Sustainable development
Urgent problem needs to be addressed
The territories of coastal provinces in Vietnam (such as Dong Hai, Nam Thinh Ward, Thai Binh Province and Doan Xa, Dai Hop Ward in Hai Phong Province) represent an area of intense production of agricultural plastic waste along with a widespread problem linked to the application of unaccepted disposal practices. These coastal wards have currently been limited in access to agricultural plastic waste collection services and processing facilities. As a result, they are in the habit of disposing agricultural plastic waste including pesticide/fertilizer/grass killer plastic containers, plastic bags, bottle, and mulch film either on-site or into the local rivers. Besides creating unhealthy and unhygienic living environment, it is responsible for the serious marine plastics pollution in those provinces because these agricultural plastic waste are fully carried to the sea through rivers. Currently, plastic is the most common element that is found in the coastline of these provinces. Annually, an average of 500 kg of agricultural plastic waste per ward are dumping into the ocean. The left chemical substances in these agricultural plastic containers are not only polluting the river/seawater but also threatening the habitat and lives of ocean species. It, subsequently, causes human health hazards when we eat seafood.
We include environment protection, sustainable development bodies and other related agencies should join hand to address this problem.
Case study
Reducing marine plastics pollution through establishing agricultural plastic waste management system in coastal provinces in Vietnam was the project implemented by Intelligentmedia in partnership with many enterprises through their CSR departments and other related bodies. The Project aimed to change the behaviors of local farmers to remove their habit of disposing agricultural plastic waste, maintained healthy and hygienic living environment and put in force a community-based, sustainable system of agricultural plastic waste collection.
The project addresses the serious marine pollution of agricultural plastic waste in coastal Dong Hai, Nam Thinh Ward in Thai Binh province and Doan Xa, Dai Hop Ward in Hai Phong province. Local statistics shows that annually an agricultural household (out of 4,960) in these wards will averagely discard to the sea approximately 0.4 kg of agricultural plastic waste. The below table presents the breakdown of composition of waste in marine environment in these zones, through which agricultural plastic waste tops the list.
In these locations, agricultural plastic waste has so far remained untouched issue due to the lack of a solid plastic waste management system. Only Nam Thinh ward had set up some trash-tanks in fields, however, very few farmers collected their waste. Few scatter awareness-based programs were organized but couldn’t bring any outreach impacts on changing behaviors of the farmers. It has ended up with increasing agricultural plastic waste disorderly discarded on the edge of fields and into local rivers. When the seawater goes down, gates at the river’s delta will be opened letting these agricultural plastics run directly into the sea as a way of waste processing.
Due to limited fund, we were only able to conduct a survey to evaluate the current situation here and deployed a number of activities to raise awareness for the local authorities and people here about the goals of the project. The project's next intensive technical intervention activities are waiting for the budget which we are calling for and mobilizing contributions from organizations and individuals.