Join hands to build green Bac Ninh

Pioneering enterprises, responsive community

In Vietnam in general and Bac Ninh in particular, rapid industrialization and urbanization have led to a large amount of waste. Every day, the whole province generates about 2 thousand tons of household waste.

Faced with this challenge, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial People's Committee have issued many plans and documents to tighten management, encourage the application of advanced treatment technology and promote socialization in the environmental field. At the same time, the province also encourages people to use cloth bags, paper cups, and stainless steel bottles instead of disposable plastic.

Women in Bac Giang ward use recycled plastic waste to make decorative products.

Many agencies, units and enterprises are at the forefront of change. HANEL PT New Generation Technology Joint Stock Company (Tien Son Industrial Park) applies the philosophy of "benefiting from all directions", in which the environment is a key factor. According to the company representative, since its inception, the company has prioritized the use of environmentally friendly materials such as bamboo, paper and stainless steel instead of disposable plastic in collective activities.

Tokyolife chain stores adhere to the policy of “no plastic bags”, requiring customers to bring cloth bags or buy biodegradable bags. At GO! Bac Giang Supermarket, the company also sells environmentally friendly, reusable bags for customers. Currently, many restaurants and fast food stores have also switched to paper boxes and paper bags for take-out food. Or Bac Ninh General Hospital No. 1 installed free water dispensers with paper cups to serve patients...

The movement to prevent and combat plastic waste has also spread widely in the community with many practical ways. Last weekend morning, at the Thanh Long Residential Group Cultural House, Yen Dung Ward, the Women's Union and the Ward Youth Union jointly organized the program "Kindness for the environment - Exchange trash for trees". In just one morning, the officers and members of the entire ward collected more than 200 kg of recyclable trash, exchanging it for more than 100 pots of various green plants. Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Thuy, Chairwoman of the Yen Dung Ward Women's Union, said: "This is not only a gift exchange activity but also has the meaning of propaganda, raising awareness of waste classification at the source, reducing single-use plastic. In addition to exchanging trash for trees, the remaining residential groups of the ward also deploy suitable models to build green living habits in the community".

In the wards of Bac Giang, Da Mai, Tien Phong, women's union members maintain the "Green Sunday" model, both cleaning the environment and organizing "trash for gifts". In Tan Chi commune, the Youth Union coordinates with the Women's Union to deploy the "Civilized trash can" model in alleys, instructing on the classification of organic and inorganic waste at the source. The changes, though quiet but persistent, contribute to the formation of a civilized lifestyle, creating a business environment that combines social responsibility with environmental protection.

Promoting circular economy towards sustainable development

Despite positive results, the work of preventing and combating plastic waste is still difficult. The habit of using nylon bags and disposable plastic is still common from traditional markets to supermarkets. In many collection areas, organic and inorganic waste are still mixed, causing pressure on collection, reducing the ability to recycle. The market for recycled products is not yet developed, making businesses less interested in investing.

To effectively prevent and combat plastic waste, first of all, the province continues to promote behavioral changes, replicate typical models such as: "Going to the market with a basket", "Exchanging trash for gifts", "Civilized trash cans", "People's markets without plastic waste" ... in localities. Encourage and attract businesses to invest in recycling technology. The province has had policies to support land funds, site clearance; create financial conditions such as capital provision, preferential loans; at the same time apply policies to exempt and reduce taxes and fees to encourage businesses to invest in the field of building waste treatment and recycling facilities. Thanks to that, many private investors have boldly participated in and developed projects to collect and treat waste using advanced technology, including the waste incineration power generation model.

For example, Asian Bac Giang Green Energy Environment Joint Stock Company has inaugurated a factory converting domestic solid waste into energy in Yen Dung ward. Here, after being collected, the waste will be treated for odor and dried before being put into a modified thermal furnace system using zero-emission combustion technology (no exhaust air, no ash, no wastewater, no odor emission...). After being treated, the waste will produce synthetic gas, recycled oil and biochar. These models show the right direction in building a closed, environmentally friendly waste treatment system.

According to the leader of the Department of Agriculture and Environment, with the guiding principle of Bac Ninh resolutely not trading the environment for economic growth; in which, environmental protection and reduction of plastic waste are the continuous tasks associated with the goal of sustainable development. The province continues to direct to tighten management, replicate effective models, and at the same time create mechanisms to encourage businesses and people to participate, build a circular economy, towards a green, civilized and modern Bac Ninh.

Article and photos: Khoi Nguyen

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/chung-tay-xay-dung-bac-ninh-xanh-postid425728.bbg