Fields in Nghe An are gradually being cleaned of pesticide waste.

Waste collection

The family owns 3 sao (approximately 0.3 hectares) of rice paddies and frequently uses pesticides. Besides collecting her own waste, when she's out in the fields, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hai in Dien Nguyen commune, Dien Chau district, also takes the time to pick up used pesticide packaging and bottles from others and dispose of them in a nearby waste bin.

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"Before, without the collection bins, we had to throw them in with household waste, or even just leave them on the edge of the fields. But now that there are bins, and the commune regularly educates us about the harmful effects of pesticide packaging and bottles, we feel guilty if we don't put them in the bins. Occasionally, people still leave them behind in the fields after spraying, so if I see them, I collect them and put them in the central collection bins, which helps to reduce environmental impact and keep the fields clean and beautiful."

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai - Dien Nguyen commune, Dien Chau district

In 2019, with the support of the program "Building a system of collection and treatment tanks for used pesticide packaging and bottles in the fields, and raising awareness among people about the harmful effects of pesticide residues on humans and the community," Dien Chau district built 850 collection and treatment tanks for used pesticide packaging and bottles in the fields in 10 communes: Dien An, Dien Hai, Dien Hoa, Dien Hong, Dien Nguyen, Dien Phuc, Dien Thai, Dien Thap, Dien Tho, and Dien Truong.

With a total rice-growing area of ​​2,827 hectares, the need for water storage tanks in these communes is 942. Previously, there were already 49 tanks in the area, and with the additional tanks supported for construction in 2023, these 10 communes only need 43 more tanks.

Mr. Le The Hieu, Head of the Agriculture and Rural Development Department of Dien Chau District, said: "In previous years, thanks to the efforts of the people and localities, by the end of 2018, Dien Chau district had equipped 2,647 waste storage tanks. After receiving support, the rice-growing areas of the district have basically met the requirements according to regulations, creating favorable conditions for the district to direct communes to focus on raising awareness, consciousness, and responsibility among people, significantly overcoming the situation of indiscriminate waste dumping in the fields of Dien Chau district."
Do Luong District has over 12,000 hectares of annual crops, of which 8,972 hectares are not prone to flooding. According to Mr. Nguyen Kim Ngoc, Deputy Director of the District's Agricultural Services Center: To date, 1,428 storage tanks have been built in the district, and communes have also invested in installing more. However, not only is the number of existing tanks insufficient, but generally, people's awareness regarding waste collection remains limited. Even in areas where storage tanks have been installed, people still carelessly discard pesticide waste out of habit.

In response to this situation, Do Luong district directed communes to focus on strengthening propaganda and implementation, integrating it into village meetings, women's association meetings, etc. Most of the bins were placed along main roads, ensuring convenient access and appropriate distances for easy waste collection. Some communes also intensified inspections and reminders regarding violations by residents.

Thanks to coordinated efforts, the indiscriminate disposal of used pesticide packaging and bottles in Do Luong district has significantly decreased. Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuan from Hoa Son commune shared: "Not only are we reminded over the loudspeaker and in neighborhood meetings, but fellow farmers in the fields also remind each other if they see violations. Therefore, even when in a hurry, we have to collect all the bottles and packaging and put them in the bin instead of throwing them on the bank like before."

Coordinate and intensify propaganda efforts.

Nghe An province has an annual cultivated area of ​​over 300,000 hectares of various crops, with 300-400 tons of pesticides used each year, resulting in 25-30 tons of packaging and empty pesticide bottles being discarded. For many years, the practice of leaving used pesticide packaging and bottles on the edges of fields and in irrigation ditches has been widespread, posing a risk to food safety and hygiene, negatively impacting human health, and polluting the environment.

From 2017 to the present, implementing the program "Building a system of collection and treatment tanks for pesticide packaging and bottles after use in the fields, and educating people about the harmful effects of pesticide residues on humans and the community," Nghe An province has supported the construction of nearly 7,000 collection tanks for this extremely hazardous waste in the districts of Yen Thanh, Anh Son, Do Luong, Thanh Chuong, Dien Chau, etc.

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For the system of containers for used pesticide packaging and bottles to be effective, the awareness of producers – those who directly use the pesticides – is one of the first and most crucial conditions and requirements.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc - Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection.

Therefore, alongside investment in construction, the issue of raising awareness among the people has also been a focus of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection for many years, aiming to improve people's awareness and responsibility, and gradually change the habit of carelessly discarding pesticide packaging and bottles in the fields.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc, Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection, said: "We coordinate with the People's Committees of the communes to organize conferences and disseminate information through the commune's public address system; at the same time, we cooperate with press agencies to produce documentaries and write articles to educate farmers about the harmful effects of pesticide residues on humans and the community. Some localities, such as Yen Thanh district, even assign responsibility to communes and villages in handling cases of deliberate non-compliance with the regulations of the Environmental Law regarding pesticide collection."
Because they are mainly made of nylon and plastic bottles, pesticide packaging and containers are very difficult to decompose; even in natural conditions, they can last for decades or even centuries. Furthermore, the residual pesticides in these bottles and containers, when discarded indiscriminately, will become airborne and, more importantly, be washed away by water sources, flowing into canals, ponds, and lakes, causing soil and water pollution and negatively impacting human health. In the future, the province will continue to implement programs aimed at closing the system of storage tanks, focusing on raising awareness, with the goal of creating fields free of pesticide packaging and bottles after use.