The Adding Value to Waste for Decoration Products: Prototype Communities in Khaoroopchang Municipality, Songkhla Province Thailand Adding Value to Waste for Decoration Products

Abstract

The objective of the research was to solve, eliminate, and deal with waste problems to have commercial value by design process. The research methodology was a participatory action research with people in the area, government offices, and related stakeholders, as well as a field trip in Kharoopchang Municipality, prototype design and creations, and knowledge transfer to the communities. The research results revealed that there were 40 tons/day of waste in Khaoroopchang Municiplaity. 60% of the waste was organic waste, followed by 25% of plastic waste. The solution to this problem was to process plastic waste into products. The concepts were (1) to process community solid waste into useful free-formed and geometric-formed products, (2) to select suitable materials, colors, and ratios for utilization, (3) to easily produce and install products with safety, and (4) to add value to waste. The decoration products lamp made from plastic bottles and furniture sets made from car tires and banana tree fibers, all of which were waste in the communities. Finally, people in the communities can extend the design concepts and produce a variety of products, but they still need to know about skills of technology and public relations since they cannot add the most value to their products. Consequently, it is suggested that some government offices or related networks necessarily engage in this development and help them do the online distribution in order to add commercial value and concretely solve waste problems from households in Khaoroopchang Municipality.