People face serious health risks
Dr. Hoang Duong Tung - Chairman of the Vietnam Clean Air Network once analyzed the causes of air pollution in Hanoi as a comprehensive one, originating from many different sources. According to him, the three main groups are: Transportation, industry and construction activities. Currently, Hanoi has nearly 7 million motorbikes and about 1.1 million cars - this is a large number of vehicles burning fuel and is the leading cause of air pollution. Meanwhile, the transport infrastructure system is still limited, often causing congestion, especially during rush hour, causing emissions from vehicles to accumulate, seriously reducing air quality.
In the suburbs, the burning of straw and household waste is still common. Traditional craft villages such as Phu Xuyen, Thuong Tin, Dong Anh... continue to use solid fuels without investing in emission treatment systems...
In addition, the urbanization process has led to an increase in construction works. The lack of cover and the transportation of materials in accordance with standards have caused dust to be released into the air. In addition, the spontaneous burning of waste and agricultural by-products in suburban areas is still common, creating black smoke lines, silently covering the living space and increasing the level of pollution.
According to the WHO, about 7 million people die each year from air pollution - many of which are from cardiovascular, respiratory and cancer. Diseases related to pollution increase medical costs, reduce labor productivity and quality of life.
During times of severe air pollution, the Department of Health Environment Management (Ministry of Health) must continuously issue recommendations. When the air quality index is at a very bad level (201-300), for normal people, avoid outdoor activities for a long time or participate in physical activities that require effort; encourage indoor activities; avoid activities in areas with high risk of air pollution.
If they have to operate in areas with high risk of pollution, people should use masks that can prevent fine dust; if they have to participate in traffic, they should increase the use of public transport, limit the use of motorbikes and bicycles to reduce exposure to polluted air.
Need to take immediate action with practical solutions
Faced with increasingly serious air pollution, Hanoi has been implementing many groups of solutions to overcome and control the situation. Experts say that it is necessary to take immediate action, with practical solutions, to be able to control air pollution in the capital.
At the scientific workshop "Current situation and solutions to handle urgent issues in environmental protection of the capital Hanoi" organized by the Hanoi People's Committee in coordination with the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in March 2025, Chairman of the City People's Committee Tran Sy Thanh emphasized: One of the important directions is that Hanoi is increasing the development of the public transport system and gradually limiting personal vehicles. Accelerating the roadmap to eliminate old and dilapidated motorbikes, while building a mechanism to support people to switch to green vehicles such as electric vehicles, is considered the key to reducing emissions from traffic, which is a source of up to 70% fine dust in the inner city.
In addition, Hanoi is making efforts to improve the efficiency of solid waste collection and treatment, with a pilot waste classification at source in five inner-city districts. This is not only a measure to reduce pressure on waste treatment areas but also to prevent spontaneous garbage burning - one of the main causes of increased toxic gases and fine dust in the air. At the same time, the city is also focusing on improving technology, gradually modernizing the waste collection and treatment process in the direction of being smart and closed.
In the field of industry and craft villages, experts suggest that the city should soon complete the plan to review and relocate production facilities located in residential areas. Facilities that do not meet environmental requirements or use outdated technology are required to convert technology or terminate operations. At the same time, investing in automatic emission monitoring systems in industrial parks and connecting data to authorities for continuous monitoring is also a necessary measure to enhance the responsibility of businesses and local authorities in environmental protection.
In terms of construction and urbanization, Hanoi needs to take stronger hands in controlling construction dust - one of the "silent culprits" of air pollution. The authorities need to strengthen surprise inspections and strictly handle construction works that do not ensure coverage and do not spray water to prevent dust according to regulations. In addition, to solve the problem of spontaneous garbage burning and straw in suburban areas, the city needs to combine strong sanctions and extensive communication activities to change the habits of people, especially farmers in suburban districts.
Some other long-term solutions are also being considered such as piloting low-emission zones (LEZ), collecting fees for personal motor vehicles entering urban centers during rush hour, or integrating development planning in the direction of reducing construction density and increasing green space. All of these solutions, regardless of their scale, require inter-sectoral coordination from the government level, scientific organizations to businesses and the people themselves.
