12.2.5 Policy for minimisation of plastic use

Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) has a policy on minimising the use of plastic. The Srinakharinwirot University Announcement on the Policy on the Minimisation of Plastic Use and Reduction of Single-Use Plastics (SWU Zero Plastic) was signed by the President, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Cholvit Jearajit, and announced on 31 March B.E. 2568 (A.D. 2025), so the policy was created within the period 2022–2026 and was in place in 2025. It builds on the University’s Policy on Reducing Plastic Bag Use and Prohibiting Foam Containers, announced on 13 December B.E. 2567 (2024), and applies to all faculties, offices, food service areas and other University premises, as well as to students, staff, food and beverage vendors, contractors and service providers. The policy sets a measurable target to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics by at least 10% each year, using the previous year’s recorded consumption as the baseline, covering plastic bags, cups, straws, cutlery, food containers and other disposable plastic products.

To reach this target, the policy prohibits foam food containers and foam packaging for vendors on campus and asks vendors to limit plastic bags, cups, cutlery and straws, offering them only on request where this is permitted. The University encourages the use of cloth bags, reusable food containers, personal drinking bottles and reusable cups, with discounts or other incentives for customers who bring their own containers, and it promotes drinking water refill facilities and the procurement of reusable products for meetings and events. Relevant units and vendors keep records of single-use plastic purchasing and consumption, recyclable plastics are collected with authorised recyclers, annual reports are prepared on plastic consumption and plastic waste, and the policy and its performance information are published on the University’s website.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mlpJNPbgPNDwuNI5GRV8m2uIQITCIxss/view