FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT MODELS OF TEMPLES IN SAM PHRAN DISTRICT NAKHON PATHOM PROVINCE

Abstract

This research aimed to: 1) Study food waste management practices, 2) Develop a food waste management process, and 3) Create a food waste management network for temples in Sam Phran District, Nakhon Pathom Province. The study employed a qualitative research approach. Data were collected through document analysis, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions with 25 key informants, including abbots, temple stewards, temple committee members, community leaders, and municipal administrators. The data were analyzed using content analysis and presented through descriptive interpretation. The findings revealed that: 1) Food waste generated in temples within the study area increased substantially during weekends, religious festivals, and special events. Major challenges included limited personnel, inadequate knowledge of waste separation, and the lack of an effective sanitary waste management system, resulting in odor pollution, deterioration of the temple environment, and contamination of the Tha Chin River from food waste leachate. 2) The development of the food waste management process involved source separation and liquid filtration, intermediate storage in sealed containers, and end-of-process conversion into value-added products such as compost, bio-fermented liquid fertilizer, vermicompost, and processed materials through food waste shredding technology. Buddhist principles were integrated into the process to transform personnel attitudes, encouraging them to perceive environmental management as a form of merit-making and social responsibility, thereby reducing the amount of organic waste entering landfill systems. and 3) A collaborative network was established through the “Bowon” mechanism (Home-Temple-School/Government Agency), with temples serving as community learning centers. Key success factors included the establishment of memoranda of understanding (MOUs), the development of a community charter, and a fair benefit-sharing system based on circular resource utilization. These mechanisms transformed food waste from an environmental burden into a sustainable model of community collaboration and social innovation.