Waste management has become a significant concern in Viet Nam, as waste generation is increasing at an unprecedented pace and is projected to triple over the next 15 years. Currently, the country does not have the capacity to effectively handle this waste: 70% is disposed of in landfills where the implementation of environmental standards is limited; while the rest is burned or discarded in nature, with much of it eventually ending up into the sea. The complex structure of solid waste management at the policy and governance level, together with the lack of reliable data and poor regional coordination worsen the situation. Citizens and businesses are not generally aware of the negative impacts improper waste management causes on human health, in addition to soil, air and water pollution; which calls for increased investment in education.
Similarly, Viet Nam has become a significant producer and consumer of plastic, with immediate negative consequences in terms of marine pollution, population wellbeing, and on the tourism and fishery industries. It makes up between 10, and 12 % of the total amount of solid waste generated in Viet Nam and the country produces approximately 1.8 million tons of plastic waste, every year.
The lack of reliable, up to date and localised data on waste management systems has been identified as a key challenge, preventing the development of sustainable solutions. Therefore, producing evidence-backed research ? including at the local level - will play a crucial role in the successful design of the small-scale project supported by the UNDP/GEF SGP. Currently, there is no baseline of what the collection and recycling rates of domestic waste are or its composition in most of the project sites. This mapping aims to fill this gap by supporting the NGOs/CSOs in consistently collecting and analysing information needed to make informed decisions. In line with UNDP/GEF SGP guidelines, the organisations will research waste management system in their locality, including the local governance structure and network, waste generation and characterisation, infrastructures; and they will survey waste collectors and traders.
With the support of the Government of Norway, UNDP is currently implementing a new project entitled Scaling-up a Socialised Model of Domestic Waste and Plastic Management, in five cities (Ha Long, Danang, Quy Nhon, Binh Thuan, Binh Duong). It aims to develop integrated, green and fair models to improve domestic waste and plastic management, in five Vietnamese cities. This objective will be met through the achievement of five key outcomes: (1) Five cities established effective small-scale models of domestic waste management; (2) Enhanced regulatory framework and capacity of the local authorities and stakeholders through the promotion of the circular economy approach; (3) Increased awareness and participation of all stakeholders in reducing single-use plastic and in improving waste management; (4) Increased income and safety of the waste picker groups; (5) Innovation and information platforms promoted.
This UNDP grant will support the Women?s Union of Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province to implement the project named « Enhancing management capacity and environment protection awareness of local communities, developing a community-based model of waste collection, classification and treatment in order to minimize plastic waste in coastal wards and communes of Quy Nhon Bay, Binh Dinh Province « in two years 2020-2022.
The grant aims to :
?Overall objective :
-Ensure sustainability in environmental protection, plastic waste treatment, minimizing the marine environment pollution and ecosystems and biodiversityprotection in Quy Nhon Bay coastal areas.
?Specific objectives :
-Improve the management capacity and environmental protection awareness of the community, develop a community based collection, classification andtreatment model to minimize plastic waste in the Quy Nhon Bay coastal areas.
-Develop and strengthen self-management models of local communities for waste collection, sorting and treatment according to 3R criteria(Reduce, Reuseand Recycle) to minimize the amount of plastic waste dismissed to the environment, limit marine pollution due to plastic waste.
-Develop/ issue procedures for waste management and proposes/solutions to replicate/ maintain models based on the pilot models results
?Specific expected results include:
i.Enhancing management capacity and environmental awareness of community and government, associations in 4 Quy Nhon Bay coastal communes and wards.
-Task Team on plastic waste of Quy Nhon city and Nhon Chau commune; community groups managing waste in 4 communes and wards are established. A group of officials who has capable of propagating and mobilizing communities to participate in developing, implementing, supervising and evaluating the models; together with the community to implement the models, monitor and review the project activities.
-Communication activities on environment protection, integrated waste management and for an ocean without plastic waste are organized, which attracta large number of voluntary communities to participate in cleaning the beach environment, collecting plastic waste and saying no to plastic waste.
-Each commune and ward (Nhon Ly, Nhon Hai, Nhon Chau, Ghenh Rang) has 1 copy of the general waste management plan in the direction of minimizing and eliminating ocean plastic waste agreed and put into practice by local government.
ii.Developing and strengthening self-management models of local communities for waste collection, sorting and treatment according to 3R criteria(Reduce,Reuse and Recycle) to minimize the amount of plastic waste dismissed to the environment, limit marine pollution due to plastic waste.
-The model of the waste pickers and collection groups (mainly women-associated with bottle-collecting households) is strengthened in 4 communes and wards, and the waste pickers, collection groups, Quy Nhon Urban Environment Joint Stock Company and Enterprises who purchase waste products from domestic waste are connected.
-The pilot models of waste management, collection, sorting, recycling, and reuse according to the Integrated Waste Management Plan are formed andactivities under the Plan are implemented.
-The pilot models in 4 coastal communes and wards are inspected, monitored, evaluated and shared.
iii.Developing/ issuing procedures for waste management and proposes/solutions to replicate / maintain models based on the pilot models results
-The procedures for waste management and proposes solutions to replicate / maintain models based on the pilot models? results are developed/ issued.
-Preliminary and Wrap ?up.