Politics
Old City Bkk Council Adopts National Solid Waste Management Act Locally, Aligning Collection Rules With Neighbouring Municipalities
Old City Bkk residents will receive new sorting bins and adjusted collection schedules from August as the city council applies the national waste rules already operating in Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani.
How we reported this
The Old City Bkk City Council voted 8-3 on 7 July to adopt the National Solid Waste Management Act through a local ordinance that requires households and businesses to separate organic waste, recyclables and general refuse into three labelled bins.
Why the change takes effect now
The ordinance follows the central government's 2025 directive that all municipalities must reach a 30 percent recycling rate by the end of 2027, with the legislation stating that failure to comply will result in reduced national infrastructure grants. Old City Bkk currently recycles 18 percent of its collected waste, according to the 2025 municipal budget paper.
The new rules affect the 124,000 households inside the Rattanakosin and Banglamphu zones where collection trucks already run six days a week. Residents will place the three bins at the kerb on designated mornings, and collection crews will record participation rates for quarterly reports to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
Comparison with other municipalities and daily effects
Nonthaburi province began the same three-bin system in March 2025 and now reports a 27 percent recycling rate, while Pathum Thani reached 24 percent after six months. Old City Bkk officials have budgeted 2.8 million baht to purchase 62,000 additional bin sets and to train 140 collection staff, matching the per-household allocation used in those two provinces.
Local advocates note that the change will alter waste pickup times on narrow sois such as Trok Kaeo Fa and Soi Rambuttri, where trucks will now make two passes instead of one. Businesses along Khao San Road must also register for commercial collection contracts that charge by weight of non-recyclable waste.
The government says the policy will cut landfill use by 15,000 tonnes a year once fully implemented. The next step is a 30-day public information period followed by distribution of bins beginning 1 August, with fines for non-compliance scheduled to start in October.