Environment authorities in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City and Osaka Water and Environment Solutions Association (OWESA) of Japan jointly held a conference on boosting solid waste management cooperation on Feb 16. This is the first environment seminar held by the two cities aiming to create a chance to share experiences in managing solid waste, as well as seeking cooperative opportunities in this field. Shinsaku Azuma, general director of Osaka Environment Bureau said the event is part of a cooperative program signed by the two cities in July 2011. Participants focused on discussing major issues, including challenges and policies of HCM City on urban solid waste management; experiences and policies of Osaka City in solid waste management; and temporary solutions for solid waste treatment in HCM City. The workshop also heard Japanese experts’ reports on modern technologies for solid and liquid waste treatment as well as medical waste treatment. Under the seminar, participants also made fact-finding trips to waste landfills, medical waste incinerators and industrial parks in the city. More than 6,700 tons of urban solid waste in HCM City are expected to be treated every day. Of which, 1,500-2,000 tons of industrial and toxic waste are treated and recycled with backward technologies, seriously threatening the environment and people’s health. Experts highlighted the importance of the cooperation by saying that Ho Chi Minh City needs to enhance management experience and consultancies on new technologies in order to solve pressing waste issues. (Vietnamplus.vn Feb 16)
