (TPW) on Thailand’s public beaches. We conducted a cross-sectional observational survey at two popular public beaches. Research staff collected cigarette butts over two eight-hour days walking over a one-kilometer stretch of beach. We also compiled and analyzed data on butts collected from sieved sand at 11 popular beaches throughout Thailand’s coast, with 10 samples of sieved sand collected per beach. Our survey at two beaches yielded 3067 butts in lounge areas, resulting in a mean butt density of 0.44/m2. At the 11 beaches, sieved sand samples yielded butt densities ranging from 0.25 to 13.3/m2, with a mean butt density of 2.26/m2 (SD = 3.78). These densities show that TPW has become a serious problem along Thailand’s coastline. Our findings are comparable with those in other countries. We report on government and civil society initiatives in Thailand that are beginning to address marine TPW. The solution will only happen when responsible parties, especially and primarily tobacco companies, undertake actions to eliminate TPW.

DATA

Data di pubblicazione: 29/03/2018

AUTORI

KUNGSKULNITI NIPAPUN
CHAROENCA NAOWARUT
HAMANN STEPHEN L
PITAYARANGSARIT SIRIWAN
MOCK JEREMIAH

ENTE DI AFFERENZA

FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH MAHIDOL UNIV BANGKOK 10400 THAILAND NIPAPUN KUN MAHIDOL AC TH
CTR EXCELLENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & TOXICOLOGY BANGKOK 10400 THAILAND
TOBACCO CTRL RSCH & KNOWLEDGE MGMT CTR BANGKOK 10400 THAILAND SLHAMANN GMAIL COM SLH PITAYARANGSARIT GMAIL COM SP
INSIGHT ANALYSIS GROUP CORTE MADERA CA 94925 USA JEREMIAH MOCK GMAIL COM

RIVISTA

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(4), 630

IMPACT FACTOR

2,620

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