International cooperation paves way for waste management

Technology investment, at-source sorting and UNDP ties lay the groundwork for Ho Chi Minh City's circular economy-oriented waste management.

Innovating treatment technologies

With a population of over 14 million and about 14,000 tons of domestic waste generated daily, Ho Chi Minh City is facing increasing pressure in waste management. Instead of focusing on collection and treatment as before, the city is gradually shifting to a circular economy-oriented waste management model, treating waste as a resource for recycling and energy recovery, reducing environmental pressure and creating added economic value.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Nguyen, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, the city has completed the planning for seven waste treatment complexes, four of which are currently operational. While these complexes previously focused mainly on waste treatment, in the coming period the city will allocate land to develop the recycling industry, helping enterprises meet Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations and gradually build circular value chains from waste.

Besides maintaining a domestic waste collection rate of over 99% and ensuring 100% of industrial and hazardous waste is collected and treated properly, Ho Chi Minh City is shifting strongly from sanitary landfilling to modern treatment technologies. The city is simultaneously implementing solutions to process waste into compost, recover plastic for recycling, and invest in waste-to-energy projects, aiming for 90% of domestic solid waste to be treated using new technologies by 2030.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Nguyen, a crucial foundation for the transition is the citywide implementation of at-source waste sorting from 2027. The city will apply a volume-based waste treatment fee mechanism, aiming at the principle that the less waste residents generate and the better they sort it, the lower the treatment cost. Initially, residents will sort waste into two categories: recyclable waste and remaining waste; once the sorting stabilizes, the city will continue to separate food waste to develop biomass and create clean energy sources.

Expanding international cooperation

To realize the above roadmap, Ho Chi Minh City identifies international cooperation as a crucial factor to supplement experience, resources, and innovative solutions in waste management.

According to Mr. Nguyen Hong Nguyen, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is accompanying Ho Chi Minh City through a one-year support program. This includes stepping up propaganda on at-source waste sorting; supporting the development of pilot models; researching a volume-based waste treatment fee mechanism; researching packaging models for volume-based collection; and helping the city promote plastic recycling. These are crucial preparatory steps for Ho Chi Minh City to implement the at-source waste sorting roadmap in the coming period.

Besides UNDP's support, the city is also expanding cooperation with enterprises to improve collection and recycling efficiency. According to the leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Agriculture and Environment, the city is coordinating with units to build recycling collection points, while encouraging residents to clean scrap materials before they enter the recycling chain. This approach not only increases the value of recyclable materials but also reduces the volume of waste factories must treat.

According to Ms. Ramla Khalidi, UNDP Resident Representative in Viet Nam, Ho Chi Minh City has many conditions to become a model for innovation and sustainable development. She praised the city's achievements and said Ho Chi Minh City could become a model for other localities to reference in promoting innovation linked to sustainable development.

According to Ms. Ramla Khalidi, the cooperation between UNDP and Ho Chi Minh City aims not only at converting waste into energy. More importantly, it is about jointly building a waste management ecosystem with comprehensive impacts, in which collection, sorting, recycling and treatment activities are connected into a value chain, simultaneously solving environmental issues, creating socio-economic value, opening new financial resources and creating more jobs.

The UNDP representative also suggested viewing plastic waste within the broader picture of the circular economy. When the at-source sorting system is deployed effectively, enterprises participate more deeply in recovery and recycling activities, and policies are refined, the plastic recycling sector will not only help reduce environmental pollution but can also become a driving force to attract investment, promote innovation, and form new value chains.

This orientation also aligns with the roadmap Ho Chi Minh City is pursuing as it gradually shifts from a "collection - treatment" model to "collection - sorting - recycling - energy recovery". According to experts, the transition will still face many challenges, but with support from international organizations and the participation of enterprises and citizens, the city expects to build a modern waste management ecosystem that promotes a circular economy and sustainable development.

Ha Duyen