October 21, 2025 | 16:21 GMT +7
October 21, 2025 | 16:21 GMT +7
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At Le Loi Primary School in Thuan Hoa Ward, recycling bins are placed throughout the campus, from hallways to the schoolyard. After finishing their snacks or drinks, most students find their way to the bins.
The school, which won first prize in the Primary category of the ASEAN Eco-Schools Award Vietnam 2024, has become a leading example in promoting environmental awareness among students. Through practical activities and lessons, children are encouraged to develop strong habits of sorting waste and understanding its importance for public health and the environment.
Students of Le Loi Primary School are instructed on how to classify garbage. Photo: Duyen Nguyen.
Principal Le Thi Ly Na said the school’s 1,460 students generate around 600 liters of waste a day, equivalent to 0.6 cubic meters. During peak periods in summer, they collect a 50-kilogram sack of plastic bottles. To manage this, the school maintains 35 color-coded bins distributed across classrooms, hallways, and gates, with illustrated posters to guide proper sorting. The system divides waste into four main groups: Recyclable/Reusable (white), Food Waste (dark green or black), Hazardous Waste (orange), and Residual Waste (green).
“Since adopting the color-coded bin model, the amount of plastic mixed into organic waste has dropped by about 30 - 40%. Students and teachers now dispose of bottles and cans correctly, making recycling much easier,” Ms. Na said. “Some of the collected plastic is reused for school projects and decorations. The campus looks tidier, and litter has decreased significantly. Students even remind each other to use the right bins, it’s becoming part of our school culture.”
Hue City students voluntarily throw trash in the bin. Photo: Van Dinh.
Meanwhile, at Quang Trung Primary School, bins in three colors-green, yellow, and red are placed around the campus, each marked with clear illustrations for easy identification. Beyond infrastructure, the school has integrated environmental education into daily lessons and organizes activities such as Sorting Waste at the Source, Trade Trash for Gifts, and Small Plan.
“With about 1,300 day-boarding students, our daily waste volume is quite large,” said Principal Phan Thi Ngoc Quynh. “After several years of applying the model, the awareness of both teachers and students has improved remarkably. They now sort waste more consciously before disposal. Hazardous waste such as batteries and light bulbs is collected separately in specialized bins. Teachers also encourage students to bring their own water bottles and lunch boxes, which helps reduce waste and makes sorting easier.”
These efforts have turned many classrooms into mini “green corners,” where students decorate their learning spaces with items made from recycled materials, combining creativity with environmental stewardship.
Students sort waste from sorting bins. Photo: Van Dinh.
Despite such bright spots, the waste-sorting model in Hue’s schools still struggles to deliver consistent results.
Principal Le Thi Ly Na pointed out that the first obstacle is the lack of clear and consistent guidance. “Although bins are segregated, the explanations about what qualifies as recyclable, organic, or hazardous waste were initially vague,” she said. “This caused confusion not only for students but also for some teachers.”
Students also tend to misclassify items that fall into gray areas, such as used paper milk cartons, soiled plastic cups, or food-stained nylon bags. Another challenge is the shortage of personnel to supervise and remind students regularly. “There isn’t always someone nearby to guide them, especially during recess or after school events,” Na added.
Awareness among students is also uneven. While many are proactive, a portion remains indifferent, viewing waste sorting as a “secondary task.”
“To make the model more effective, we plan to strengthen communication, integrate waste-sorting lessons into classes and extracurricular activities, and place more bins in convenient locations with clearer instructions,” Na said. “We hope parents will also cooperate by encouraging their children to maintain the same habits at home. Meanwhile, authorities can support us with training sessions, educational materials, and a synchronized collection and treatment system.”
At Thong Nhat Secondary School in Phu Xuan Ward, which generates 13–15 kilograms of waste daily, similar difficulties persist. Students still mix different waste types, funding for activities remains limited, there aren’t enough segregated bins for all areas, and some existing bins have become damaged, complicating supervision.
Many students are still unaware, indifferent and ignore garbage classification. Photo: Van Dinh.
Associate Professor Hoang Cong Tin, Head of the Faculty of Environment at Hue University of Sciences, observed that hundreds of segregated bins and “Green Houses” have been deployed in schools citywide, initially fostering a friendlier learning environment and promoting a culture of plastic reduction and green living. However, he noted, the actual use of these facilities varies widely.
“In many schools, the bins are more symbolic than functional,” he said. “Waste is still mixed, and despite communication campaigns and educational efforts, supporting infrastructure remains insufficient.”
Schools in Hue City need to have more ways to implement the trash classification model more effectively. Photo: Van Dinh.
According to Dr. Tin, an effective and sustainable school waste-sorting model requires clear objectives and consensus on implementation methods. “Schools need consistent systems so students can maintain the same habits from one grade level to another,” he said. “A student who learns waste sorting in primary school shouldn’t face an entirely different system in middle school.”
Vietnam’s ASEAN Eco-Schools Award 2025 centers on the theme “Plastic-Waste Free Schools.”
Applications must be submitted in two ways at the same time: a hard-copy dossier sent to the Newspaper of Agriculture and Environment, Lot E2, Duong Dinh Nghe Street, Hanoi; and a single compressed digital file uploaded to Ecoschool.vn.
The deadline is October 31, 2025, based on the postmark for mailed submissions or the timestamp on Ecoschool.vn for online submissions.
He also recommended simplifying sorting during the initial phase focusing only on two main categories: recyclable and residual waste. “Once students understand that waste sorting is tied to health, the school landscape, and civic responsibility, the behavior becomes more sustainable,” he explained.
To sustain engagement, Dr. Tin proposed making the process more visible and interactive. Schools could integrate waste sorting into weekly class competitions, rewarding students who follow the rules. “The bins themselves should be colorful, with eye-catching labels that make it easy for children to identify where to place their waste,” he added.
Periodic updates on the amount of recycled waste collected, and how proceeds from recycling are used for school activities, can also strengthen motivation. Publicly recognizing active classes or students helps create a sense of achievement and shows that every small action contributes to a larger environmental goal.
Hue’s experience highlights a broader challenge for Vietnam’s schools: promoting environmental education that extends beyond symbolic campaigns into real behavioral change. While recycling bins and competitions create visibility, the long-term effectiveness of waste sorting depends on consistency, supervision, and infrastructure.
Experts agree that establishing strong habits early in childhood is key. Once students internalize the link between daily behavior and environmental impact, the effort to maintain clean, green campuses will no longer rely solely on reminders or slogans.
“The path toward effective school waste management is not just about bins or colors,” Dr. Tin concluded. “It’s about shaping awareness, building consistent systems, and ensuring that every small habit in school reflects a lasting respect for the environment.”
The Ministry of Agriculture and Environment has tasked the Vietnam Agriculture and Nature News in coordination with relevant agencies and units and the Green Future Fund, with organizing the ASEAN Eco-Schools Vietnam 2025 Awards - “Plastic-Waste Free Schools.”
For details, visit the online edition at nongnghiepmoitruong.vn, the Awards website: ecoschool.vn, or contact Journalist Nguyen Quynh Chi, Phone: 0967181555, Email: nquynhchi.00@gmail.com.
Translated by Linh Linh
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