Poor Waste Management Impacts Vietnam’s Rural Areas


Devdiscourse News Desk | Hanoi | Updated: 19-03-2019 15:45 IST | Created: 19-03-2019 15:45 IST
Poor Waste Management Impacts Vietnam’s Rural Areas
Image Credit: Reuters
  • Country:
  • Vietnam

Poor solid waste management is plaguing Vietnam’s rural areas. According to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, more than 13 million tonnes of waste and 7,500 tonnes of pesticide containers are discarded in the country’s rural areas each year.

The Ministry says that almost all of the containers used for pesticides are not collected for proper treatment. They are discharged directly into the environment and this leaves significant damage. Moreover, a study led by Dr Tran Ngoc Ngoan, director of the Institute of Human Geography under the Vietnam Academy of Social Science reveals that the emergence of residential areas and industrial zones in rural areas have reduced the area available for cultivation. This has led to intensive farming and increased use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

The study highlights that overuse of pesticides and fertilizers has a negative impact on the surrounding water and soil. “Overuse of these products can increase production but this also increases post-harvest waste like straw, husks and bran; most of which is burnt outdoors, threatening human health and reducing air quality. If fertilizers and pesticide containers are not collected and treated properly, the remaining chemicals can have an impact on surface water like ponds, lakes or rivers, underground water and the soil.” It further stated that the country’s 314.7 million poultry and 37 million cattle discharge about 84.5 million tonnes of waste per year. Half of the livestock waste is treated while the other half is discharged into the environment in its raw form.

Dr Ngoan said there is a need for proper waste collection and treatment in the rural areas. More than 60 million people live in Vietnam’s rural areas and they need to be made aware about the environment. Dr Ngoan said waste from rural areas would increase in quantity and variety. “And the items that cannot decompose like plastic waste would create bigger pressure on the environment.”

Give Feedback