Vietnam to impose $43-86 fines for littering on streets

The same fine will be imposed for those found dumping wastewater on sidewalks and streets, and disposing of plastic waste from daily activities into ponds, lakes, canals, rivers, stream, and the sea, according to a decree that will come into force on Aug. 25.

Improper disposal of trash and wastewater at public places, including shopping malls and apartment buildings, will also be subject to fines of VND500,000 to VND1 million.

The fines for urinating and defecating in unauthorized places will range between VND150,000 and VND250,000; and between VND100,000 to VND150,000 for discarding cigarette butts in public places.

The decree will also impose fines of VND2-4 million for transporting materials like sand and dirt without proper covering, causing them to spill on to the streets.

Households who fail to sort their domestic waste will be fined VND1 million each instance.

The 2020 Law on Environment Protection requires all households to sort domestic waste into three groups: recyclable, food and others starting Jan. 1 this year.

Sanitation workers have the right to refuse to collect trash has not been sorted, the law says.

However, the law has remained on paper until now. Residents, especially in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, continue to discard trash without sorting.