They are among hundreds<\/a> of households suffering air pollution within a 10-kilome<\/a>t<\/a>re<\/a> radius of the 700-hectare landfill, the largest dump in Vietnam\u2019s biggest city. Nearby farms lie abandoned, crops wither, streams run black with leachate, and the groundwater is too foul to use. Despite complaints, little has changed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey say they\u2019ll cover it better, but nothing ever improves,\u201d Quyet adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are attempts to end this two-decade-long nightmare. In July, construction began<\/a> on the city\u2019s first waste-to-energy (WtE) incineration plant within the Tay Bac facility. The Tam Sinh Nghia project promises<\/a> to burn rubbish and generate an initial 365 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year, before reaching up to 1,216 gigawatt-hours (GWh) \u2013 enough to power 100,000 and then 338,000 homes annually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is part of Vietnam\u2019s wider plan<\/a> to transform ageing landfills into modern WtE power plants. While this will tackle the urban waste crisis and reduce the environmental impact of dumpsites, incinerating waste brings its own serious pollution problems, making WtE a controversial solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With nearly 100 million people and rapid urbanisation, Vietnam generates around 68,000 tonnes<\/a> of solid waste every day, 60% of which comes from urban areas. This is expected<\/a> to swell by 16% by 2025, straining<\/a> the country\u2019s 1,200 dumps<\/a>, where about two-thirds<\/a> of waste ends up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major landfills in big cities, such as Hanoi\u2019s Nam Son<\/a> and Xuan Son<\/a>, are already bursting<\/a> at the seams. Since 2021, they have faced repeated closures due to the risk of containment embankments failing during downpours. In Ho Chi Minh City, Da Phuoc landfill, which exceeds<\/a> its capacity by four million tonnes, might soon face a similar fate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vietnam\u2019s waste sector<\/a> emits\u00a021 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) annually, accounting for around\u00a06.5%<\/strong>\u00a0of the country\u2019s total emissions. Methane emissions from landfills contribute a significant portion, at\u00a018 million tonnes of CO2e.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government sees modern thermal WtE plants as the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n WtE incineration involves burning waste \u2013 preferably non-recyclable \u2013 to generate electricity. Modern incinerators can reduce waste volume by 90%<\/a>, while harnessing electricity and mitigating<\/a> methane emissions from landfills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn recent years, the trend<\/a> in developing [WtE] plants has picked up in Vietnam, with provinces and cities calling<\/a> for more investment,\u201d says Hoang Thanh Vinh, an expert in chemicals, waste, circular economy and ocean at the UN Development Programme Vietnam.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vietnam needs new sources of electricity generation. The booming economy, rapid urbanisation, and increasing electrification of rural areas have sent energy consumption soaring by 13% annually<\/a> over the last two decades. The government aims to double<\/a> the country\u2019s power generation capacity by 2030 to 150 gigawatts (GW) and wants renewables to make up 21-39% of electricity production, including<\/a> WtE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, official government figures state the potential for energy recovery from solid waste is a modest 1,800<\/a> megawatts (MW), and the primary goal of WtE initiatives is to tackle the growing environmental crisis<\/a> rather than<\/a> create additional power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The push for WtE represents a U-turn for Vietnam. WtE proposals were rejected<\/a> until 2018 due to concerns about the technology’s suitability, affordability, and environmental impacts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHousehold trash in Vietnam \u2013 largely unsorted<\/a> \u2013 is the main obstacle,\u201d says Nguyen Xuan Quang, an expert<\/a> in thermal energy from Hanoi University of Science and Technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With over 60% organic<\/a> content (food and garden waste) and high moisture levels<\/a> \u2013 especially during the rainy season \u2013 Vietnam\u2019s trash needs<\/a> up to seven days in a bunker to dry, and additional diesel fuel must be injected into the furnace, increasing operational costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So what caused the change of position? It might be the country’s first-ever WtE plant in Can Tho. Funded by the Asian Development Bank, the plant uses grate furnaces<\/a> that are ideal for the wet, unsorted waste, to consume 400 tonnes of trash a day \u2013 70% of the Mekong Delta city\u2019s daily waste. The plant also churns out<\/a> <\/a>150,000 kWh<\/a> of electricity daily, though that doesn\u2019t go far in a city that consumes 12 million kWh a day<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Experts<\/a> believe its success led to the country\u2019s biggest plant, Soc Son in Hanoi, which launched in 2022. It handles 70% <\/a>of Hanoi\u2019s waste \u2013 4,500 tonnes daily \u2013 and produces 40 million kWh<\/a> a month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vietnam has three<\/a> WtE plants up and running, with 15 more under construction, with support from both domestic and international<\/a> investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government is encouraging more WtE investments by offering generators a preferential price of USD 10.05 cents<\/a> per kWh for electricity produced. The average for all sources is USD 7 cents<\/a> per kWh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Neighbouring countries Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are also embracing the technology, inspired<\/a> by China\u2019s rapid WtE expansion. By 2022, China led the world with over 900 WtE plants and investors from China<\/a> dominate Vietnam\u2019s WtE landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo Vietnam, China shares similarities in dealing with urban waste and its \u2018messy\u2019 content,\u201d says Quang. \u201cThe technology they developed devours everything, making it perfect for our unsorted trash.