Thailand is known as the Land of Smiles. But sometimes it seems it might be more accurate to refer to it as the Land of the Plastic Sack. This brainchild of modern chemistry has both become a symbol of the country’s industrialization and a blight on its natural beauty. It has rapidly replaced virtually all traditional packaging materials, and there appears to be no end to the Thais ability to discover new uses for it.

The reasons for its popularity are simple: the plastic sack is inexpensive, convenient and durable. Other packaging materials might have some of these virtues, but none possess them to the degree found in polystyrene. Unfortunately, polystyrene’s virtues are also the cause of an enormous slate of problems.

The plastic sack is so durable it lasts for an incredibly long time – some say 400 years. But arguments over how long it takes a plastic sack to decompose cloud the issues. They last long enough to pollute the sea and countryside, and to kill or harm enormous amounts of marine life. And since plastic sacks are so inexpensive, they are rarely reused. It is simply cheaper and more convenient to use a new one.

The environmental problems caused by the plastic sack are certainly not unique to Thailand and Phuket, but certain factors here exacerbate the situation. Phuket’s environment is incredibly forgiving. In the past, litter was rapidly decomposed by the rains and heat or swept out to sea to be consumed by the ocean. People didn’t have to worry about trash disposal problems: the environment took care of it for them. But this doesn’t work with the plastic sack. It is a product of modern chemistry and designed not to be readily broken down by the environment. The strength, durability and other qualities that make it a good container cause it to behave differently than naturally occurring packaging materials. Unfortunately, many of Phuket's locals have yet to comprehend the negative aspects of these characteristics.

In addition, the infrastructure for trash collection and disposal is poorly developed in much of Thailand, and Phuket is not an exception. Disposing of the litter of modern life is an industry requiring technology, commitment, money and other resources. In Thailand, this industry has yet to catch up with the accumulation of garbage. The plastic sack and some of its plastic relatives might be convenient and inexpensive, but disposing of them is neither cheap nor easy.

Other countries and cultures have been confronted with the negative side of the plastic sack and a variety of steps have been taken to deal with the problems. Some, like parts of India and China, have even gone so far as to make them illegal, but this seems unlikely in Thailand, where it has become such an integral part of life. Several things can be done to lessen the negative impacts, however.

Using packaging materials popular before the arrival of plastic would be helpful. Vilaiwan Dienel, a prominent local resident, remembers the days when she took a basket with her to the market: "You would buy something, and the person selling it would wrap it in a banana leaf or newspaper. You would put these items in your basket and then take them home. Everyone used to take a basket to the market, but you don’t see them anymore. I guess it’s easier to use a plastic bag."

Virtually all takeaway food in Thailand is now packed in plastic sacks or, increasingly, in equally environmentally harmful Styrofoam containers. This isn’t the way it was done in the "good old days". In the past, customers would arrive at a take-out food stand with several containers that would stack one upon the other and then be banded together with a handle for carrying. Rice might go in one of the containers, curries in a couple more, and maybe a stir-fried dish in another. This is still often done where customers – usually students – plan to eat out of the container. There is no reason why the pintoh can't again be used to carry food that is going to be consumed at home. Unfortunately, the burgeoning popularity of Styrofoam containers stems largely from the fact that they can be used as both a container and as a plate or bowl.

Some countries have stemmed the use of plastic sacks by making them more expensive. Taxes are placed on cigarettes and other harmful products, and there’s no reason this can’t be done with plastic sacks. In much of Europe, for example, customers must pay a hefty fee for plastic sacks used to transport merchandise. It’s amazing how quickly this reduces consumption. Supermarket customers often arrive at the store with sturdy sacks made of canvas, or heavy plastic for that matter, that can be used again and again. There is no reason this can’t be done in Thailand.

Trash is here to stay, and as a country becomes industrialized more of it seems to be created. Disposal and recycling systems must be created to deal with this by-product of industrialization. It is encouraging to see tires recycled into trash containers appearing in front of residences around Phuket, but this is just the beginning. There needs to be a strong government commitment to encourage recycling and to develop an adequate disposal system for the plastic sacks and other items fouling this beautiful island. If this isn’t done, the natural beauty responsible for Phuket’s success as a tourist destination might be lost forever.

In the long run, education is probably the most important step in solving the problems represented by the plastic sack. Thailand has a history of recycling, of using things a second time, and the practice generally remains in force today. Coconut shells are turned into bowls and cups, cans made into dust pans or charcoal stoves, tires fashioned into durable sandals, the palm fronds used for roofing or making mats – the list is endless.

The people understand these things and are comfortable with them. They’re a part of Thai culture. If the government emphasizes how things were recycled or used again in the past, people will understand the same principles can be applied to modern materials. If given the opportunity and the information, the Thais will reuse things. They simply need to know how it can be done, and how it will benefit them and their country.

Industrialization has come quickly to Thailand, and much of what goes with it has come from outside the Thai culture. Thailand has had little chance to adapt and adjust to the rapid changes. Items such as the polystyrene sack have been enthusiastically accepted, but the public needs to be educated and informed about the negative aspects of some of these new arrivals to their land. People need the information necessary to make intelligent and informed decisions. And, most important, they will be aware of their responsibilities to the environment and the future of their country.