[ METHODS #6: RECYCLING ]

Recycling is the process of collecting and changing waste into new products that can be used again. This is a general trend that the world is heading to because of its numerous potentials such as:

- Reduce waste disposal cost.

- Save lands for other uses instead of trash landfill.

- Mitigate pollution in garbage dumps.

- Protect natural resources, especially non-renewable resources by replacing raw materials with recycled materials.

- Recycled plastics help reduce cost of input materials and products, benefit both manufacturing companies and users.

Nevertheless, in Vietnam, although 70% of waste is renewable, only 10% is recycled and reused. Besides, recycling activities still appear spontaneously in small areas under poor management, which may result in high risk of pollution (e.g. recycling places without specialized managers or waste water and air treatment systems…). There are only rules about recycling which still mainly stick to general contents of environmental laws, but no specific ones supporting recycling activities.

Though recycling benefits the environment and economics a lot, waste recycling requires high investment cost and attention from all citizens – which is, until now, still a puzzle for our countries.

Source: Doanhnhansaigon, Moitruong40.