New tax urged to make producers ‘green’

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment yesterday urged the Finance Ministry to launch a “green tax” so the private sector can be motivated to become more environmentally friendly. Permanent-secretary for Natural Resources and Environment, Saksit Tridech, said the list of 17 eco-friendly office materials had been issued for state offices to procure in 2005, and several offices had already complied. The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry will soon be discussing two issues with the Finance Ministry: regulations with regard to the procurement of green products and green-tax measures. A complete report on previously successful green measures should be submitted to the government in the next month or two. Deputy chief of the Pollution Control Department, Worasat Apaipong, reported that 151 department-level state offices had started becoming eco-friendly bandwagon since last year, and the items immediately adjusted were toilet paper, correction fluids, batteries and printing paper. Mahidol University lecturer Jirapol Sindhunava said homes and private business should also become energy efficient, and publicity campaigns should be launched to make people more aware. He also urged that measures be implemented to have manufacturers and distributors provide accurate and clear information to the consumers. (June 17, 2009)