Assessing environmental impact of small and medium ceramic tile manufacturing enterprises in Thailand

•The small ceramic tile plant produces more ozone depletion, acidification and eutrophication than the medium plant.•The small ceramic tile plant uses twice as much energy to produce one square meter of ceramic tile than does the medium plant.•The small plant owner has a negative attitude toward environmental management measures and is of the view that they are not necessary.

Manufacturing processes employed by small and medium ceramic tile production enterprises in Thailand consume substantial amounts of energy. This study reveals that a small plant uses twice as much energy to produce one square meter of tile than does a medium plant. With the exception of global warming effects, the environmental impacts of a small plant are also larger than those of a medium plant, specifically with respect to ozone depletion, acidification and eutrophication. In addition, the environmental management perspective of the medium plant is based on cost reduction and social necessity. In contrast, the small plant has a negative attitude toward environmental management measures, taking the view that these are not appropriate concerns for small plants. These differing impacts and viewpoints suggest that environmental management in the small and medium plants should apply different approaches. On the one hand, the medium plant should emphasize the accelerated transfer of environmental knowledge to its personnel, while on the other, the owners of the small plant should be made to recognize the environmental impacts of their production activity and products. Additionally, potential benefits that might accrue to the plant owner from environmental impact mitigation should be highlighted.