Documents Awareness - Knowledge
logo
OTHER NEWS

Vietnam seeking solutions to industrial waste

13 April 2017 | 10:33:00 AM

Industrial waste dumped at landfills is causing significant environmental problems in the country. As Vietnam's economy grows, industrial waste disposal has become more of a challenge.





The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s (MONRE) report on the current state of the environment in 2011-2015 showed that industrial production generates 4.7 million tons of solid waste each year. The waste is mainly treated by burying or burning at industrial incinerators.

Landfills remain the major way of treating waste in Vietnam because of its simplicity and low cost. This allows enterprises to save money on waste treatment, and therefore, cut the production cost.

A report released at the 2015 national environment conference showed that by 2013, Vietnam had 458 solid waste landfills with an area of more than 1 hectare for each. Smaller landfills in localities were not counted.

As waste cannot be sorted at source, landfills have to receive waste of different kinds, from domestic garbage, electronic waste, industrial solvent to hazardous waste containing mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead.

When industrial waste is buried, the decomposition process produces bad odors, flies and leaking water that cause pollution. The wind will bring bad odor into the air, while waste water will be absorbed into the earth, thus polluting underground water.

The 2011-2015 report on the current state of the environment named diseases caused by pollution, including diarrhea, lower respiratory tract infections, injury and malaria.

According to the Ministry of Health, nearly half of 26 infectious diseases have causes related to polluted water. The common diseases are diarrhea caused by Rota virus, cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, encephalitis, helminth, trachoma and mosquito-borne diseases.

The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found that babies born to mothers who live near burial sites face high risk for birth defects. In addition, landfills may reduce immune function, leading to an increased risk of infection, asthma and many other consequences.

Nguyen Cong Dong, director of Geocycle Vietnam, an industrial waste treatment company, said that developed countries have been applying alternative solutions instead of burying waste as they have been aware of the consequences of the landfill. Enterprises have to learn about different ways of treating industrial waste to save money.

Reports showed that reasonable taxation and policies have brought the desired effects as the buried industrial waste has decreased from 100 million tons in 1997 to less 30 million tons by 2013.

If enterprises continue burying industrial waste, they will need very large land funds to receive the increasingly high volume of waste. Meanwhile, Vietnam needs more land for public works and people’s housing.

(vietnamnet )

Views: 2076

Other news

HCM City youths join volunteer activities in Laos

(15/06/2025 10:02:AM )

Nha Trang Bay turtle egg-laying area proposed

(27/10/2022 07:46:AM )

Wild elephant appears near Nghe An tourist spot

(27/08/2022 08:07:AM )

Dak Lak Province authorities look for ways to protect the region's elephant number

(11/08/2022 08:18:AM )

Ninh Binh national park receives more rare animals

(04/06/2022 08:13:AM )

World Meteorological Day 2022 stresses role of early warning, early action

(24/03/2022 09:11:AM )

Climate change set as Vietnam-US strategic cooperation area

(02/03/2022 07:26:AM )

“Art for the environment” event launched in Hoi An

(22/02/2022 08:47:AM )

Railway through Central of Vietnam listed among six amazing Asia train journeys

(19/01/2022 07:55:AM )

VIDEO

Environmental Sustainability - we have choices

See more

ENVIRONMENT BRAND

UPCOMING EVENTS
The project that won the First Prize in the...

(VACNE, 17/6/2025) - The topic: “Artificial Wood Production from Straw” by the group of contestants Straw Wood, from Tra Vinh University, has just won the championship of the GVB Prize Startup Competition 2025 in London (United Kingdom) on June 15, 2025.

See more
The first Green Cypress to be recognized...

(VACNE) – These are 2 green cypress trees more than 300 years old with chemical name Calocedrus macrolepis Kurz solemnly held by Ba Vi National Park Management Board to announce the decision of Vietnam Heritage Tree on the morning of February 27, 2024.

See more
Some pictures of the ceremony to recognize...

(VACNE) – N(VACNE) – Authorities, mass organizations and local communities solemnly received the Certificate of Recognition of Vietnamese Heritage Trees for two majestic Sanh trees (nearly 30 meters high, more than 200 years old) in Trieu Phu communal house, in zone 7, Hung Son town, Lam Thao district, Phu Tho province on April 22, 2023 on the occasion of Hung King's death anniversary.

See more
Media contributes to the success of the international...

(VACNE) - On March 21, 2022, the Organizing Committee of the International workshop "The Effects of Environmental Pollution on Biodiversity and Human Health" had a meeting, chaired by Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Sinh - VACNE President

See more
ADB finances climate resilience infrastructure...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $60 million financing package to improve the climate resilience of transport and water supply infrastructure in Vietnam’s south-central coastal provinces of Binh Dinh and Quang Nam, especially in remote upland districts with large ethnic minority communities.

See more
PHOTO GALLERY