Community Wastewater Treatment: SCG’s Innovation Аor Social Sustainability

Besides campaigning for communities to cooperate in not disposing of wastewater and trash into public canals and promoting awareness on the importance of waste sorting and proper disposal from the point of origin in order to increase the amount of waste materials that enter into the recycling process, developing innovations for the treatment of wastewater in communities and collection of trash and debris that pass through sewers into public canals and the sea presents another challenge in improving the quality of life in local communities as well as an opportunity for collaboration among all sectors to address the issue.

SCG, one of the leading companies in Thailand that operate within the framework of sustainable development, which places importance on environmental conservation and restoration as well as raising the quality of life within communities through innovations designed and developed upon the foundation of the organization’s experience and expertise, has collaborated with the Ministry of Industry to design and construct a treatment system for wastewater prior to release into Khlong Prem Prachakon canal in the project “Volunteer, Survey, Design: Procurement and Installation of a Wastewater Treatment System in Khlong Prem Prachakon Canal in Honor of King Maha Vajiralongkorn” in accordance with His Majesty’s royal initiative on improving quality of life, with Thung Song Hong Police Flats and Khlong Prem Prachakon as pilot communities in this program.

Changing wastewater into clean water: Innovation for communities

Khlong Prem Prachakon was the first public canal dug under the royal initiative of King Chulalongkorn as a shortcut to the Chao Phraya River in order to increase convenience in transportation and trade for citizens of that era. From that day to the present, the area surrounding the canal has become another important location around which communities have risen and clustered, especially in Don Muang and Lak Si districts. As a result, the water in Khlong Prem Prachakon in these areas is of very poor quality and in dire need of treatment. If left untreated, putrid water in the canal will not only be a source of unpleasant odors and pathogens, but trash and debris in rivers and canals can also disrupt water flow or contribute further to the marine waste problem.

To provide a solution for the problem of putrid water in Khlong Prem Phrachakon, SCG has supplied and installed a set of innovative equipment for community wastewater treatment, which includes DIY Grease Traps, Aquonic 600, and HDPE-Bone Litter Traps. Each of these three innovative solutions plays a part in treating domestic wastewater before it is released into the canal as follows: 

• DIY Grease Trap: 
  

  These traps are made out of materials that are readily available, economically priced, easy to assemble, and can be installed immediately in a household to filter out food waste and intercept grease before wastewater enters the sewage system.

• Aquonic 600: 
  

  This technology helps treat and purify domestic wastewater through bio- and electrochemical processes, yielding treated water that is free from germs, color, and odor and can be reused effectively. This innovation builds upon the technology of the hygienic toilet system on which Chemicals Business, SCG collaborated with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) under the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

• HDPE-Bone Litter Trap: 

  Equipped from the oil booms that the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) invented in 2018, this innovation is made out of special grade HDPE plastic, resulting in increased buoyancy and efficiency in collecting floating trash and debris, UV resistance, and a lifespan of over 25 years. It is also easier to install and can also be recycled after use in accordance with the concept of circular economy.
  
  

This is yet another great project to promote the implementation of sustainable development by SCG, which is committed to creating and developing innovations to help solve problems faced by local communities. Above all else, SCG has always played a role in driving forward is the importance of instilling awareness and appreciation of the value of the environment and knowledge about sustainable waste management among community members. For more information on SCG’s innovative solutions for community wastewater treatment, click here: https://www.scgchemicals.com/th/news-media/feature-story/detail/47