Chanum Chavanich, an ingenious and green-minded entrepreneur, found a way to leverage modern technology to give people an up-to-date method of throwing away things they no longer need while earning money.
By co-founding Recycle Day Thailand, Mr. Chanum not only created an environmental startup but also gave the nation an opportunity to better manage solid waste and sort it properly for recycling.
Mr. Chanum and his team relied on digital technology to offer a solution that enables people to dispose of their garbage properly to solve Thailand’s waste problems.
Through the solution for good waste management, Recycle Day Thailand can also participate in building a green economy under an ecological, circular, and bioeconomic model.
The company is focusing on an app with the same name, Recycle Day Thailand, that people can use to sort through unwanted items – including plastic materials, paper, batteries, or even makeup – at home or the official recycling center.
Users can then take such waste to drop-off zones that the startup has set up in shopping malls.
“We will buy the items from them, but they first need to download our app,” said Mr. Chanum, who also serves as executive director at Recycle Day Thailand.
The innovative app has been designed to help both households and businesses better manage the items they want to sell.
Recycle Day Thailand records sales, providing users with points representing bahts according to the type of material they have.
Mr. Chanum explained that each point is worth one baht and the company transfers the money to applicants’ bank accounts one day after the calculation.
The startup has set up seven drop zones in different shopping malls across Bangkok and neighboring provinces, including Central Westgate, Mega Bangma, and Block 28 in the Samyan neighborhood.
However, Recycle Day Thailand hoped to open three more drop-off points in other provinces, with plans to expand to Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Khon Kaen, Phuket and Ubon Ratchathani.
Mr. Chanum explained that the drop zones had been set up in shopping malls because they facilitate recyclable garbage sales since many Thais enjoy spending time there.
“We offer a new way to help people sell their garbage while they visit the mall. This differentiates us from other recycling businesses in Thailand,” he added.
However, those who cannot transport some items to a drop-off zone in a shopping center can call the company and request that a representative pick up the waste at their homes.
Recycle Day Thailand and its partners have a fleet of 15 trucks to collect the garbage, Mr. Chanum went on.
The startup hopes to continue implementing customer-to-customer (C2C) and business-to-business (B2B) models to improve Thailand’s waste management standards.
So far, more than 10,000 people have used Recycle Day Thailand, and the number is expected to increase to 60,000 in 2023.
