S-One invests in intelligent incineration

The company is investing Bt150 million in setting up an intelligent infected-rubbish incinerator in Lop Buri to ensure cleanliness without emitting pollutants.

The advanced-technology incinerator, which will generate a maximum heat of 1,400 degrees Celsius, will produce little ash and no smoke. The plant will use natural gas liquids (NGL) as the key fuel, which will enable the incinerator to achieve high temperatures without smoke.

"We guarantee that our technology will provide an environment-friendly burning process when compared with current incinerator technology with heat of 800 to 1,000 degrees Celsius," said Saran Nitijinda, managing director of S-One Intertrade.

The technology has been imported from Germany and the construction materials from Vietnam, which is more than 26 per cent cheaper than domestic materials.

Saran said the company also plans to have two more advanced incinerators, in Samut Sakhon and Lamphun provinces, after completion of the first plant next year. Total investment for these three plants is estimated at Bt250 million.

The second and third plants will be set up in the next three years. The plant in Lamphun will not only focus on infected rubbish but also on industrial wastes.

The three plants will encourage their client companies to cover infected rubbish nationwide. The project aims mainly to sign up hospitals and clinics as customers.

The first plant in Lop Buri will eliminate 5,000 kolograms of infected rubbish from hospitals and clinics per day. The country's estimated volume of infected waste is more than 46,000kg per day.

Thailand has a total of 20,000 hospitals with about 130,000 patients.

Saran said more than 100 hospitals and clinics are interested in the service. The company is targeting 200 customers for it to break even within three years.

At the plant, a cold storage with 10 degrees Celsius temperature will also be set up to stop the spread of disease. Moreover, the infected rubbish will be carried to the plant in a specially designed temperature control truck.

However, the company has not finalised its service charges, saying the cost should not be lower than the Pollution Control Department's rate. At present, the department charges Bt8,000 per tonne.

Saran said the investment has synergy with the company's existing businesses - distribution of NGL and logistics.

It is expected the infected-rubbish incinerator business will increase the company's revenue by 20 per cent. Sales revenue is expected to reach Bt500 million to Bt600 million this year. Of the total, logistics service comprises 50 per cent, NGL 30 per cent and the latest business will generate 20 per cent.