There are three big problems in waste treatment in Vietnam, according to Nguyen Van Lang, former Deputy Minister of Science and Technology and Director of the Hoa Lac High-tech Park.


First, Vietnamese are not asked to classify domestic garbage before the garbage is thrown into dumping grounds.

Second, the budget for waste collection and treatment is too low. Under the current regulations, every household has to pay VND15,000-20,000 for garbage treatment. The low fee, plus the trillions of dong from the state budget every year are just enough to collect and carry waste to dumping grounds.

Third, different urban areas in Vietnam apply different methods of collecting, carrying and treating waste. As the garbage treatment process cannot be standardized, this has caused the serious environment pollution.

When asked about the waste treatment technology being utilized by Vietnam, Lang said landfill is the most popularly used “technology” in Vietnam.

There are two methods of dumping garbage. Under the “traditional” method, people dig big holes and then throw garbage into them. The other seems to be “more complicated”: the garbage is pressed before it is dumped in different square land areas.

However, both the methods have problems, because they cannot settle the waste to the every root. The waste water will leak from dumping grounds, polluting the environment and underground water sources, and “attracting” flies and mosquitoes.

More and more evidences have been found recently which can show the relation between the existence of dumping grounds near residential quarters and the percentage of people suffering diseases. 

The high required capital is the main reason that explains why investors still hesitate to spend money to build waste treatment plants using modern technologies.

The Da Phuoc waste treatment complex in HCM City developed by David Duong, a Viet Kieu (overseas Vietnamese) has been recently praised by local newspapers.

However, Lang, while admitting that the plant is the biggest and most heavily invested plant in Vietnam, noted that “it is necessary to rethink about the technology applied by the plant”.

“Ultimately, the things David Duong is doing is just “bury” the waste. The method will make harm,” he said.

“You may not see the harm right now, but you will see serious consequences in 10 or 15 years,” he maintained, adding that it is necessary to to ask David Duong to utilize another waste treatment technology.

He also thinks that it would be better if the government orders to stop all the projects on treating waste by dumping, including the ones funded by the official development assistance (ODA).

“The volume of garbage treated by dumping must not be higher than 15 percent, “ he said.

According to the scientist, treating waste with thermochemistry method is the best choice for Vietnam. This is also a growing tendency in the world.

Thermochemistry method has been utilized by some companies in Vietnam, including Ba An Company in Ha Nam, Viston in Quang Ninh and Phuong Nam Plastics and Package Cooperative in HCM City.