Phuket City Mayor Suppachoke Laongphet this week inspected landfill pits 4 and 5 at the disposal centre, where municipal staff have been working continuously for more than a week using heavy machinery to level waste and expand usable space.
Municipal officials confirmed that the island is currently generating approximately 700 tonnes of excess waste per day that cannot be processed by the incinerator, which has a maximum capacity of 500 tonnes per day. The overflow has placed increasing pressure on landfill capacity, particularly during periods of high tourist activity and public celebrations.
Mayor Suppachoke acknowledged that waste volumes show no sign of easing, describing the situation as a daily race against time for frontline workers.
“The amount of waste being delivered to the disposal centre continues to rise, while the landfill area remains the same,” he said. “At present, more than 1.2 million tonnes of waste are already stored at the site, which presents a major challenge for waste management.”
To cope with the strain, staff from the Waste Management and Sanitation Division and the Engineering Department have been operating heavy machinery 24 hours a day to push and level waste in landfill pits 4 and 5, increasing space to accommodate new deliveries.
Organic waste is directed to pits 4 and 5, while dry waste ‒ including tree branches and construction debris ‒ is partially diverted to pit 3, which does not generate odours.
In parallel with capacity management, municipal workers are also carrying out odour-control measures. Officials confirmed that microbial inoculum is sprayed across landfill pits 4 and 5 three times daily to reduce smells and limit environmental impact on surrounding areas.
Mayor Suppachoke expressed appreciation for the dedication of municipal staff, noting that operations have continued without interruption, including during holidays.
“All staff are working tirelessly on the ground every day, sacrificing their time and effort for the public good,” he said. “Their work is essential to keeping the situation under control while long-term solutions are being developed.”
He added that Phuket City Municipality is continuing to explore additional waste-management strategies to address the structural imbalance between waste generation and disposal capacity, stressing that cooperation from all sectors remains critical.
Officials from the Road and Bridge Maintenance Division also joined the site inspection, confirming that machinery will remain deployed at landfill pits 4 and 5 throughout the high-waste period to maintain operational capacity.
Municipal authorities reiterated that reducing waste at source and improving waste separation remain key priorities as Phuket continues to face sustained pressure on its landfill infrastructure.