Air pollution at the Map Ta Put Industrial Estate in Rayong has reached critical levels and is putting the government's plan to develop the downstream petrochemical industry there in trouble.

The third phase of the petrochemical project is expected to see Bt410 billion spent on more than 50 factories on about 960 hectares of land.

But that will not be approved unless six existing factories commit to reducing emissions to meet Pollution Control Department (PCD)-accepted levels.

"The area cannot bear more air pollution, otherwise it will affect nearby communities," PCD senior official Vanisa Suraphiphit told The Nation.

"If we want to add more factories, which will certainly add to air pollution, we have to create room for that pollution by asking existing factories to release less," she said.

"It is the only possible way."

The six factories on the estate are not the biggest polluters of the 61 located there, but they have been targeted because "they have the ability to reduce their emissions by the greatest amount because they are using old technology and are not equipped with pollution-reduction instruments", she explained.

Three of the six are in the PTT group. Another is the Rayong power station.

This PCD proposal was submitted to the government at the National Environment Board (NEB) meeting on January 11, which was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras.

The NEB decided on a controversial delay in declaring the estate a pollution-control zone.

Apart from the downstream petrochemical-industry development plan, the pollution-control declaration is another major government initiative for the estate. One relies on the other, a PCD official said.

The development plan cannot be approved unless critical pollution is solved. The pollution-control plan is the answer to that, he suggested.

However, the pollution-control zone declaration will worry investors.

A NEB source said Kosit was looking for a "compromise" option that controls pollution, so that further petrochemical-industry development can proceed without declaring a control zone.

The latest PCD suggestion takes this into consideration by having the six existing factories slash emissions.

"That is why Kosit decided to prolong the pollution-control declaration," the source said.

"The government will try to convince the six companies to reduce emissions. This will cost them a lot. If they fail, the pollution-control zone will be approved and this will affect all factories on the estate," the source said.

However, residents of Rayong and nearby provinces have rejected the NEB resolution.

They accuse it of currying favour with big business at the expense of their health and environment.

"We want the NEB to declare Map Ta Put a pollution-control zone. It is the only way we can ensure there will be no more pollution to harm those who live here," village leader Suthi Atchasai said.

"We do not oppose the petrochemical industry as such, but its expansion must not harm us. Pollution levels are already doing that."

A National Cancer Institute study between 1997 and 2001 showed very high rates of cancer, including leukaemia, among residents. There were 182 cases recorded in every 100,000 people.

"The rate is growing," said the institute's Dr Phetcharee Sriwattanakul.

Research by Somchai Jardsri concluded that respiratory- and skin-disease rates in the area were two to three times greater than the rest of the country.

Somchai found a relationship between the diseases and sulphur dioxide released from the estate factories.

PCD air monitoring in October and November found as many as 40 volatile organic compounds at Map Ta Put. Twenty are cancer-causing and 19 of those exceeded United States Environmental Protection Agency levels.

The long-term study of Map Ta Put Industrial Estate emissions has found excessive levels, but its findings are not yet official.

Reliable sources confirmed that the study, which used mathematical forecasts, had found nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide exceeded standards by between 200 and 500 hours each year.

Rangsit University's Arpha Wangkiat found excessive water contamination from arsenic, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead and zinc.

Authorities are, however, accepting only the results of the PCD and Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand studies.

The NEB this week established two subcommittees to tackle the Map Ta Put problem. One - chaired by Dr Parinya Nutalai - will explore diseases related to the pollution.

The other - chaired by Energy Ministry permanent secretary Pornchai Rujiprapha - will thrash out a compromise with factories over emissions.

"If this fails, then Map Ta Put will be declared a pollution-control zone," the NEB source said.

This is not the best solution, said village leader Suthi.

The area's ability to absorb any more emissions should be studied scientifically and all new development banned until it is completed, he said.

"If not, new factories will be built when the area cannot cope with any more pollution," he added.

Vanisa of the PCD agreed. The department wants to conduct a capacity study.

Suthi and 10 residents have travelled to Chanthaburi to submit their demands to Natural Resource and Environment Minister Kasem Sanidwong na Ayudhaya today.

Kamol Sukin

The Nation