Experts are cautioning localities against massive investment into waste incinerators as they pose high risk to the environment and public health.

A small incinerator in Tam Hong Commune, Vinh Phuc Province.

Vietnam's regulations encourage the use of non-incineration waste treatment technology to be more environmentally-friendly, yet localities are pumping billions of dong into old incinerators.

Since 2013, the provincial authorities of Vinh Phuc have bought a total of eight small incinerators for Yen Lac District.

Nguyen Chi Thiet, head of Yen Lac Department of Natural Resources and Environment said they are planning that all 17 communes will have an incinerator. Each incinerator costs about VND3 billion (USD143,000) and will be funded from the provincial budget.

Other districts including Vinh Tuong and Lap Thach are also receiving small incinerators. In addition, Thai Binh and Nam Dinh provinces are also investing in incinerators for districts and communes.

Former deputy director general of the Vietnam Environment Administration, Tran The Loan, said waste incineration can produce huge amount of toxic fumes. Regulations, such as rubbish classification, are often ignored.

Nguyen Thanh Yen, Deputy Director of Department of Waste Management and Environment Improvement, said localities should rethink their plans or else they might face crisis in hazardous substance management.

"Many Japanese experts said their country once invested in thousands of incinerators and they had to spend years dealing with the consequences," Yen said.

Dtinews