Response to the series of articles “Treatment of waste for the megacity of Ho Chi Minh City”: Amending the law to create a more autonomous mechanism for localities

Mr. LE CONG THANH, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment: Proposal to amend the Law on Environmental Protection

Ho Chi Minh City should have solid waste treatment areas as well as inter-regional wastewater treatment areas. To do this, it is necessary to have large, concentrated land sources to apply modern technologies at reasonable prices. The process of collecting, transporting, processing and consuming waste products is considered a production chain. If this chain is well managed and there is consistency from source to source, there will be many advantages. Binh Duong province has previously handled household waste very well and this is also a valuable lesson for Ho Chi Minh City to continue to promote. With reports and recommendations on the shortcomings and overlaps in Ho Chi Minh City's regulations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment will study and propose amendments to the Law on Environmental Protection in the near future.

Ms. TRAN THI QUYNH NGA, Deputy Director of the Department of Finance - Industry Economics, Ministry of Finance : Received many recommendations.

The Ministry of Finance has proactively issued many legal documents on environmental protection related to the Ministry of Finance's field. Recently, the Ministry of Finance reported to the National Assembly on the adjustment of laws and regulations to suit social development. Up to now, regarding environmental protection, the Central Government has strongly decentralized to localities, as stipulated in the Law on Public Investment, the Law on Bidding, the Law on State Budget, etc. However, recently, the Ministry has also received recommendations and problems from localities, including some contents related to the issue of waste treatment. With some recommendations from localities, it is necessary to amend the law to create a more autonomous mechanism for localities.

Mr. NGUYEN HONG NGUYEN, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment of Ho Chi Minh City: Proposing decentralization and delegation of power to localities

One of the current problems in waste treatment in Ho Chi Minh City is that some documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Environmental Protection have changed and are slow to be issued. This has caused difficulties in developing unit prices for collection, transportation, and treatment of household waste, slowing down the progress of implementing solid waste classification at source, as well as the low rate of household waste treated with advanced technology. Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee recommends that the Government reconsider the decentralization and delegation of some tasks to localities to suit actual conditions and ensure investment efficiency, which is to decentralize the development and promulgation of technical and economic norms for the collection, transportation, and treatment of household solid waste.

Con Dao waste incineration plant expected to resume operations on August 19

On August 2, speaking with SGGP Newspaper, Mr. Phan Trong Hien, Chairman of the People's Committee of Con Dao Special Zone, Ho Chi Minh City, said that the problems of the waste incineration plant in Bai Nhat - Con Dao area have been resolved. Currently, the partner is urgently installing equipment to prepare to put the waste incineration plant into operation on August 19.

In 2020, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province issued Decision No. 2206/QD-UBND approving the evaluation results of the Selection Council, selecting a partner to handle the remaining solid waste applied to the Bai Nhat area, which is the Joint Venture of Kim Truong Phat Investment Joint Stock Company - HT Giang San Joint Stock Company. To handle the remaining waste, the partner must invest in building a factory, installing production lines, technological equipment, and installing a factory and a waste incineration line. However, after 2 weeks of testing, the partner has stopped until now.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phan-hoi-loat-bai-xu-ly-rac-cho-sieu-do-thi-tphcm-sua-luat-de-tao-co-che-tu-chu-hon-cho-dia-phuong-post806745.html