Domestic Waste Collection Service

Ho C hi Minh City, Vietnam

DOMESTIC WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE

BY PHAM GIA TRAN, PHD, SON THANH TUNG, NGUYEN VAN HOA AND NGUYEN PHUONG CHAU

INTRODUCTION As the economic heart of Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City is the core of Viet Nam’s largest urban area, and is headed toward a population of 9 million, approximately one tenth of the country’s total population. e inner core area has a population of approximately 1.4 million, with more than 40,000 residents per square kilometer- approximately 1.5 times as dense as Manhattan.

The generation of municipal, industrial and hazardous solid waste has reached 6,000 metric tonnes per day, of which 5,000 tonnes are delivered to land ll.

Waste generation is increasing at 8-10% annually. e city’s rapid economic growth imposes major strains on the existing infrastructure, particularly the sanitation system. e increasing volume of domestic waste generated by the fast-growing population represents an emerging threat to public health, environment and the quality of surface- and groundwater. e HCMC Environmental Improvement Project projects that by 2015, HCMC will produce approximately 9,390 tonnes of solid waste per day, or 3.4 million tons per year. In order to accommo-

date such growth in solid waste generation, HCMC will require a budget of approximately 500 billion VND per year. In addition, 150-200 billions VND will be required for construction of land lls and related works. e situation is exacerbated by low collection efficiencies, combined with inadequate disposal facilities, which together have resulted in signi cantly worsening pollution. In addition, the volume of industrial and medical wastes is also increasing. HCMC currently owns and manages 15 industrial parks and export processing zones, two high technology zones, one soware park, two seaports and one airport. is increasing intensity of industrial activity presents new hazards to public health and new collection

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Ho C hi Minh City, Vietnam

challenges.

Low-income urban areas are particularly at risk, since service coverage in these areas occupied by low income households is typically inadequate, with only about 70% to 90% of domestic waste collected. Moreover, existing land lls are lling up rapidly, and there are few feasible locations for new sites.

To address the issue, the city Figure 1: Institutions concerned with solid waste management in HCMC established a new institutional framework to involve all con- tion system as well as the rapid waste transport agencies. Today, cerned functional agencies at all pace of urban growth. Today, Ho HCMC has approximately 3,000 Chi Minh City’s waste industry private waste collectors operating levels (see diagram). provides income and employ- around the city (DONRE, 2007). e city government also encour- ment for approximately 14,000 aged community-based groups people, including waste collec- e estimated monthly revenue and companies to work with local tors, street sweepers, itinerant of one cart (with 2 collectors) is authorities under its privatization and dump-site scavengers, waste about 4-6 million VND (about policy. A number of initiatives buyers, junk shop owners, waste 220-330 USD/cart/month or emerged in rapidly growing sub- traders, recycling factory staff, 110-165 USD/member/month). urban areas to ll gaps le by the dump truck drivers, and land ll Cart operators earn approxicity-owned Urban Environment operators. Such employment of- mately 1-1.5 million VND (about Companies (URENCO), which fers a safety net for many at the 55-83 USD) per cart per month.

Moreover, they may supplement could not provide adequate cov- base of this pyramid. their meagre incomes by selling erage in some areas due to lack An informal waste collection recyclable materials. e system of accessibility and availability. system has developed, involving handles around 80,000 tonnes a network of actors including of recyclable materials annually Public-private sector private collectors, syndicates of and produces a variety of low collaboration As the city’s waste collection private collectors (SPC), and cost products that are affordable grows, so the burden of collec- environmental sanitation coop- for low-income groups. tion has fallen disproportion- eratives. These groups collect ately on local communities. e garbage principally from hard- An elaborate network of actors city recently began to reform to-access households located has evolved, driven by commerthe organizational structure of in small alleys (almost 75% of cial incentives, and varying by HCMC’s primary waste collec- HCMC’s households fall into district. The example of Bimh tion system, recognizing the need this category). Collected waste and District is shown as an for private sector alliances due is transported via handcart to example. to the weakness of the current intermediary depots, and then municipal public waste collec- transferred to the government’s 2

Ho C hi Minh City, Vietnam

Hand cart collection, HCMC Source: HCMC Environmental Protection Agency

Figure 2: Institutional arrangement of private collectors in Binh î ˘anh 3

Ho C hi Minh City, Vietnam

Policy implications e formation of private waste collection services in HCMC has proven a successful initiative, as it (a) helps process a large volume of domestic waste every day in the city; and (2) establishes waste collection at community level as the primary process, facilitating efficient functioning of the system at higher levels.

It is widely acknowledged that it will be necessary to formalize the private sector’s current role, giving operators legal recognition and a clearly defined position and institutional role within the structure of the municipal waste management system.  is will allow private sector operators to operate effectively within the broader legal framework, whilst protecting the rights of direct waste collectors under the respective scopes of the Labor and Business Laws.

REFERENCES Fact of modes of domestic solid waste organization and management in HCMC, 2009, Tran Nhat Nguyen, HCMC Institute for development studies Participation of private waste collector force in solid waste management in HCMC, 2002, Bang Anh Tuan, Project VIE/96/2003, Department of Science and Technology, HCMC Participation of private waste collector force in solid waste segregation at source in district 5-HCMC, 2007, Do Xuan Bien and Son anh Tung, Department of Geography, University of Social Sciences and Humanities- Vietnam University of HCMC. Local environmental management in North-South perspective – issues of participation and knowledge management, 2002, Manuel Flury (Chief editor), Pham Gia Tran, ai i Ngoc Du, Bui i Lang, JC.Bolay “Waste collection and transportation at the community level in HCMC: A case study”- IOS Press – Switzerland Solid waste collection transportation and system of meeting points and waste intermediary stations in HCMC, 2009, Tran Nhat Nguyen, HCMC Institute for Development studies Solutions for the improvement of domestic solid waste collection in HCMC, 2009, Hoang i Kim Chi, HCMC Institute for development studies Women in Waste Collection and Recycling in HCM city in 1994-1995, 1996 Population and Environment: A journal of Interdisciplinary Studies Volume 18, Number 2, New York -USA Urbanization, Ecological crisis and sustainable development, 2001, co-author, Youth Publishing House, HCMC - Vietnam

CONTACT INFORMATION Faculty of Urban Studies and Management, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City (USSH-FUS) 10-12 Dinh Tien Hoang, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCMC (84-8) 39104529 http://dothihoc.edu.vn bmdothihoc@hcmussh.edu.vn

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