In the face of the Da Nang-based Khanh Son landfill growing overloaded, plastic waste being rampant, associations and organisations in Hai Chau District have implemented many specific and practical ways to promote waste minimisation, hereby heading towards turning Hai Chau into an environmentally friendly district.
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| Residents in Phuoc Ninh Ward sorting trash at the source |
In recent months, waste classification at the source has been implemented effectively by most households in the Tan Hoa A4 residential area, Thach Thang Ward. Besides, residents have been accustomed to using canvas bags or plastic hand baskets to store food purchased at traditional markets, instead of nylon bags.
In the middle of July, the Thach Thang Ward administration organised the swapping of used paper and plastic items for such environment-friendly products such as glass bottles, shopping baskets, clean vegetables and products made from recycled plastic waste. The event saw the active involvement of associations, organisations and schools across the ward.
In a similar vein, the Phuoc Ninh Ward Women’ Union have carried out many highly practical activities to encourage residents to reduce plastic use and disposal of non-biodegradable plastic bags into the environment, and enhance garbage classification for the sake of environmental protection.
A total of 850 women in the location have partaken in the cleanups of 11 polluted hotspots. In order to discourage inhabitants from using plastic bags, the ward’s Women’s Union has given out 370 glass bottles, 170 plastic shopping baskets, and 120 canvas bags for households throughout the ward.
More recently, the district-level People's Committee has organised the ‘Hai Chau Environment Day 2019’ with the participation of relevant agencies, organisations and citizens from the 13 wards.
On the spotlight of this landmark event were 5 activities, namely booth decoration and the display of recycled and reused products; plays about waste sorting at the source and movements against plastic waste; a recycled fashion contest, a knowledge contest to learn about environmental protection for Youth Union members; and the swapping of hazardous waste for environmentally friendly items for daily use.
According to Vice Chairman of Hai Chau District People's Committee Nguyen Minh Huy, the purpose of the event is to contribute to changing people's minds about the environmental protection, starting with the smallest deeds. Included are the reduction of widely-used, throw-away plastics, trash sorting at the source, and the recycling of waste into useful products instead of throwing them into dustbins for final disposal at the Khanh Son landfill as previously.
The city has set a target of collecting 95% of solid waste for treatment over the 2019 – 2025 period, with 12% and 15% to be recycled and reused in 2020 and 2025 respectively.
The city expects to expand the waste classification at source initiative across the city by 2022. In the 2021-2022 period, solid waste in the city will be classified into 4 categories: recyclable waste, such as paper, plastic and metal; toxic waste, such as batteries and light bulbs; construction waste; and other types of waste.
It is no denying that plastic products bring convenience, but also produce a huge disastrous thing called ‘white pollution’, which has become a burning issue in today's world.
‘White pollution’ refers to solid waste which comes from the usage of various types of plastic products. Most plastic bags, which are a major source of pollution in the country, serve for around 10 minutes, and take up to a millennium to degrade.