BANGKOK — The waste reduction plan in Bangkok, which has been ongoing since 2022, reaches another level of advancement this year as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has announced a policy for residents to begin managing and separating waste from their own residences in order to reduce waste collection fees.
Bangkok Governor Chadchart Sittipunt announced on April 11 that the city will adjust its rubbish collection and disposal fees from October 2025 to better reflect actual costs and encourage residents to separate their waste.
Currently, the BMA spends approximately 7,000 million baht per year on waste collection and disposal, while actually collecting only 500 million baht per year from households. In 2024, the BMA collects about 10,000 tons of waste per day, with nearly 50% being food waste.
The New Rates Depend on Type of Waste
The new rates follow an order published in the Royal Gazette on March 31 as part of the Public Health Act 2025, which requires all property owners or residents to pay charges based on the amount and type of waste they generate.
The fee for the collection and disposal of sewage and grease waste is 600 baht per cubic metre per service, of which 300 baht is for collection and transportation and 300 baht is for disposal.
For general solid waste, the fees are divided into monthly and one-time fees. For monthly collection, households that generate no more than 20 litres of waste per day must pay 60 baht per month (30 baht for collection and transport and 30 baht for disposal). However, if the household sorts its waste and registers with the BMA in accordance with the approved guidelines, the fee remains at the original 20 baht.
For households that generate more than 20 litres but not more than 1 cubic metre of waste per day, the fee is 120 baht per 20 litres. For households that generate more than 1 cubic metre per day, the fee is 8,000 baht per cubic metre (3,250 baht for collection and transport and 4,750 baht for disposal).
For one-time collection of general solid waste, fees vary depending on volume:
- If the waste does not exceed 500 litres, the charge is 255 baht per service (125 baht for collection and transport and 130 baht for disposal).
- If the waste is more than 500 litres but not more than 1 cubic metre, the fee is 370 baht per service (180 baht for collection and transport and 190 baht for disposal).
- If the volume exceeds 1 cubic metre, the charge per unit is 495 baht per cubic metre (245 baht for collection and transport and 250 baht for disposal)
Infectious Waste Costs Higher
For infectious waste, the fees are divided into monthly and one-off services. On a monthly basis, the fee is 780 baht per month if the quantity does not exceed 13 litres per day or 2 kilograms (300 baht for collection and transport and 480 baht for disposal).
If the quantity exceeds 13 litres per day or 2 kilogrammes, the fee is 480 baht per unit (300 baht for collection and transport and 480 baht for disposal).
There are two components for one-time collection of infectious waste:
- Firstly, the service fee is 3,000 baht per collection. If the transport distance is more than 10 kilometres, an additional 15 baht per kilometre will be charged, bringing the total amount to 5,000 baht.
- Secondly, the transport fee is 75 baht per 100 litres or per 15 kilogrammes. If the volume of waste is 100 litres or less or weighs 15 kilograms or less, the charge is 75 baht per service. For disposal, if the amount is not more than 6.5 litres or 1 kilogramme, the fee is 8 baht per unit.
BKK Waste Pay Application
Governor Chadchart explained that the “This House Doesn’t Mix Waste: Sort Your Trash, Save Your Cash” campaign is designed to encourage residents to reduce and separate their waste at the source. This initiative is expected to reduce the amount of waste Bangkok has to dispose of, which in turn will lead to a reduction in the associated fees. Households can now register for individual participation via the BKK Waste Pay application.
There are two types of registration: individual and group registration. Individual registration applies to general private households that generate no more than 20 litres of waste per day, including detached houses, houses in housing estates and condominiums or unincorporated dwellings. Homeowners or tenants who wish to participate in the programme can register via the BKK Waste Pay app or website.
If you don’t have a smartphone, you can register with the staff at the fee collection centre or at the district office where your home is located. From August 1, 2025, the system will start sending reminders to present photo proof of waste separation. The new rates will come into force in October 2025, 180 days after the publication of the decree in the Royal Gazette.
The following information is required for registration: an 11-digit house number, full name, telephone number and photos of four categories of sorted waste: food waste, recyclables, hazardous waste and general waste. Registered households will receive free food waste bags for the first year and random checks will be carried out to ensure proper waste sorting.
The group registration applies to housing estates, residential communities with legal entities and designated municipalities in accordance with BMA regulations, provided that each unit does not generate more than 20 litres of waste per day and that central waste sorting and collection areas are set up for the four types of waste.
Group registration will begin on August 1, 2025 and the new tariffs will also come into force in October 2025.
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