HCM City (VNS/VNA) -Closed-loop organic waste processing technology and de-centralised wasteprocessing are possible solutions for Vietnam’s organic waste problems, expertssaid at a discussion panel earlier this week.

Huynh Kim Tuoc, Director of theSaigon Innovation Hub (SIHUB), said that de-centralised waste processing, inwhich waste would be processed on a smaller scale spread out over the city,would be less polluting than centralised facilities, which exist in fewer areaswith larger volumes of waste.

Ichiro Hatayama, Chairman of theMILAI Group, a Japanese technology research and development company, said thecity currently has two waste burial sites where waste is transported, and thevehicles used to transport the waste produce a large amount of carbon dioxide(CO2).

SIHUB is working with MILAI Groupto transfer the group’s 6R-MOT, an organic waste processing technology, toVietnamese partners.

The technology can turn waste toenergy more efficiently than traditional power generation from burning waste(which is high in moisture and requires oil for burning).

With 6R-MOT technology, electricvehicles would be used to transport waste. The waste would then be dried,carbonised and gasified to be used by gas engines to generate power, Hatayamasaid.

The electricity would be used tocharge the vehicles, forming a closed loop with no CO2 emissions, he said,adding that fertilisers can also be created through the process.

The technology also offersgreater flexibility by allowing a wide range of productivity ranges (from 100kilos to 25 tonnes per machine every day), and can be used in a wide variety oflocations in rural or urban areas.

According to SIHUB, waste fromfood accounts for 83 percent to 88.9 percent of solid waste in the city.

The city has 26 waste collectionfacilities where waste is transported for pre-processing before being taken totreatment facilities.

Vietnam spends around 2 trillionVND (86 million USD) for waste transporting and processing annually.

More than 8,000 tonnes of wasteare treated per day in HCM City. Much of it is buried, which takes a long timeto process and causes pollution.

Organic waste is also processedinto compost fertilisers and biogas, which also takes up a lot of space and along time to process.

The city is offering favourablepolicies such as lower land rentals and subsidised interest to encourage firmsto invest in waste-to-energy treatment facilities.-VNS/VNA