Concerns about waste classification at source

Nguyen Hai• August 18, 2022 10:45

(Baonghean.vn) - According to the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, which will take effect from January 1, 2022, households, individuals and organizations will have to classify waste at source into two types: organic waste and solid waste before the service unit comes to collect it, otherwise they will be fined from VND 500,000 to VND 2 billion.

Wondering when to apply and punish

Decree No. 45/2022/ND-CP was just issued by the Government on July 7, 2022 onadministrative sanctions for environmental violationswill take effect from August 25, 2022. Before this regulation, many people were concerned and thought that, from August 25, 2022, any act of dumping waste without sorting at the source will be fined with a minimum of 500 thousand to a maximum of 2 billion VND/act.

However, according to the latest press conference results of the representative of the General Department of Environment (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), although Decree No. 45/2022/ND-CP takes effect from August 25, 2022, the regulations on administrative sanctions for the above acts will be implemented after December 31, 2024, according to the correct time.Law on Environmental Protectionregulations.

Workers of Thai Binh Nguyen Company collect garbage at the company's landfill in Quynh My commune for sorting. Photo: Nguyen Hai

The reason why the Law on Environmental Protection has taken up to 3 years to prepare for the implementation of the above regulation is due to the fact that the waste collection infrastructure in localities is still weak and inadequate. To implement it, it is necessary to have a roadmap for appropriate infrastructure investment, along with propaganda for all classes of people to understand.

Not only that, based on the fact that each locality has different infrastructure conditions, the spirit of the Law on Environmental Protection is that instead of issuing guiding Circulars, it will assign the People's Committees of the provinces to issue regulations on waste treatment at the source. The implementation roadmap is no later than December 31, 2024, and only when localities issue specific implementation regulations will penalties be applied.

Household waste, mostly organic waste, is gathered right at the entrance of each family group, so if not collected promptly, it will decompose and cause foul odor and pollution. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Thus, in principle, any locality that meets the conditions can apply the regulation on waste classification at source from now (August 16) and only from January 1, 2025 will administrative penalties be imposed if waste classification at source is not implemented.

However, through surveys and research, there are only 28 months left from now to the above milestone, but many localities and units are still not ready. A representative of Thai Binh Nguyen Environmental Services Company in Quynh My Commune (Quynh Luu) shared: the unit provides household waste collection services for 12 communes and towns in Quynh Luu District, but has found it difficult and arduous. The reason is that the district does not have a centralized landfill. Currently, with 10 garbage trucks, but according to the regulations on waste classification at the source, the company will have to buy more trucks and new trash cans, so it will be more difficult.

Talking to us, a representative of the Nghe An Environmental Protection Department expressed concerns about the timing and roadmap for applying regulations on waste classification and penalties. If the propaganda is not thorough, the collection is not organized scientifically, and people do not comply, the situation of littering and illegal dumping in public places will recur. Indeed, with the current infrastructure conditions for waste collection, the province still has a lot of work to do and needs to do it as soon as possible.

Is it easy to do?

Most recently, during the garbage congestion in the communes of Quynh Luu, people of Quynh Hau commune and Cau Giat town said they were ready to comply with the regulations on sorting garbage at source. The problem is whether the garbage after being sorted by people will be collected separately or dumped into one vehicle to be taken to the landfill.

In addition, people also recommend that the State or environmental protection organizations should support people to buy standard trash cans and place trash cans in public places according to common conventions so that people can recognize and throw trash in the right bins.

In rural areas where there are no collection points, garbage is easily thrown around and is dumped right where there are no-dumping signs. Photo: Nguyen Hai

In Nghe An, if following the above regulations, at least the infrastructure system for collecting household waste must have 2 types of accompanying waste. Specifically, each household must have 2-3 types of waste bins with identification signs, then, if going to the centralized waste collection points, there must also be 2-3 larger waste bins with similar identification signs; environmental service companies and waste collection companies must also purchase 1-2 more types of vehicles to suit the new classified waste types; in addition to the concentrated waste landfills for treating household waste as before, now according to the new regulations, the area for organic household waste (to be treated by incineration technology to generate electricity as Hanoi is doing) and solid household waste for sorting and reuse must be divided and rearranged...

The organic waste incineration power generation project with an investment of over 7,100 billion VND in Soc Son, Hanoi has just been put into operation since July 2022. Photo: Internet

Through our research, we found that although it is difficult to classify waste at source in rural areas, it can still be done, but in urban areas, especially high-rise apartment buildings, classifying waste at source requires corresponding infrastructure. In fact, many neighborhoods in Hanoi, Da Nang, and Ho Chi Minh City have piloted source classification of waste, but when they reach the landfill, they are dumped into one vehicle or one bin, causing public concern.

Faced with the above difficulties and shortcomings, on the one hand, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has determined that it is necessary to strengthen propaganda, assign responsibility to each collection stage for monitoring; at the same time, have a plan to organize and implement to protect the environment in a sustainable way. Currently, the Department has advised the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to develop a Project and implementation roadmap. To be proactive, from now on, localities and related departments must immediately start preparing land funds to build centralized collection points because, unlike urban areas, in rural areas, garbage is collected 1-2 times a week, so it cannot be placed near residential areas.

(Representative of the Provincial Department of Environmental Protection shared)

A spontaneous solid waste landfill in Nghi Trung commune, Nghi Loc district is being used by businesses as a material for land leveling. Photo: Nguyen Hai

According to the plan, Nghe An must have 2-3 centralized waste collection and treatment sites in the South, North and West of the province. However, currently there is only a treatment complex for districts, cities and towns in the South of the province in Nghi Yen commune (Nghi Loc). In fact, domestic waste brought to Nghi Yen has just been buried and not thoroughly treated, so it will soon run out of capacity and a new solution will be needed. Therefore, not only is it necessary to implement regulations on waste classification at source, but from now on, the province must be really determined to find and call for investors to build production lines and technology.waste treatment in Nghi Yenas Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have done.

In addition, in our opinion, the province should also study the plan to attract a project to collect organic waste, which is seafood such as shrimp and crab shells. According to experts, if collected and classified, this will be a source of input materials to produce fertilizer or very good feed for livestock and poultry.

Quynh Luu district's centralized landfill in Ngoc Son commune was temporarily closed to invest in a treatment line, but due to lack of investors, it has remained inactive for 3 years. Photo: Nguyen Hai

Finally, the representative of the Department of Infrastructure Management, Department of Construction said: since 2020, the Provincial People's Committee has assigned districts and towns to plan 1-2 district-level solid waste collection sites for each locality; similarly, districts must direct each commune cluster to have a solid waste collection site built in their area.

Household waste thrown into the sea is swept back by tidal waves in a mangrove forest in Son Hai commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Nguyen Hai

However, in reality, due to lack of determination, "no one cries for public property" or it is arranged as a construction waste dumping site but lacks forces and means to monitor, sohousehold waste dumped haphazardlyand mixed in construction waste brought to the landfill, causing pollution. This is the reality that has happened at Vinh Tan construction waste landfill (Vinh City) and some localities such as Dien Kim, Dien Hai (Dien Chau), Quynh Thuan, An Hoa (Quynh Luu), so although the localities still have land funds, they are not interested. To prepare for waste classification at the source, it is necessary for localities to solve the above problems of waste landfills./.