UTHAI THANI (NNT) – The Center for Air Pollution Mitigation (CAPM) has taken action on the problem of PM2.5 released from sugar factories and resulting from sugarcane crop burning in Uthai Thani.
Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office, Teerapat Prayoonsit as chair of the subcommittee in charge of providing air pollution information to the public, today followed up on the PM2.5 dust particle problem generally in Uthai Thani province. He first visited Baanrai Sugar Industry, a company which has a specific project to buy sugar cane leaf from farmers for biofuel and to help prevent the need for crop burning.
The company also aims to raise the unburnt sugarcane purchase rate to 100%, so that farmers no longer need to burn -off crops.
The permanent secretary said that it is necessary to undertake eco-friendly agriculture as it helps prevent damage to the environment and human health.
In addition, CAPM has already requested cooperation from related authorities, the private sector and the public, to be part of PM2.5 problem solving.
According to CAPM, Uthai Thani has been implementing agricultural burning solutions and enforcing laws since 2018.
Local authorities and the sugar industry have launched projects to support the policy such as purchasing sugarcane leaf and raising the price of unburnt sugarcane. The projects have been receiving good compliance from the farmers as they gain a better sales price and achieve better air quality for the community.
