Joining hands to “defeat plastic waste pollution”

06/05/2023 06:02

Waste classification at source is not difficult, but it is one of the solutions to help limit plastic waste released into the environment.

On the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5) 2023 with the theme "Beat plastic waste pollution", I remember my friend who has maintained the good habit of sorting waste at home for many years.

In her house, there are always 3 trash baskets placed in different locations. 1 organic trash basket; 1 burlap sack for plastic waste; 1 basket for solid waste. Every month, she collects plastic waste and calls a charity organization to come and sell it to raise funds for meaningful activities; every night, she puts the remaining 2 trash baskets in front of the gate, hangs them neatly for units to come and collect.

She has been practicing this habit since 2016. At that time, when the Women's Union of Duy Tan Ward ( Kon Tum City) launched the waste classification at source, she was instructed to do so, she followed and maintained it until now. Not only that, in her house, she rarely uses plastic bags. Food in the refrigerator is neatly stored in glass containers. She also recycles, cuts milk cartons and milk boxes to store meat in the freezer. Waste classification at source as well as recycling plastic products helps her family to be neat and clean, and limits the release of plastic waste into the environment.

Illustration photo. Source: Internet

Waste classification at each household has been promoted and implemented for many years. In particular, over many years of implementation, the Women's Union at all levels has formed and expanded many related models: waste classification at source, turning waste into money, carrying baskets to the market, with the participation of a large number of women members. Along with the establishment, the Union at all levels has given trash baskets and specific instructions for members to thoroughly classify waste at source. Thereby, promoting and mobilizing cadres, women's union members and people of all walks of life to raise their sense of responsibility and limit the discharge of plastic waste into the environment.

With the above models, women know how to collect plastic waste, sell it, and use the money to contribute to the fund. Many models of waste classification at source in Dak Duc commune, Po Y commune (Ngoc Hoi district), or Duy Tan ward (Kon Tum city) are effective, creating a fund to help women in difficult circumstances build economic models.

Waste classification at source is really necessary and brings many positive effects. This activity not only saves waste treatment costs, saves landfill area, but also limits groundwater and air pollution, thereby reducing the impact of climate change and the living environment. Therefore, not only the Women's Union at all levels, but in recent years, functional agencies and organizations in the province have also focused on mobilizing, propagating and guiding people to implement.

It is not difficult to classify waste at source for each household. However, although it has been implemented, it has not yet created consistency in practice. Besides some households that do well, the majority of households have not implemented it. The main reason is that people have not yet developed the habit of classifying waste at home. And many people think that putting waste in many bins is inconvenient. Meanwhile, when taking it outside, the collection unit does not classify it right from the stage of collecting the waste but puts it all in one bin, making classification at source meaningless.

Recently, on April 4, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision to promulgate Regulations on waste management in the province. In which, Clause 2, Article 4 states that organizations and individuals are responsible for classifying waste at the source in order to increase reuse, recycling, co-processing, treatment and energy recovery. With the above content, it once again shows that waste classification becomes a responsibility, requiring the joint efforts of every individual, every family and the community.

Sorting waste at source will create good habits in every family. However, along with the cooperation of the people, the key to the problem is the need for a unified plan in waste collection and effective waste treatment technology. If the source sorting is done well by the people but the collection and treatment are not effective, everything will be the same.

This year’s World Environment Day theme is: “Beat Plastic Pollution”. The theme focuses on solutions to plastic pollution. Joining hands, each person changes old habits and forms new habits in sorting waste at source, which is also an effective way to reduce plastic waste in the environment.

Hoai Tien

Source link