From 1988 to 1998, the yearly growth rate of solid waste generation has been oscillating between 20 to 25%. This increase led the city authorities to concentrate their efforts on waste collection and disposal. However, solid waste is generally dumped at undesignated sites (open areas, water channels, streets, etc.), causing critical impacts on health and the environment. Therefore, ENDA Vietnam has decided to launch a research-action focusing on waste recovery and recycling, while trying to stimulate the recognition and facilitation of community-based initiative by local authorities.

The initial phase of the solid waste management program consisted in conducting two academic studies. In 1993, a group of lecturers from the Department of Geography of the University of HCMH dealt with the waste recovery activities of scavengers, waste buyers and junk shops operating in HCMC. In 1994, the Women Studies Department of the Open University of HCMC reflected on women’s role in informal recycling.

An experimental phase was then launched, inaugurated by the Binh Hung Hoa project in 1994. This project focused on community-based initiative in improving the living conditions of poor people living on waste, with saving credit systems, education, sanitation.

In parallel with this project, the two academic studies offered rational basis for a more comprehensive research on the specific roles of the informal resource recovery and recycling sectors in the solid waste management system of HCMC. This led ENDA collaborators to draft several practical suggestions for a change in solid waste management strategy in their final report of 1995.

The results of this research were disseminated by means of a workshop co-organised by ENDA, the city Environment Committee (ENCO) and concerned agencies at the city level. The idea was to lead the authorities to rethink their solid waste management policy. Thus, their attention was drawn to the importance of informal waste recovery and recycling, and to the necessity of formulating concrete pilot projects in which community groups would be involved and commit themselves. As part of this initiative, a field visit to Bangkok was organised for ENCO officials, the director of Hoc Mon state-owned composting factory and an ENDA collaborator : the emphasis was put on community involvement, private handling of a public service, recycling and composting. This field visit proved to be very effective and paved the way for the formulation and implementation of a pilot project on waste separation at source and environmental education.

Two sites were subsequently selected in HCMC. The district’s People Committee was in charge of implementing the project. ENCO acted as a co-ordinator, monitoring and following up the project. ENDA Vietnam acted as a technical and financial management advisor. A year after the project was set up, 80% of the targeted community group was separating its waste.

In May 1998, a workshop was organised where all actors of the project, and not just officials, had the opportunity to sit together and discuss the issue of sustainability of this system. As a result, administrative procedures regarding contracts between private collectors and households shall be facilitated, pushed handcarts will be redesigned and improved to ensure the separation of waste, an existing transfer station will be upgraded for recycling and composting…

ENDA’s action proves to be more efficient and effective when establishing partnerships not only at the ward but also at the district and city level. Community-based initiative should be encouraged while local authorities should be made more receptive. Regular training of all actors, duplication of experiences, field visits and revolving credit funds are practical tools which prove stimulating. ENDA’s action should now evolve from participatory research-action to research-action advice.