Foam Waste Floods Village, Collapses Wall in Chonburi
Heavy rain washed foam waste from a nearby waste-sorting site into a Sriracha village Saturday, collapsing a residential wall and flooding homes in Chonburi's Boonraksa View 2 community.
CHONBURI — A village wall in Sriracha district collapsed Saturday morning after heavy overnight rain washed large amounts of foam waste from a nearby waste-sorting site into a residential area.
The incident occurred at Boonraksa View 2 village in Moo 7, Bo Win subdistrict. Local officials said floodwater carried foam debris, believed to come from old refrigerators and freezers, from a waste-sorting area next to the village into the housing estate, scattering the material across the area and affecting several households.
Officials from the Bo Win Subdistrict Administrative Organisation and related agencies inspected the scene, cleared foam debris and opened drainage channels to ease the flooding. Authorities are also preparing to survey the damage.
Arthit Inprasit, chairman of Boonraksa View 2 village, said the land behind the village is privately owned and has been divided into rental plots. He said a foreign operator had rented part of the area long-term to run a waste-sorting business involving old refrigerators and freezers.
According to Arthit, after valuable parts were removed from the appliances, large amounts of foam waste were left piled up on the site. When heavy rain hit the area overnight, floodwater swept the foam into a large mass, which pressed against the rear wall of the village until it collapsed along a long section.
Water then poured into residents' homes. At least one house was damaged, while several households were affected by floodwater and foam debris entering their living areas.
Arthit said the village has faced regular flooding during heavy rain in the past, but nothing as severe as this incident. He believes the large accumulation of foam waste was a major factor, as the material absorbed water and was pushed by the flood current with enough force to damage the wall.
Residents are calling on authorities to investigate the waste-sorting operation, including whether its waste storage and disposal practices comply with the law. They also urged officials to assess the damage and introduce measures to prevent a similar incident from happening again.
