Waste management startup finds way to encourage proper waste disposal

Environmental threats caused by poor waste management are raising a red flag and making people more eco-conscious since pictures of short-fined pilot whale being washed up on a Thai beach have been distributed to news outlets worldwide.

The whale ingested more than 80 plastic bags and died. Time and again we are exposed to striking news pictures of garbage dumpsites prone to spontaneous combustion. These pictures aren’t the loveliest to be seen.

Many startups have joined force to tackle the issue. One of them is GooGreen, a startup that builds a platform to help urbanites efficiently collect and sort waste. Prior to giving birth to GooGreen, Chatsanan Masawangpairoj has endlessly worked with communities, schools and manufactories and found these three sectors have efficient waste sorting procedure. Office workers, by contrast, are the ones causing concerns.

“Office workers mostly produce massive plastic waste of which only 20% are gone into waste collection process, while 80% left unmanaged and cause environmental problems.  Fortunately these people want an effective waste management solution,” said Chatsanan about the platform’s inception.

The platform developed by GooGreen comprises of mobile and web application as well as waste disposal kiosks at office buildings. The kiosk staff will assist and instruct people on how to do proper waste sorting, she added.

“I believe we all can read Thai language. But why can’t we dispose waste properly in designated waste bins? The reason is these bins can’t convince us to do so. That’s why we have staff at the kiosks to help educate people about waste disposal. When people start learning, maybe we can replace humans with automated machines in the future.”

Another key idea of GooGreen is to encourage attitude change from disposing of waste to “depositing waste and earning points.” With a download of the application, users will be able to locate GooGreen kiosks in their office neighborhoods. Depositing waste at the kiosk, they will earn points to be redeemed for rewards.

Chatsanan revealed that waste in Thailand can be categorized into 4 types: recycle waste (30%), hazardous waste (3%), organic or green waste (64%) and general waste (3%).  General waste must be disposed of in landfills and incinerators while the other three types can be treated and converted into money. Moreover, waste items such as clean candy wrappers and snack pouches can be turned into gasoline and diesel fuel. That means all waste can be reused.

GooGreen hopes to be a model business for real estate companies and that its concept will be incorporated into these companies’ systems so residents can properly sort waste by themselves, GooGreen’s founder said.

“If we still do business in a traditional capitalist system, the planet earth won’t survive and we won’t survive. I believe this business helps us all survive. The earth, we the humankind and everyone gets benefits,” Chatsanan said.