Thailand Orders Inspection of Every Metal Scrap Container

Thailand has ordered physical inspections of every container declared as metal scrap as customs authorities intensify efforts to stop illegal electronic waste from entering the country disguised as recyclable material.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Thailand's Customs Department is physically inspecting every container declared as metal scrap as authorities step up enforcement against illegal electronic-waste imports concealed inside recyclable-material shipments.

The change marks a significant escalation from the country's previous risk-based inspection system, under which import history, trader compliance records and intelligence were used to identify higher-risk containers for closer examination.

Customs Director-General Phantong Loykulnanta said Thailand confiscated 10,029 tonnes of illegally imported electronic waste during fiscal 2026, which ended September 30. Approximately 5,290 tonnes have already been returned to their countries of origin.

Metal Scrap Shipments Face 100% Physical Inspection

The decision means containers declared as metal scrap can no longer rely solely on document checks, risk profiling or X-ray screening.

Customs officials said densely packed metal cargo can make it difficult for scanners to detect electronic waste hidden inside legitimate scrap.

Physical examination often requires containers to be opened and material unloaded with heavy machinery so inspectors can verify the contents.

The new policy could therefore lengthen cargo-clearance times and raise handling costs for legitimate scrap importers.

Spain and U.S. Shipments Under Review

The enforcement push follows several suspicious shipments identified in Thailand's eastern industrial provinces.

In Rayong, customs officials investigated containers originating from Spain that had been declared as metal scrap.

Two containers highlighted in local reports were part of a five-container shipment released from Laem Chabang Port in Chon Buri.

Authorities said there was not yet evidence confirming that those containers contained prohibited waste.

However, another nine containers from Spain weighing a combined 223 tonnes were seized for inspection.

In Prachin Buri, authorities also identified eight containers from the United States for further examination. Additional checks found five more import declarations associated with U.S. shipments, which were also being held pending inspection.

The distinction is important: these shipments were considered suspicious and subjected to further investigation, but suspicion should not be treated as confirmation that every container contained illegal waste.

Basel Action Network Flagged Hundreds of Containers

The Basel Action Network, which monitors international hazardous-waste shipments, flagged 720 containers for potentially illegal or hazardous waste movements during fiscal 2026, according to Thai Customs.

Authorities said 440 of the flagged containers had not entered Thailand.

Another 187 containers were inspected and were not found to contain hazardous waste covered by the Basel Convention.

Customs said 89 containers violated applicable regulations. Of those, 75 had already been returned to their countries of origin, while 14 remained subject to legal proceedings, including four being held for additional inspection.

The published figures should be read as the categories reported by Customs rather than a fully reconciled accounting of every one of the 720 flagged containers.

Thailand Expanded E-Waste Import Ban in 2025

Thailand has prohibited electronic-waste imports for several years and substantially expanded the scope of the restrictions in 2025.

The updated rules increased the number of prohibited e-waste categories from 428 to 463.

Covered materials include circuit boards, batteries, used mobile phones and other end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.

The aim is to prevent Thailand from becoming a destination for hazardous waste that cannot be economically or safely processed in exporting countries.

Basel Ban Amendment Strengthened Thailand's Position

Thailand has been a party to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal since 1997.

In March 2023, Thailand accepted the Basel Convention Ban Amendment, becoming one of the countries formally supporting tighter controls on hazardous-waste exports.

The distinction is important because Thailand did not first join the Basel Convention in 2023. Its participation in the underlying convention dates back nearly three decades.

False Scrap Declarations Remain a Key Enforcement Problem

Thai authorities say illegal e-waste is frequently concealed in containers declared as metal scrap.

This creates a difficult enforcement problem because legitimate scrap can contain a wide variety of shapes, sizes and mixed metallic materials, making dense cargo difficult to inspect using imaging technology alone.

Previous Thai investigations have uncovered circuit boards and other electronic waste inside shipments declared as aluminum, copper, iron or mixed metal scrap.

Government agencies have increased cooperation among Customs, the Pollution Control Department and the Department of Industrial Works to identify false declarations and prevent illegal waste from reaching recycling and processing facilities.

Illegal Shipments Will Be Returned at Importers' Expense

Importers found to have violated the rules face enforcement under Thailand's Customs Act 2017 and other applicable laws.

Illegal cargo will be returned to its country of origin at the importer's expense.

Customs also plans retrospective audits of importers considered high risk.

The strategy is intended to discourage companies from repeatedly using legitimate scrap classifications to conceal prohibited material.

Thailand Considers Much Tighter Scrap Import Controls

The most significant longer-term development may extend beyond container inspections.

Thai Customs is considering a proposal for substantially tighter restrictions on imports of metal scrap and certain other secondary materials.

The proposal discussed by Customs includes a six- to 12-month transition period intended to reduce disruption for domestic smelters and recycling plants that rely on imported raw materials.

During the transition, affected material could be treated as a controlled import requiring government approval.

Permits would be directed toward factories importing scrap for their own production where domestic raw-material availability is insufficient.

Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificates Could Become Mandatory

The proposed framework would also require shipments to carry a pre-shipment inspection, or PSI, certificate.

Such a requirement would shift part of the compliance process to the exporting country before the container reaches Thailand.

For international scrap exporters, that could mean additional documentation, inspection costs and verification requirements before cargo is loaded.

For Thai authorities, pre-shipment certification could provide another layer of control while potentially reducing the burden of identifying prohibited waste only after containers arrive at port.

What to Watch Next

Port delays: The industry will be watching how much additional clearance time results from physical inspection of every metal-scrap container.

Import costs: Unloading, inspection, storage and documentation costs could increase for compliant traders.

Smelter supply: Thai metal producers that rely on imported scrap could face tighter raw-material availability if inspections slow cargo flows.

Import restrictions: The proposed six- to 12-month transition toward tighter controls could have much larger implications than the current inspection policy.

PSI requirements: Exporters may eventually need pre-shipment inspection certificates before sending scrap to Thailand.

Regional trade flows: Any significant restriction on Thai scrap imports could redirect material toward India, Malaysia, Indonesia or other Asian recycling markets.

Courtesy: Bangkok Post