Waste classification at source is one of the most basic and simple actions to initially solve the problem of environmental protection. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, our country’s environment is under great pressure from domestic solid waste, estimated at over 60,000 tons discharged every day. Some localities have appeared “hot spots” in terms of the environment, especially in large urban areas with many socio-economic development activities.
Current Situation
Many causes lead to the current environmental pollution, including the management of domestic solid waste and waste classification at source, which have not been implemented in a drastic and synchronous manner. To make waste classification at source a habit, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 has introduced breakthrough regulations, set out a roadmap and mobilized all levels of government and socio-political organizations to implement it.
New Regulations on Waste Classification
The Law on Environmental Protection stipulates that the collection of fees for household waste by volume must be implemented no later than December 31, 2024. Efforts to classify mixed waste open up the possibility of maximizing the recovery of recyclable resources. Through this activity, it is possible to recover recyclable materials, conserve limited resources and reduce emissions.
Organizing waste classification and collection at the source not only brings economic benefits to people but also contributes to promoting the recycling industry, improving the efficiency of solid waste treatment, and moving towards a circular economy. However, waste classification still faces many obstacles because new models are only implemented at the source, and have not yet established a chain of classification processes in collection.
Implementation Roadmap
To implement source-based waste classification nationwide from 2025, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has issued many documents guiding implementation. The most recent is the technical guidance on classifying domestic solid waste. This guide provides maximum identification of types of household and individual solid waste, classified into three main groups according to the provisions of Clause 1, Article 75 of the Law on Environmental Protection:
- Solid waste that can be reused and recycled: Waste paper, waste plastic, waste metal, waste glass, fabric, leather, wood, rubber, discarded electrical and electronic equipment.
- Food waste: Leftover food, expired food, vegetables, tubers, fruits and waste after preliminary processing, food processing, discarded products from livestock, poultry, seafood.
- Other household solid waste: Hazardous waste, bulky waste, other remaining waste.
Specific Classification Guide
The technical guide also with illustrations, clear instructions on how to prepare and clean basic types of waste before sorting. For example, waste paper, waste plastic, waste metal need to remove the product contained inside, then shrink, flatten, reduce size, volume. For fabrics, leather goods, wooden goods, clean, intact or shrunk items can be reused. Electrical and electronic devices keep their original shape, do not disassemble.
Food waste must be kept in containers, bags, sealed packaging, not leaking, preventing odors from spreading. Hazardous waste must be stored in safe containers, avoiding dispersion into the environment. Bulky waste needs to be shrunk, reduced in volume, if dismantled, the parts after dismantling are classified into the corresponding waste groups.
Implementation and Monitoring
In the coming time, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will organize working groups to localities to train, guide and support the implementation of household and individual solid waste classification activities. The Ministry will also review and inspect localities that have implemented waste classification models at source to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Law. The Ministry will coordinate with localities to report and propose to the Prime Minister to support resources for investment in waste collection, transportation and treatment infrastructure.
Conclusion
Waste classification at source is an important first step in solving the problem of environmental pollution. With the determination and coordination of authorities at all levels, social organizations and people, we can create a cleaner and more sustainable living environment. The policy of collecting fees for household waste by volume is an important step forward that needs to be implemented scientifically, systematically and synchronously to achieve the highest efficiency.
