The commissioning of two waste-to-energy plants has brought about a significant change in waste management methods in the capital city. Currently, Hanoi generates approximately 8,000 tons of household waste per day. Of this, about 6,250 tons are processed using waste-to-energy technology, reaching 78%.
The commissioning of waste-to-energy plants not only contributes to reducing environmental pollution and saving land, but also transforms waste into a resource for development by generating economic value from energy recovery. The Seraphin plant can generate 37 MW of electricity per hour; the larger Soc Son waste-to-energy plant has a capacity of 90 MW per hour, providing supplementary power to the system. Both waste-to-energy plants utilize modern incineration technology and integrated exhaust gas treatment systems, significantly reducing harmful substances during incineration. However, to ensure sustainability, the key factor is implementing waste sorting at the source.
Mr. Nguyen Van Quy, Head of the Solid Waste Management Department of the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment, stated that household waste is currently not being sorted uniformly, resulting in the input materials for incineration plants containing a high amount of waste with high moisture content, non-combustible impurities, and even hazardous waste. This reduces incineration efficiency, increases the amount of ash and slag after treatment, and affects energy recovery capabilities. This reality shows that waste sorting is a prerequisite for incineration plants to maximize their designed capacity.
In recent times, although Hanoi City has implemented many mechanisms to promote this issue, such as Resolution 08/2025/NQ-HĐND increasing penalties for environmental violations, or Decision 87/2025/QĐ-UBND on the management of household solid waste... the implementation of waste sorting at source is still quite far from meeting actual requirements.
The main reasons are the lack of synchronized infrastructure for waste sorting and the shortage of separate collection vehicles. In many places, people have already sorted their waste, but the collection process is still done collectively, resulting in mixed waste. Meanwhile, the inspection and enforcement of waste collection and sorting at the local level are not strict in some areas.
To improve the efficiency of waste-to-energy plants, waste sorting at source should be considered a breakthrough. The city needs to quickly synchronize the collection, transfer, and processing systems for each waste category, ensuring that sorted waste is not mixed after collection. Along with this, responsibilities should be clearly assigned to the commune level; and the responsibility of the head of each commune should be linked to the implementation process.
Hanoi has taken the right and necessary step by investing in waste-to-energy. However, transforming waste into a resource cannot rely solely on end-of-line waste treatment technology; strict waste sorting at the source is essential. Tight control over incoming waste and improved waste incineration efficiency are crucial for achieving sustainable results in building a green and modern city.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/nang-cao-hieu-qua-phan-loai-rac-tai-nguon-post958763.html
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