Hua Hin turns to black soldier flies in bid to cut emissions
Hua Hin City Municipality is moving ahead with a plan to use insects to tackle food waste and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Mayor Nopporn Wutthikul chaired a meeting at the municipality office to discuss the project, which will use black soldier fly larvae to decompose organic waste. Attendees included municipal officials, representatives from the Department of Climate Change and Environment, and executives from Eco Sol Company.
The initiative forms part of Hua Hin’s Climate Change Action Plan 2030, which sets out 13 measures aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent compared with the business-as-usual scenario. Solid waste management has been identified as one of the priority areas, given that around 19.6 percent of the city’s total emissions come from waste.
Turning food waste into feed and fertiliser
Currently, the municipality disposes of waste at a landfill in Thap Tai Subdistrict, where about 40 percent of the material is organic. Officials say separating this waste stream and diverting it for treatment is critical to reducing emissions and improving public health.
Black soldier fly larvae are seen as a sustainable solution. The larvae break down food waste quickly, and once mature, they can be processed into protein-rich animal feed. The remaining residue can be used as organic fertiliser. Officials say this creates a circular economy that reduces the environmental impact of waste disposal.
The project will focus on organic waste from households, schools and temples, which often ends up mixed with general waste before being sent to landfill. The municipality also plans to run information campaigns to encourage residents to separate waste at source.
Mayor Nopporn voiced his support for the scheme, instructing municipal staff to prepare for implementation. He said the initiative marks an important step towards Hua Hin becoming a sustainable city and could serve as a model for food waste management in other areas.