Thai Union Group PCL, a global seafood powerhouse along with i- Tail Corporation PCL (ITC) celebrated International Coastal Cleanup Day by conducting a massive mangrove cleaning exercise. It was at the Mahachai East Coast Natural Resources and Environment Conservation and Rehabilitation Learning and Practice Center in Khok Kham, Samut Sakhon, Thailand.
The initiative is based on the SeaChange(r) 2030 program of Thai Union that has a goal of eliminating 1,500 tons of ocean-bound plastic in waterways and oceans by the decade-end.
More than 200 participants joined the effort, including employees from Thai Union and ITC, along with local partners such as Samut Sakhon City Development (Social Enterprise) Company Limited, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR), local government units, schools, and civic groups. As a team, the group gathered 755 kilograms of waste which included plastic bottles and foam containers, glass bottles and light bulbs.
According to the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) approach, it was also divided and documented to generate credible marine waste information. Wongpanit Ban Phaeo, a local recycling firm will manage the recyclables and the non-recyclable waste shall be converted into refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which will result in less environmental damage.
“AN ESTIMATED 200 MILLION TONS OF PLASTIC WASTE ARE ALREADY FLOATING IN OUR OCEANS, THREATENING MARINE LIFE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS,” SAID ADAM BRENNAN, CHIEF SUSTAINABILITY AND COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT THAI UNION. “TODAY’S ACTIVITY SHOWS HOW COLLABORATION BETWEEN EMPLOYEES, PARTNERS, AND COMMUNITIES CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.”
The cleanup highlights how seafood companies are linking CSR programs, packaging waste reduction, and community partnerships to broader sustainability goals. To retailers and suppliers, this effort highlights increasing industry responsibility towards reducing plastic and managing waste.
The partnership is an ongoing initiative by Thai Union to preserve marine ecosystems, which are vital in supporting global seafood supply chain as well as the general retail economy.
