VietNamNet Bridge - The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Has granted more than 5,000 registry books to the owners of hazardous waste sources.

Official reports show the amount of hazardous waste has been increasing steadily year after year, from 250 tons per day in 2011 to 300 tons in 2012, to 320 tons in 2013 and 350 tons in 2014. The figure rose to 400 tons per day in 2015.

Observers noted that the hazardous substances from household domestic waste (batteries,, fluorescent lamps and electronics) and from small production workshops, which discharge less than 600 kilos a year (which don’t have to register with state agencies), are not counted. 

Therefore, the real volume of hazardous waste per day would be much higher than 400 tons.

The HCMC Department of Natural Resources and the Environment Has granted more than 5,000 registry books to the owners of hazardous waste sources.

The natural resource &and environment department, after analyzing the economic growth rate and industrial production increase, estimated at 12-14 percent per annum, has predicted that about 700 tons of hazardous waste would be generated every day in HCMC by 2020. Meanwhile, the figure would be 1,000 tons per day by 2025.

However, big problems still exist in the collection, carrying and treatment of hazardous waste. 

There are 30 establishments which have licenses to collect and carry waste, and 12 establishments allowed to treat hazardous waste. However, the total waste treatment capacity of the establishments is modest, just 251 tons in total a day, or 71,824 tons a year.

Meanwhile, the establishments have to receive and treat hazardous waste from the sources in neighboring provinces, including Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh as well.

The owners of the hazardous waste sources which discharge less than 600 kilos a year complain it is difficult to sign contracts with waste collection and treatment units because of the high service fee. 

Meanwhile, the city authorities have not set up a waste collection network to connect waste source owners and treatment companies. 

In an effort to deal with hazardous waste, the city has decided that two projects treating industrial and hazardous waste will be developed at the Tay Bac Solid Waste Treatment Complex in Cu Chi district and Da Phuoc Complex in Binh Chanh.

One project will be developed by Moc An Chau Freight & Forwarding JSC, covering an area of 17.01 hectares in Da Phuoc, which can treat 500 tons a day. 

The investor is following necessary procedures before starting the project and it is expected that it would begin receiving waste to treat by early 2018.

The other project has capacity of 250-360 tons per day in Cu Chi district. However, the plant would only become operational by the end of 2019.


Kim Chi