Despite being recognized as a pioneer in waste treatment using effective domestic technology, the Thuy Phuong plant in Thua Thien – Hue has yet to popularize its technology.
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| Transporting organic fertilizer for consumption |
On the inauguration day of the Thuy Phuong plant, Thua Thien – Hue showcased impressive performances that relieved many environmental managers.
Large heaps of mixed waste were continuously loaded onto trucks, rumbling onto conveyor belts, and fed into several handmade sorting machines that distinctly separated plastics and scrap metal.
Next, a machine efficiently shredded plastics into drainage pipes, molds, and plastic pellets. Another device processed “leftover food and waste,” producing fine, fluffy compost that felt cool to the touch. However, after more than six months of operation, the plant struggled despite being recognized by various local and central authorities for its technology. The promised support that was initially made was nowhere to be seen.
A Odorless, Fly-Free Waste Plant
The road leading to the Thuy Phuong waste plant is lush with trees, resembling the coolness of Da Lat amidst the bright sun of Hue.
In a large workshop filled with rubber tubes several meters long, a machine diligently processed plastics, spitting out a seemingly endless tube on the other side, were it not for the wall’s obstruction. Most of these machines were designed and built by the plant’s mechanical engineers.
“They may appear rough, but they are powerful and durable. French machines start malfunctioning after just a few days due to plastic wrapping around them,” said Vu Vinh Phu, the creator of many handmade machines, while pointing to a French machine for shredding and sorting waste that was nearly discarded.
Nearby, dozens of bags filled with recycled plastic pellets were neatly stacked, each round and dark like coffee beans. Workers, dressed in full protective gear, swiftly loaded organic fertilizer bags onto trucks for delivery to surrounding localities.
“We earn between 700,000 to 800,000 VND per month, plus lunch,” said a petite female worker behind a thick face mask.
Even on such a sunny afternoon, there was no odor from the waste waiting to be loaded onto the conveyor. During lunch, workers dined in a communal dining area a short distance from the recycling workshop. A meal costing 3,000 VND included eggs, greens, bean sprouts, and stewed meat. The plastic food trays looked clean and fresh, with not a single fly in sight.
“No waste plant has dared to build a canteen due to issues with waste odor and flies,” said Nguyen Xuan Lang, a technical advisor, proudly showcasing a “holy water” used to eliminate odors from waste. It was a green liquid stored in a large aerated tank, emitting a fresh, sweet aroma similar to syrup!
Mr. Lang explained that this tank nurtures and propagates a type of microorganism brought by Professor Nguyen Lan Dung from Vietnam National University, Hanoi. The “original” strain of this microorganism is preserved and nurtured by biologists at the university. By spraying this microbial product, waste will decompose faster, creating compost and eliminating foul odors.
The operations were bustling and tidy, yet Tran Dinh Quyen, the plant’s director, lamented, “It’s still sluggish.”
Promises Left Unfulfilled
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– The Thuy Phuong plant was inaugurated on March 26, 2005, with a fully domestic technology line. To date, the plant recycles waste into organic fertilizer products, organic humus, drainage pipes, dragon fruit stalks, etc. The portion sent to landfills accounts for less than 10%. – In November 2004, the Politburo issued Resolution 41-NQ/TW on environmental protection, which prioritized the reuse and recycling of waste and minimized landfill disposal. – Currently, the state still spends 300,000 VND to transport and landfill one ton of waste. Consequently, the national budget incurs costs of 15 trillion VND annually. Worse, only 13 out of 64 provinces and cities have sanitary landfills. The rest are either unregulated or open-air dumps. The foul odor and leachate from these massive landfills, which have been around for decades, contribute to an unending tale of soil, water, and air pollution. Waste also “consumes” 5,000 hectares of land each year. |
In Document No. 1535/UBND-CN dated June 7, 2005, sent to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the Thua Thien – Hue People’s Committee acknowledged that the An Sinh ASC technology of the city “is suitable for processing unclassified waste in our country… and should be widely applied,” promising to “closely coordinate with ministries and sectors to facilitate the company in perfecting the technology and replicating the model…”.
Many central and local dignitaries who signed on the giant drainage pipe made from recycled plastic during the plant’s inauguration made similar promises.
Today, this signed drainage pipe still stands at the plant’s entrance, and none of the promises have materialized. In fact, the waste processing fee that the province pays has not remained at the initially promised 75,000 VND per ton, but has dropped to 25,000 VND per ton without clear explanation.
Officials from several major cities who once applauded the domestic technology now seem “reluctant” and have switched to purchasing expensive foreign technology. Ho Chi Minh City is set to sign a contract with Lemna Group (USA) worth tens of millions of USD for a rather grand waste treatment plant.
In reality, the city has already signed numerous technology transfer contracts, but only with smaller localities like Gia Lai, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Thanh Hoa, Hung Yen, etc. All of these were initiated through self-promotion or localities seeking them out.
The city also sought assistance from leading scientists such as Professor Nguyen Lan Dung – Secretary General of the Vietnam Microbiology Society, Professor Nguyen Anh Tuan – Vice President of the Vietnam Mechanics Association, and Academician of the Russian Federation Aerospace Institute, who personally funded collaborative research.
“If we continue to operate in a semi-manual, fragmented manner as we are now, it will take another decade for a private enterprise like this city to break through. If there is concern for investment, support in credits, taxes, and national budget from the government, we wouldn’t be sweating so much to achieve the goals set in Resolution 41 of the Politburo,” lamented Professor Lan Dung.
My Hang
