At a meeting with provincial officials last Friday, Hai praised the province for its work, especially in the collection and treatment of waste.

The province had successfully adopted a model, using a waste collection and treatment facility that adapts high technology to protect the environment, while being located far from populated areas.

He also voiced approval of Binh Duong's plan to call for investment by private enterprises in waste treatment, adding that the Government will create favourable and preferential conditions to assist in this investment plan.

Hai added that the government would consider the province's proposal to allow the use of Official Development Assistance (ODA) capital for the follow-up phases of waste treatment projects in the locality, as well as preferential tax policies for investment by businesses in waste treatment.

However, he noted that the provincial Company for Water Supply and Drainage and Environment should pay more attention to treating odors coming from waste treatment facilities and gradually mobilise local residents to separate different types of rubbish before placing them into dustbins.

The Deputy PM was on a fact-finding tour of the Nam Binh Duong waste treatment complex and the waste water treatment facility at Thu Dau Mot City.

The South Binh Duong Solid Waste Treatment Complex was built on a 100ha site at a cost of more than VND466 billion (US$22.2 million), 42.76 per cent of which was funded through assistance provided by the Netherlands. It has a daily capacity of processing and recycling 1,000 tonnes of normal garbage and 150 tonnes of industrial waste.

Meanwhile, the Thu Dau Mot waste water plant was built with Japanese funding, at a total cost of nearly VND2 trillion ($94 million). It has a treatment capacity of 17,650cu.m of waste water per 24 hours.