Sorting waste at the source: calls for unified action

Source waste separation (SWS) is a regular task of the entire political system. This practice must be communicated to all Party members throughout the provincial Party Committee and widely promoted among the public. Party committees, local authorities,  the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and socio-political organizations must take the lead in directing and ensuring the serious and effective implementation of this measure. These are the key points outlined in the newly issued directive by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee.

Source waste separation activities mark World Environment Day in Dong Nai. Photo by Hoang Loc.

This endeavor not only facilitates waste management but also promotes a circular economy, enhances living conditions, and fosters a more sustainable lifestyle.

An ongoing responsibility across the entire political system

In early December 2025, Ton Ngoc Hanh, Standing Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, signed Directive 02/CT-TU issued by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee to strengthen Party leadership over the implementation of source separation of household solid waste, as well as the collection, transportation, and treatment of sorted waste across the province. This directive builds upon and elevates Directive 54-CT/TU issued in 2020 by the Standing Committee, in the context of rising waste generation and increasingly urgent environmental protection needs.

After four years of implementing Directive 54, the Provincial Party Committee notes significant progress. Around 44% of households in the former Dong Nai province now separate their waste at source, with some 221 tons of waste treated daily through recycling, reuse, or composting. Investments in transfer stations, collection vehicles, and waste management oversight have also improved, resulting in reduced transportation and treatment costs for the state budget.

Despite these efforts, infrastructure for waste separation, collection, transport, and treatment remains fragmented, especially in remote, mountainous, and northern border areas of the province. In these areas, temporary dumps have formed, affecting the environment and local aesthetics. Public awareness of waste separation remains limited among residents and some organizations, while inspection and oversight are still insufficient.

To ensure coordinated and effective implementation across the province, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee issued Directive 02, calling for its dissemination to all Party members and the implementation of widespread public awareness campaigns to drive comprehensive change toward a green, clean, and sustainable living environment.

The directive sets out six main priorities. First, it emphasizes strengthening the accountability of Party and government leaders. Second, it makes source waste separation and the fight against plastic waste a regular responsibility across the political system. Third, it calls for standardizing waste collection and transport equipment. Fourth, it aims to expand collection networks to remote and mountainous areas and invest in modern treatment technologies, such as waste-to-energy incineration. Fifth, it introduces penalties for households and organizations that fail to separate waste. Finally, it aims to raise public awareness and promote community-based models for waste separation and recycling.

At the end of November 2025, the Provincial People’s Committee issued Official Dispatch 10614/UBND-KTN to roll out a province-wide model for community-led source separation of recyclable and reusable solid waste. The plan assigns the Provincial Women’s Union to take the lead, in coordination with the Provincial Youth Union, to guide and encourage members and the public to participate, while proposing suitable communication content. Departments, agencies, and mass organizations are tasked with motivating officials, civil servants, and members to set an example and channel recyclable waste to community-led groups. At the commune level, People’s Committees are responsible for publicizing and encouraging households to register for participation.

To ensure every resident is informed and takes part

Prior to the directives from the Provincial Party Committee and the People’s Committee, the Department of Agriculture and Environment organized over 12 training sessions in October and November 2025 on source waste separation and environmental communication skills. These sessions targeted community outreach workers from 95 communes and wards, high school teachers, and staff from continuing education centers. The trainings aimed to enhance communication skills, provide professional guidance on waste separation and storage, and instruct participants on addressing non-compliance with source waste separation regulations.

The province currently produces an average of about 2,677 tons of household solid waste each day. Approximately 79% of this waste is collected and processed in accordance with regulations, while the remainder is inadequately managed. 

At a conference held in late November 2025 to review the results after five months of the provincial merger, Nguyen Tuan Anh, member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee and director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that recent efforts in source waste separation have helped significantly reduce the volume of waste transported to treatment facilities, thereby saving public funds. The review and upgrade of transfer stations and drop-off points are being carried out according to schedule. Collection units have invested in new and upgraded vehicles to meet regulatory requirements. In contrast, the inspection and supervision of waste collection, transportation, and treatment have been strengthened to promptly detect and address violations.

He also noted that these achievements have helped raise awareness among residents and organizations, gradually instilling habits of waste separation, easing pressure on treatment systems, and strengthening public confidence in the Party’s leadership in environmental protection.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment closely oversees waste collection and treatment to minimize impacts on residents’ lives. It actively coordinates with local authorities and relevant agencies to direct waste efficiently to treatment facilities while also guiding commune-level People’s Committees in implementing post-sorting recycling and reuse programs, thereby reducing the volume of waste requiring disposal. The department also provides recommendations to the Provincial People’s Committee on managing temporary dumps in the northern areas and issues unified regulations for household solid waste management across the province.  

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment Tran Trong Toan shared that the Resolution of the First Provincial Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term sets a target of collecting and properly treating 97% of urban waste and 90% of rural waste by 2030. A key measure to achieve this goal is strengthening source waste separation for recycling and reuse, thereby reducing the pressure on collection, treatment, and landfill disposal.

By Hoang Loc – Translated by Tam Binh, Minho