Lack of specialized garbage trucks for waste sorting
According to the Law on Environmental Protection 2020, from January 1, 2025, people must classify waste into 3 groups before handing it over to collection and transportation units. However, according to Lao Dong's records, in many garbage truck gathering areas on Ho Tung Mau, Cau Giay, Hoang Quoc Viet streets,... waste is still not classified as required but is left in large piles.
Sharing with Lao Dong, Ms. Nguyen Minh - an environmental worker said that although she is aware of the importance of classifying garbage when collecting, the classification process when collecting still faces many difficulties.
"Currently, in the area where I am responsible for garbage collection, not all households classify according to the new regulations. Many households still put different types of waste in the same bag, making it very difficult to classify when collecting.
Besides, the households who have classified do not use the homogeneous plastic bags for each type, so we still have to collect it together " - Ms. Minh shared
Working as an environmental cleaner along Hoang Quoc Viet Street (Cau Giay, Hanoi), Mr. Hoang Thang said that the collection unit is still unable to classify the waste during collection due to lack of specialized tools.
"We still collect using the usual method because the company has not equipped specialized garbage trucks with 3-4 compartments to hold each type of garbage.
"Classification during collection requires each worker to be equipped with specialized garbage trucks. Otherwise, each worker has to move back and forth to an area many times to collect different types of garbage, which means the workload increases. Moreover, each worker has to be in charge of dozens of collection points, with such a large amount of garbage and increased workload, it will be impossible to meet the garbage collection time," Mr. Thang informed.
Mr. Hoang Thang also added that currently all transfer vehicles - the type of vehicle that receives garbage at collection points to bring it to the garbage treatment area - are all 1-box vehicles, so "if there is garbage classification during collection, the transfer vehicles will all be grouped into one type" - Mr. Thang said.
Still unable to sync when collecting
To ensure that waste classification at source is in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection No. 72/2020/QH14 dated November 17, 2020 and the City's guiding documents, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) will pilot waste classification at source in 2024 for 5 districts (including Hoan Kiem district) and will be required to implement waste classification at source from January 1, 2025.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Hang - Deputy Director of Urenco Hoan Kiem Branch said that the unit has piloted measures to handle, classify and collect waste at source according to regulations since July 2024.
Urenco Hoan Kiem has carried out a number of activities such as placing 18 hazardous waste collection bins at the headquarters of the People's Committees of 18 wards; agreeing with the District People's Committee to arrange 15 bulky waste collection points in the District with suitable locations and distances so that people from inter-ward and inter-ward areas can conveniently drop off their waste.
Ms. Hang also said that according to the 2020 Environmental Law, recyclable bags are clear, and other garbage bags are grey. However, in the early stages of implementation, people will use bags available in their homes for sorting.
After sorting and collecting recyclable waste, workers bring it to the collection point to sell to the branch through the recyclable waste collection staff assigned by the branch. After collection, the recyclable waste is gathered at Lam Du recycling warehouse to continue sorting and transfer to the recycling unit.
Regarding the lack of specialized garbage collection and transportation vehicles, the Deputy Director of Urenco Hoan Kiem Branch shared that this is one of the difficult problems when implementing collection in many localities. The reason is that the Department of Natural Resources and Environment has not issued specific implementation procedures and economic norms for companies and units to apply.
"The unit has only piloted and partially solved the problem of waste classification at the source, but has not been able to synchronize all waste collection and classification processes. Currently, the unit has not been able to come up with a synchronous implementation plan because there are no specific instructions to solve problems related to the classification stage when collecting and processing sorted waste," Ms. Hang informed.
The Deputy Director of Urenco Hoan Kiem Branch also said that in the future, if the Department of Natural Resources and Environment issues a process and implementation standards for waste classification and treatment, the unit will immediately develop an implementation plan to soon apply the synchronous process in the area.
