When sorting waste becomes a habit

Long Son commune was the first locality in eastern Ho Chi Minh City to implement a waste sorting at source model. After 6 years of implementation, this activity has gradually become a regular practice, a habit for most families, government agencies, and businesses in the area.

School model

In her cool, one-story house by the river, Ms. Vo Phuoc Hanh (Hamlet 3, Long Son Commune) picks vegetables after returning from the market. Instead of throwing away the leftover vegetables, she gathers them and composts them in a small container in the backyard to make organic fertilizer. In front of the house is a large sack filled with various cardboard boxes, beer cans, plastic bottles, etc.

Students at Long Son 2 Primary School (Long Son commune, Ho Chi Minh City) weigh recyclable waste after sorting it. Photo: SONG THU

Ms. Hanh said: "These are the recyclable waste items that I have sorted over the past two months. There's quite a lot now, and I'll take them to the recycling exchange point this weekend. It may look like a lot, but you can exchange them for many essential things: cooking oil, fish sauce, sugar, milk, etc."

This practice has become a daily habit for the people of Long Son commune after many years of guidance and implementation of waste sorting at source (SSW). Each household has 2-3 trash cans. Most households separate waste into two basic categories: recyclable waste and other waste. Some families separate waste into three categories: in addition to the two above, they have an extra bin for organic waste. Before SSW was implemented in households in Long Son commune, the two primary schools in the commune had already been implementing SSW since 2020.

According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Huy, Head of Social Work - Community Project Development Department of Long Son Petrochemical Co., Ltd., waste treatment at source is a core issue in minimizing waste. Therefore, since February 2019, SCG Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and Long Son Petrochemical Co., Ltd. have been participating in a public-private partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment , Dow Vietnam, and Unilever Vietnam to implement the "zero waste" project to promote a circular economy in plastic waste management in Vietnam. SCG Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and Long Son Petrochemical Co., Ltd. are committed to building waste treatment models at primary schools and in residential areas of Long Son commune.

Ms. Le Thanh Hai, an English teacher who supports the waste sorting team at Long Son 2 Primary School, said that the school currently has 830 students in 28 classes. Each classroom is equipped with two trash cans for sorting (recyclable waste and other waste) to ensure hygiene. Every Monday, the school organizes waste sorting awareness sessions for teachers and students. This helps students better understand environmental protection and proper waste sorting.

During recess, students bring their trash cans down to the playground. Phan Le Lan Thanh, a 5th-grade student from Long Son 2 Primary School and an environmental ambassador, said: “Instead of putting trash in one bin like before, we are now taught how to separate waste into two separate bins of different colors. Cardboard, paper, newspapers, plastic boxes, and metal cans go into the orange bin (for recyclable waste). Other types of waste go into the blue bin. This waste separation method helps students build environmental awareness and reduce waste. Recyclable waste can be sold to exchange for school supplies or to create a fund to help students in difficult circumstances.”

Continue to expand

Regarding the PLRTN program, Mr. Lu Sy Phuong, Vice Chairman of the Long Son Commune People's Committee, informed that after a successful pilot implementation at schools, in 2022, the PLRTN project, aimed at a circular economy, was implemented in Hamlet 1, Long Son Commune, by SCG Petrochemical Company Limited, Long Son Petrochemical Company Limited, and Long Son Commune, with the participation of over 1,000 households and 3 scrap collection facilities. The project collected over 9.2 tons of recyclable waste and guided people in reusing approximately 8 tons of food waste as organic fertilizer. In addition, the project provided equipment and occupational safety training for 15 people participating in the collection of recyclable waste.

By 2024, the project continued to be implemented in all households in hamlets 1, 2, and 3, religious establishments (Nha Lon, Long Son Temple, Hung Long Tu, and Ba Ong Pagoda), 5 schools, and the Long Son Border Guard Post. To date, in Long Son commune, approximately 43% of households (1,795 out of 4,200 households), 4 religious establishments, 5 schools, the Long Son Border Guard Post, and Long Son Petrochemical Company Limited have implemented household solid waste sorting at source; about 20% of generated food waste is utilized for composting; and there is no landfilling of household solid waste in the area.

"The process of sorting and disposing of household waste faced many difficulties, but thanks to active propaganda, mobilization, and guidance, people are now doing a very good job of sorting waste. In particular, the program has helped people clearly see the benefits of waste sorting," Mr. Lu Sy Phuong informed.

QUANG VU

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/khi-phan-loai-rac-thanh-thoi-quen-post849015.html