Thailand’s battle against e-waste

The Southeast Asian country has witnessed a huge influx of electrical and electronic waste in recent years. Old mobile phones, computers, circuit boards and fridges are being shipped to the country and processed, often in unlicensed industrial sites.

We explore why this has happened, who is behind it, and find out what the Thai government is doing about it.

We join the Thai industry ministry on a raid of an unlicensed Chinese-owned recycling plant, and talk to a Thai farmer who says his cassava crop has been blighted by pollutants from an unlicensed smelter.

We also hear from Thais about their own electronics recycling habits.

If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presented and produced by Gideon Long
Additional reporting and translation by Wilawan Watcharasakwej in Bangkok

(Image: Officials look at a mound of e-waste at a site near Bangkok, Thailand.)