'Toxic waste' is being dumped indiscriminately across many fields in Nghe An.
Despite numerous efforts to build storage tanks and raise awareness among users, the indiscriminate dumping of pesticide packaging in fields still occurs in almost all localities in Nghe An province.
"Dispose of the sprayed area immediately."
According to Ms. Mai Thi Ha, a resident of Loc Tien hamlet, Thuong Tan Loc commune, Nam Dan district, her family owns 5 sao (approximately 0.5 hectares) of rice fields. She says that for each rice crop, she sprays pesticides 6 to 7 times – from herbicides to pesticides to control rice blast, leaf roller, and other pests.
"Basically, people just throw the pesticide wherever they spray it, letting the waste float wherever it goes without paying much attention; it mostly just washes away in the ditches. There are trash bins in the fields, but they're several kilometers away, so hardly anyone brings them to collect."
Ms. Mai Thi Ha - Loc Tien hamlet, Thuong Tan Loc commune, Nam Dan district
Over the years, containers for used pesticide packaging and bottles have been installed in Thuong Tan Loc commune, but according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hiep, an official of the commune's agricultural service cooperative, people rarely dispose of their waste in the bins.
“On average, each hamlet has two bins, but because each field is usually very large, the distance between them is quite far. Therefore, some people, after spraying pesticides, will collect them in plastic bags and take them home to dispose of with household waste; but mostly, people just throw the packaging and empty pesticide bottles right on the edge of the fields or in the canals. The commune also organizes collection, but only once per season; the collected waste is always taken away along with household waste,” Ms. Hiep said.
In the fields today, it's not uncommon to see discarded pesticide bottles and packaging scattered along the edges of fields, in canals, and even in the fields themselves. This situation is very common in localities throughout the province, especially during planting seasons when people use a lot of pesticides to control pests and diseases in their crops.
In the vegetable fields of Dien Thinh commune, pesticide waste containers are installed next to irrigation wells for the convenience of the farmers. Despite numerous announcements and reminders through loudspeakers and community meetings, some people still carelessly discard pesticides in irrigation ditches, pathways, and in the fields.
Meanwhile, the commune only collects waste during irrigation campaigns once or twice a year, then burns it. Ms. Hoang Thi Ha, head of the farmers' association in Duc Hau hamlet, said: "Waste is dumped indiscriminately, especially during peak seasons of pesticide use. I have to collect it once a week, put it in plastic bags, and put it in the designated household waste collection point for the garbage truck to take away. During periods of less use, it's every few weeks, or even a month," she said.
The situation is alarming.
On average, farmers in Nghe An province use 300-400 tons of pesticides annually, and the amount of packaging and bottles discarded into the environment is correspondingly high, estimated at around 25-30 tons. However, besides the waste collected in centralized storage facilities, the indiscriminate dumping of these by people remains quite common, causing environmental pollution.
This is an alarming situation that requires decisive action because, according to research, only over 40% of the pesticides used come into direct contact with pests and diseases and are effective, while over 50% evaporates into the air, remains in the packaging, and is washed away by water runoff into canals, ponds, and lakes when disposed of indiscriminately.
Not only do these substances seep into the soil and water, polluting groundwater and surface water, affecting soil quality, and degrading ecosystems, but direct contact with toxic substances from packaging or indirect contact through contaminated food and water can lead to skin, respiratory, and neurological diseases, and even cancer.
Failure to properly collect and dispose of pesticide packaging after use can result in administrative penalties, with a maximum fine of 500,000 VND, and the authority to impose these penalties rests with the Chairman of the People's Committee at the commune level. Therefore, the role of local authorities in raising awareness and, especially, in monitoring, inspecting, and enforcing regulations is extremely important.
Mr. Nguyen Tien Duc, Head of the Provincial Department of Crop Production and Plant Protection
.