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Currently, 13%<\/a> of Vietnam\u2019s waste is burned in 500<\/a> small, traditional incinerators, which in 2016 contributed 2.6% of overall waste emissions. But their emissions are also one of the largest<\/a> sources of dioxins since the Vietnam War. Dioxins are highly toxic, potentially causing<\/a> reproductive issues, immune system damage, hormonal disruption, and cancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Supporters of WtE say<\/a> modern facilities are cleaner and better at controlling pollution. However, lax regulations on the new technology in Thailand and Indonesia have triggered<\/a> health concerns for Vietnam. Critics point to the region’s weak pollution control measures and insufficient monitoring of dioxins and other toxic chemicals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhether it is a suitable solution for Vietnam at this point remains a big question,\u201d says Vinh. For cities that are short on land, WtE offers a quick fix, Vinh adds, but where land is available and oversight is weak, these plants warrant reconsideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These concerns are already playing out. Earlier this year, local authorities in Can Tho reported struggles managing 14,000 tonnes<\/a> of hazardous fly ash released from the country\u2019s pioneering WtE plant. The by-product, containing<\/a> dioxins and heavy metals that need to be carefully managed, has been piling up in sacks and left<\/a> in the open at the complex. The issue persists due to a stand-off<\/a> between producers and authorities, as well as high treatment <\/a>costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This toxic emission control remains<\/a> a challenge, says Quang. Monitoring dioxins and furans \u2013 highly toxic chemicals released by burning waste \u2013 is expensive. Testing alone can cost over USD 900 per sample<\/a>, and multiple samples and regular testing are needed to ensure safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo environmental protection measurements in these WtE plants typically mean measuring common pollutants, not dioxins or furans, due to the high costs and limited resources,\u201d Quang says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attracting investment has been challenging, as most funds are required upfront for equipment, while returns may take 10 to 20 years. To encourage investment, a study<\/a> recommended that the government double the price it pays for energy. Instead, the government proposed<\/a> shifting to individually negotiated rates with the state-run Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), which reportedly adds further uncertainty for investors already deterred by complex approval processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An array of multi-million-dollar projects in Hau Giang<\/a>, Thanh Hoa<\/a>, Dong Nai<\/a>, Phu Tho, and Ninh Binh<\/a> remain delayed for years<\/a> due to paperwork hurdles, increased costs and funding shortages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, these costs will be put on the taxpayers, Vinh says. \u201cThe technology is expensive, and many provinces are [only] looking at the rosy tip of WtE\u2019s iceberg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) tells Dialogue Earth that incinerating waste emits more carbon than coa<\/a>l<\/a>. Including WtE in climate plans could therefore undermine<\/a> Vietnam\u2019s greenhouse gas reduction efforts, GAIA says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The country\u2019s dependence on international financing for emissions reductions also risks public health and financial burdens if funds are funnelled into incineration rather than sustainable methods like recycling, the group adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n GAIA calls WtE a \u201cfalse solution\u201d, still requiring landfills for toxic ash. Instead, it suggests composting, as well as simply reducing waste and recycling more, with proper source separation that could cut methane emissions while supporting green jobs<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese measures are worth prioritising over investing in expensive infrastructure and getting locked in future risks,\u201d Vinh says. \u201cThe current incineration method burns everything, including opportunities for a circular economy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The expansion of WtE reflects Vietnam\u2019s age-old struggle with waste management and its lack of a clear, actionable plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\nVietnam\u2019s urban trash crisis<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
WtE for a mountain of waste<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Change of approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"Workers](\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Zhangye-Biomass-Power-Plant_Cynthia-Lee_Alamy_2MMY4KA.jpg\")
<\/div>The pitfalls<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Waste alternatives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The current incineration method burns everything, including opportunities for a circular economy<\/blockquote>Hoang Thanh Vinh<\/cite><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
A future on fire<\/h2>\n\n\n\n