Public awareness vital to tackle urban waste in Ho Chi Minh City

Despite cleanup efforts, illegal dumping keeps returning, underscoring the urgent need for stronger public awareness and a shared sense of responsibility.

Following media reports, local authorities have cleaned up problem areas, added more public trash bins, and installed surveillance cameras to monitor and penalize littering. 

These are necessary measures, but in the absence of widespread civic awareness, technology alone must step in.

The presence of cameras has helped reduce violations, yet such solutions only address the surface of the issue. 

At the core lie civic consciousness and urban etiquette. 

A civilized city cannot rely solely on surveillance or inspections, it must be built on the self-discipline of its residents. 

Trash does not create itself; it reflects carelessness and the mindset that 'everyone else is doing it,' a social illness that has lingered for years.

Root causes of persistent littering

The garbage problem stems from three major causes: low individual awareness, poor infrastructure, and weak community oversight. 

Personal responsibility remains the most crucial factor. 

Small acts of littering by individuals accumulate into massive waste piles that harm public health, pollute groundwater, and clog drainage systems.

Infrastructure plays a key role. Many roads stretch for hundreds of meters without a single trash bin, and the city's waste collection system remains inefficient. 

Meanwhile, the lack of community engagement makes matters worse. 

Littering often goes unchallenged; in other countries, a passer-by might politely remind someone who drops litter, but in Vietnam, people tend to avoid confrontation. 

As a result, many areas are cleaned one day only to become filthy again soon after.

Building a culture of civic responsibility

Experience from major cities around the world shows that effective waste reduction requires a combined effort of infrastructure, enforcement, and education.

Coordinated investment in smart trash bins and efficient collection systems are essential. 

Initiatives such as 'trash for rewards' or 'bring your trash to the ward, not the street,' previously piloted in parts of Ho Chi Minh City, should be expanded. 

When residents are given the tools and convenience to act responsibly, they are more likely to do so.

Strict enforcement and well-publicized penalties are also necessary deterrents. At the same time, environmental education must start early. 

Students should learn through hands-on activities like sorting waste, cleaning classrooms, and showing respect for sanitation workers. 

Families, too, must nurture awareness at home so that proper waste disposal becomes second nature.

Neighborhoods and wards can establish 'cleanliness self-management groups' where residents monitor, remind, and report violations together.

Real progress begins when individuals reflect on their actions. 

Littering is not merely an environmental issue—it is a matter of social ethics and civic culture. 

It reflects one's level of responsibility, sense of decency, and love for their city.

A clean city is not one that employs more sanitation workers, but one where people refrain from littering. 

A truly civilized city begins with citizens who treat cleanliness as a habit. 

Modernity is not measured only by skyscrapers, but by self-respect—and that self-respect begins with the simplest act: not littering.

* This article was originally written in Vietnamese by environmental engineer Nguyen Ba Hoi and rewritten in English by Tuoi Tre News.