Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to support local waste-recycling

A sub-standard waste-recycling facility in Đồng Nai Province. The lack of up-to-standard facilities for battery recycling is posing high risks to the environment.  — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Văn Việt

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has announced plans to assist local facilities in collecting and recycling waste, including used batteries.

The move was an answer to voters’ concerns about unsafe battery disposal in many facilities in the country. They said the lack of up-to-standard battery recycling facilities was posing high environmental risks. 

But it is unfair to put all the blame on waste-recycling facilities.

In fact, under the Law on Environment 2020, producers and importers must either recycle their waste or make financial contributions to the Fund for Environment Protection, which will be allocated for waste treatment.

However, scores of producers and importers keep disregarding the regulation, resulting in some used batteries ending up in landfills untreated.

Voters thus urged the ministry to tighten up on battery disposal and keep a closer watch on producers and importers to ensure they stick to the regulation.

In response, the ministry said it had drafted a decree regulating the use of the Fund for Environment Protection. Once the decree comes into force, the fund will be used to support local facilities in waste recycling, including used batteries. 

The ministry also said it was tightening current regulations in Decree 08 to ensure a higher rate of solid waste, including used batteries, would be recycled. It also keeps producers and importers under surveillance to ensure they act within the law.

Under the decree, producers and importers of single-use batteries are obliged to contribute 1 per cent of their revenues to the fund to finance waste treatment. Meanwhile, producers and importers of rechargeable batteries are required to either recycle their waste or make a financial contribution to the fund. — VNS