On June 21, Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Gen. Surasak Karnjanarat, announced that he will lead an effort to institute a total ban on the import of electronic waste. Electronic waste creates significant health concerns, as many components are laden with toxic materials like lead and mercury. Thai police began raiding factories last month that have been accused of illegally importing and processing electronic waste. So far, over 30 factories have been raided. The Deputy Prime Minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, told reporters that the government intends to work toward a total ban of the potentially toxic materials. For the full story, see https://www.apnews.com/6aec11651485421291450da7b55efa96/Thailand-prepar….