Vietnam professionalises informal waste collection

Vu Duy Duong,  in Hai Linh Ward, Thanh Hoa Province, said: "Once the goods are loaded, I get paid immediately, so I have money to keep buying more."

For more than five years, Duong has collected scrap, with paper as his main focus. It is lighter, cleaner, and easier to transport than other materials. Once he has collected about one tonne, the dealer sends a truck to pick it up.

Duong's collection point is one of hundreds of satellite stations supplying a large recycling facility in the area. The facility uses modern equipment and transportation, while its sorting workers are trained by former independent scrap collectors.

Tran Van Luat, the owner of the Scrap Paper Collection Facility in Hai Linh Ward, Thanh Hoa Province, said: "The facility is now more organised thanks to modern equipment. We also protect workers' rights through employment contracts and labour insurance."

Each recycling company can work with hundreds of collection points like these, helping secure a stable and diverse supply of recyclable materials.

Le Duc Chung, Deputy General Director of Miza Nghi Son Co. Ltd, Thanh Hoa Province, said: "We are expanding cooperation with collection stations to create jobs and support social welfare for workers."

Nguyen Thi Hai Van, Deputy General Director of Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam Beverage, said: "We bring together informal waste collectors and provide them with basic professional training. We've also introduced an app where they can access information on waste sorting, helping them collect waste more effectively."

In the long term, better public awareness of waste separation at source, together with appropriate support policies, will be key to bringing informal waste collectors into the national waste management system.

This can help protect the environment while providing more sustainable livelihoods for millions of workers./.