UNDP tackles craft village waste in Hung Yen with Norwegian support

On June 27th, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Hung Yen province, organized a technical consultation meeting on the Plan for Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation of Plastic Pollution in Minh Khai Craft Village, Van Lam district, Hung Yen province.

The meeting took place as part of the activities funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) through UNDP in Vietnam, focusing on the pilot of co-processing low-value plastics in cement kilns and developing plans to rehabilitate plastic pollution hotspots in Hung Yen, Quang Ninh, and Hai Phong provinces.

According to Mr. Tran Dang Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hung Yen province, Minh Khai plastic recycling craft village is one of the province’s major plastic processing and recycling areas, handling 700 to 1,000 tons of plastic per day.

Currently, approximately 150,000 tons of residual plastic waste remain untreated. Many recycling facilities continue to operate within residential areas, severely impacting the environment and public health, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive solutions.

“In light of this situation, developing a Plan for Environmental Restoration and Rehabilitation of Plastic Pollution in Minh Khai Craft Village is an urgent task,” he stated, emphasizing that the plan aims to thoroughly address the backlog of plastic waste, improve environmental quality, and protect public health. It also contributes to fulfilling national commitments on plastic waste management and promotes a circular economy at the local level.

Hung Yen province is committed to working closely with specialized departments under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and international partners to identify scientific and practical waste treatment methods. The province intends to apply Norwegian technical solutions to achieve both environmental and economic benefits.

According to Mr. Vu Thai Truong, Acting Head of the Climate Change and Environment Unit at UNDP in Vietnam, today’s meeting offers an opportunity for stakeholders to contribute to finalizing the draft Plan, serving as a foundation for the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Hung Yen province to review and promote the implementation of environmental restoration efforts in the area.

At the end of 2024, UNDP in Vietnam, in collaboration with the Norwegian Embassy, piloted the co-processing of 111 tons of non-recyclable plastic waste at a cement plant in Quảng Ninh. This initial result demonstrated the rapid reduction of accumulated waste, the feasibility of the technology, and its effectiveness in cutting CO2 emissions.

“UNDP in Vietnam is committed to working together with stakeholders to address the environmental pollution hotspot in the plastic recycling craft village of Hung Yen province,” Mr. Truong stated.

With Norwegian expertise, UNDP in Vietnam, along with a team of national and international experts, selected four out of 10 optimal solutions aimed at thoroughly handling residual waste and improving environmental quality. These include an integrated solution (sorting—co-processing—reuse—safe landfill), co-incineration (without input sorting), conventional incineration, and Safe landfill.

From a technical perspective, based on the current survey data, stakeholders highly appreciated the quality of the report and accompanying analyses. However, there were concerns about the representativeness of the sample sizes for different types of waste, the prominent issue of lead contamination, and the assessment that Solution no.4 lacks practical feasibility and meaningful impact.

The first proposed solution reduces environmental risks while delivering high environmental value through the thorough treatment of residual waste and pollution hotspots. It offers a reasonable cost structure, making it accessible for local authorities and communities. Additionally, the approach is technically feasible, easy to implement, and well-suited to real-world conditions, ensuring practical applicability and long-term sustainability in areas affected by plastic pollution.

The People’s Committee of Hung Yen province has implemented decisive measures to relocate 416 recycling facilities into the Minh Khai Industrial Cluster and is continuing the process of receiving the remaining facilities. The province has also partnered with URENCO 11 Company to collect, sort, and transport approximately 1,500 tons of non-recyclable plastic waste for treatment in cement kilns. Additionally, efforts have been made to raise public awareness on environmental protection and fire prevention and control for both residents and production facilities.