VietNamNet Bridge – Many residential areas in districts 1,3,5,6 and Binh Thanh are expected to implement waste classification at each household on a trial basis from this month with funding from State budget.

Representative of a foreign firm introduces a type of waste bin expected for use in HCMC’s pilot program of waste classification at households

Speaking at a meeting on the scheme last week, HCMC Vice Chairman Nguyen Huu Tin asked relevant agencies and authorities of such districts to focus on deploying the plan in the coming time. Besides providing two bins for each household, the city will supply two garbage trucks in each pilot area.

Many countries in the world have implemented waste classification at households for 15-20 years now with success, so HCMC will gradually carry out the plan with an aim to widely introduce model to the whole city in the future, said Tin.

The vice chairman also asked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to map out a plan to call for private engagement in garbage collection instead of the current fragmented development of this public service.

There is 10,000-11,000 tons of solid wastes discharged in the city a day, including around 7,500 tons from households.

If waste classification works well, the city would be able to recycle 90-95% of solid waste, and 70% of it will be used to generate electricity, and produce compost, thereby reducing pollution caused by odor and harmful liquids at landfills.

Between 1999 and 2012, the city launched three programs for the garbage classification, but all failed due to underinvestment of a synchronized system from providing waste bins for each household, preparing specialized collection vehicles to building landfills meeting garbage disposal standards and plants for making compost and organic fertilizers.

Huynh Thi Lan Phuong, deputy general of Vietnam Waste Solutions (VWS), operator of Da Phuoc Integrated Waste Management Facility, told the Daily that VWS has invested in a complete system of classifying and recycling waste to produce compost, which is now available for receiving classified wastes from the city’s program.

* The city government has asked the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to complete the upgrade of 13 waste transfer stations before February 10 next year or a fortnight before the Lunar New Year.

According to a report of the department, the city previously had nearly 50 waste transfer stations. However, most of them had not met environmental standards, so the city authorities decided to reduce the number of transfer station to 13.

The total investment capital of the project is estimated at VND68 billion.

SGT/VNN