Bangkok: Thai environmental authorities are monitoring a cleanup operation following oil contamination at a data center in Bangkok to prevent wastewater from leaking into a nearby canal, officials said on Sunday.
According to Thai News Agency, the Pollution Control Department (PCD) and Huai Khwang district officials inspected the DAMAC Digital Thailand (BKK 01) facility in the Rama IX area after oil residue was discovered in the site's drainage sump and public sewage pipes connected to the Rama 9 canal.
Surin Worakitthamrong, Director-General of the PCD, said the operator hired environmental management firm General Environmental Conservation PCL (GENCO) to contain and treat the contaminated waste.
Work crews used sandbags to block off drainage channels both inside and outside the facility to stem the runoff. Workers sprayed oil dispersants and collected all contaminated water and sediment using vacuum trucks for off-site treatment and disposal, ensuring no discharge into the environment, according to GENCO.
Once the cleanup is completed, the PCD plans to re-examine the facility and public drainage systems for residual volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hydrogen sulfide gas, and lower explosive limits (LEL) to ensure environmental safety, Surin added.