Hanoi residents still not sorting waste months after legal deadline

Under the 2020 Law on Environmental Protection and Decree 45/2022, which took effect on January 1, 2025, households in Vietnam are required to sort waste at source into three categories—recyclable or reusable waste, food waste, and other domestic waste—or face penalties.

However, observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday and Saturday showed that mixed waste continued to be dumped on sidewalks in districts such as Dong Da, Hoang Mai, Thanh Xuan, Cau Giay, and Nam Tu Liem.

In some areas, designated waste collection points have turned into illegal dumping sites, despite posted warnings of fines.

“At my apartment complex, management still collects waste in two bins—organic and inorganic,” said Hoa, 72, a resident of Tay Mo Ward in Nam Tu Liem District.

“But I’ve learned that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment recommends separating into three categories.

“The government needs to promote more awareness if they want people to follow through.”

Experts say Vietnam could benefit from studying models in countries like South Korea, Japan, and Singapore, where waste separation is widely enforced and waste is treated as a resource.

Associate Professor Bui Thi An, director of the Institute of Natural Resources, Environment and Community Development, told Tuoi Tre that implementation remains uneven more than four months after the official deadline.

She said authorities should review recent progress and replicate successful pilot programs to accelerate adoption.