From Problems to Solutions: SCG Sea Innovations

“Conservation and use of the oceans and marine resources for sustainable development” is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that the United Nations has established as a framework for global development from 2015 onwards. The SDGs have been driven by government, private, and popular sectors across the globe. As a leading corporation in Thailand, SCG has adopted the concept as well as applied it to its sea conservation collaborations with various organizations in order to develop innovations that contribute to the continuous preservation and restoration of the coastal and marine environment.

Enhancing Solutions with Innovation and Digital Technology
According to the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, 7.36 million tons out of 27.8 million tons of waste in Thailand was not properly disposed of and made their way through rivers and canals in the sea. In addition, 80% of marine debris was generated by human activity on land and could be attributed to sources such as residences, landfills, piers, and tourist beaches. As an organization that places importance on the sustainable development of communities, society, and the environment, SCG collaborated with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) to invent the SCG-DMCR Litter Trap to solve the problem of sea waste more efficiently.

The innovative litter trap was improved with the addition of the oil boom prototypes developed by DMCR in 2018. Jointly invented by SCG and DMCR, the litter trap, which measured 1.8 meters by 5 meters, could collect a maximum of 700 kilograms of waste per day. The main components of the SCG-DMCR Litter Trap were leftover PE100 pipes from processing tests in SCG’s plants. The use of these durable pipes contributed to resource efficiency and resonated with the circular economy principles.

Furthermore, the the SCG-DMCR Litter Trap was also developed to have a lid mechanism that took advantage of water flow and pressure to collect waste floating on a water surface and prevent it from flowing back out with the tides. In 2020, SCG developed SCG-DMCR Litter Trap Generation 2. The improved litter trap features HDPE-bones made of special grade HDPE, which improve the buoyancy and waste collection efficiency as well as afford it UV-resistance and a 25-year lifetime. The second-generation litter trap is also easy to assemble and install as well as recyclable, in line with the concept of circular economy.

Striving towards Marine Sustainability
Since 2019, SCG and DMCR have installed over 24 SCG-DMCR Litter Traps in estuaries and canals that drain into the sea in 13 provinces across Thailand to intercept waste before it can reach in the sea, and do far, these inventions have collected as much as 40 tons of waste. SCG continues to tackle the issue of marine debris by leveraging its polymer expertise and technology as well as engineering design capabilities. The company also attaches great significance to building collaboration and connecting with networks both in Thailand and overseas, such as the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and the Ocean Cleanup, to achieve sustainable and tangible solutions to the problem of marine litter.