Vietnam seeks solutions for 'bottlenecks' in municipal solid waste

The “bottlenecks” yet to be resolved

Municipal solid waste (MSW) remains a major environmental challenge, with tens of thousands of tons generated daily nationwide from households, residential areas, and service establishments. This directly impacts public health, environmental quality, and the sustainable development and circular economy goals set by the Party and the State.

It is noteworthy that after three years of the Law on Environmental Protection being in force, municipal solid waste (MSW) management has made progress. According to reports from the supervisory delegation’s working sessions with the Government and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, many localities have piloted source separation, while mechanisms and policies have been gradually completed, and collection and treatment capacity have improved. However, direct landfilling still accounts for 62%, with many landfill sites failing to meet standards, posing risks of soil, water, and air pollution. Source separation remains inconsistent, and infrastructure, financing, manpower, as well as community and business participation, are still limited.

Improving policies and promoting waste separation at source

First of all, regarding the legal framework, Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai Phuong – Deputy Chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee on Legal and Judicial Affairs – emphasized that MSW management, particularly waste separation at source, must be approached in a synchronized, comprehensive manner with a clear roadmap. According to her, continuing to review, supplement, and complete the system of guiding documents for the implementation of the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection is a matter of urgency.

Furthermore, Ms. Phuong proposed focusing on developing technical procedures and setting collection, transport, and treatment cost norms. These tools are necessary to enforce the “polluter pays” principle, ensure correct and sufficient fee collection, and create resources to reinvest in environmental protection. At the same time, specific guidelines should be provided to localities on how to organize waste separation at the source in line with their socio-economic conditions.

In addition to technical regulations, she stressed that the law must establish mechanisms and a roadmap for transitioning MSW treatment technologies, prioritizing advanced and environmentally friendly methods such as waste-to-energy incineration, recycling, and composting. In parallel with this, regulations and technical guidance should be issued for upgrading and rehabilitating non-compliant landfills and addressing pollution in severely affected areas.

In particular, the legal framework also needs to design mechanisms to maximize social resource mobilization. Accordingly, encouraging investment in the form of public–private partnerships (PPP) and accelerating socialization in the development of technical infrastructure for wastewater and MSW has become an urgent requirement. At the same time, consideration should be given to studying and supplementing tax policies on certain products, packaging, and consumer goods to help offset waste treatment costs, thereby ensuring fairness and financial sustainability.

Ms. Phuong also noted that a strong legal framework cannot be separated from communication, education, and social mobilization policies. According to her, a large-scale communication program is needed to create a nationwide movement for waste separation at the source, to limit the use of single-use plastics, and to shift consumption habits toward greener and more sustainable practices. This forms the foundation for developing a circular economy and ensuring long-term environmental protection.

Investing in synchronized infrastructure and modern technology

Beyond the legal aspect, experts also emphasized the role of technical infrastructure and modern technology. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, a full-time National Assembly deputy and member of the National Assembly’s Committee on Science, Technology and Environment, stated that while the Law on Environmental Protection has set specific prices for waste collection, subsidies must be provided for the poor and social welfare groups; at the same time, synchronized infrastructure investment is required to ensure efficiency from collection to treatment.

Agreeing with this view, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Huu Dung, Director of the Vietnam Institute of Urban and Industrial Environment, noted that current funding is insufficient to invest in advanced technology. There needs to be a breakthrough in investment for waste treatment, avoiding scattered, movement-driven projects. Each locality has its own characteristics, so technology transfer must be based on clear criteria and suitability. This also means that the Government needs to carefully study different models, especially diversifying resources and promoting regional and rural linkages for municipal solid waste management.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bui Thi An, National Assembly Deputy of the 13th tenure and former Director of the Institute of Resources, Environment and Community Development, also emphasized that the key to addressing this issue lies in fostering habits among citizens through a combination of policies and supportive financial mechanisms.