Enforcement of environmental protection laws has achieved certain results

Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Environment - Nguyen Tan Thuan informed: In recent years, the enforcement of environmental protection policies and laws in the province has achieved certain results.

The policy system is increasingly improved, the Law on Environmental Protection 2020 and guiding documents have been amended and supplemented to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of environmental management.

Policies on surface water quality, air, solid waste management as well as biodiversity conservation are increasingly concerned and have a clear implementation roadmap. The law has many important innovations such as classifying projects according to the level of environmental impact, environmental licensing mechanism, promoting circular economy.

The implementation of environmental policies and laws in the province has achieved certain results

Local legal documents are built on the basis of closely following the provisions of the Law on Environmental Protection, decrees and circulars of the Central Government. Provincial leaders pay close attention to directing the development and implementation of legal documents on environmental protection, especially in the context of developing key industrial zones, creating a solid foundation for state management.

The movement of people monitoring environmental activities in the locality has been effective in some areas, contributing to reducing violations.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Hong (Huu Thanh commune, Duc Hoa district), the collection and treatment of waste is relatively well implemented by the locality.

After people reported on the situation of garbage stagnating and being dumped on the roads, all levels have taken drastic measures to handle it.

Up to now, the environment has gradually improved. The locality has organized many meaningful and practical activities to help people raise awareness and promote their role in coordination to improve the living environment.

In addition, the Provincial People's Committee issued a plan on the management of collection, transportation and treatment of solid waste in the province, which clearly defines the responsibilities of departments, branches, sectors, People's Committees of districts and related parties.

The province has also included in the list of tasks the digital transformation of domestic solid waste management to have sufficient data on domestic solid waste generated in the province and promptly propose appropriate management and treatment solutions.

On the other hand, localities also focus on collecting and treating waste, gradually reducing environmental pollution. People are increasingly aware of environmental protection, building a green, clean and beautiful rural landscape.

Many localities have implemented the model of exchanging plastic waste and pesticide packaging for rice, attracting the active participation of people and raising awareness of environmental protection.

Many industrial parks have installed automatic monitoring systems, transmitting data to the Department of Agriculture and Environment, strengthening monitoring and effectively controlling pollution. Thanks to effective policies and models, the environmental quality in the province has been improved, there are no longer "hot spots" of prolonged pollution. Overall, the promulgation and implementation of policies and regulations on environmental protection in the province have brought about clear results, contributing significantly to sustainable socio-economic development and improving the quality of life for people.

In addition, the province has implemented many positive measures in receiving feedback and adjusting documents related to environmental protection to promptly meet practical needs and improve the effectiveness of environmental management.

According to information from the People's Committee of Can Giuoc District, environmental management in the area is increasingly effective, people and businesses comply with and comply with relevant regulations. In the district, about 110 tons of solid waste are generated every day and the collection rate is over 90%. However, the locality is still passive in the issue of treatment when the amount of solid waste is forecast to increase in the coming time. The district focuses on mobilizing people to fully register for collection and recommends that the province promote the attraction of planned waste treatment projects in solid waste treatment.

Increasing investment attraction for solid waste treatment projects

In addition to the achieved results, state management of the environmental sector still has certain shortcomings and inadequacies, especially in the collection and treatment of domestic solid waste.

According to provincial statistics, the volume of domestic solid waste collected and transported for treatment in urban areas is about 800 tons/day.

It is forecasted that by 2030, the average volume of domestic solid waste generated will be about 1,100 tons/day. This amount of waste is and will be a burden for current facilities related to waste management and treatment.

The province increases attraction of solid waste treatment projects

To address related shortcomings, the Provincial People's Committee directed provincial departments, branches and localities to focus on implementing a number of solutions to improve the efficiency of domestic solid waste treatment activities.

In which, based on the assigned functions and tasks, appropriate propaganda work is deployed to raise awareness of all social classes in environmental protection work on domestic solid waste.

The Department of Agriculture and Environment is responsible for signing a program to coordinate with relevant departments, branches, associations and units to organize environmental protection propaganda on domestic solid waste in practical forms and activities. Relevant units study financial plans and resources for the collection, transportation and treatment of domestic solid waste in accordance with the actual conditions of the locality, ensuring practical effectiveness, deploy, implement review and organize the establishment of a complete set of documents on the collection and transportation of domestic solid waste.

An important task assigned by the Provincial People's Committee is for the Department of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate with localities to review and update the location of solid waste treatment plants in the land use planning for the 2021-2030 period in accordance with the Long An Provincial Planning approved by the Prime Minister.

Assign the Department of Finance to preside over and coordinate with the Department of Agriculture and Environment and the People's Committees of localities to call for investment to implement solid waste treatment plants in the province to ensure compliance with the planning, prioritizing the call for treatment technology in the direction of waste treatment with energy recovery (plasma; waste incineration for energy recovery; pyrolysis or gasification produced when burning) to ensure harmony of interests between the State and investors, maintain a stable and healthy investment environment, and ensure sustainability in solid waste treatment.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tan Thuan, the Provincial People's Committee has directed relevant units to focus on measures and solutions to increase investment attraction for domestic solid waste treatment projects according to Decision No. 686, dated June 13, 2023 of the Prime Minister approving the Long An Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050.

To date, the province has granted an investment certificate to Tri Viet Energy Company Limited, with a capacity of about 300 tons/day and night, a power generation capacity of 4MW, and the company is completing the project implementation procedures.

In addition, the province has not yet attracted investors to build waste treatment plants in the districts according to the approved planning. In the coming time, in addition to supporting Tam Sinh Nghia Development Investment Joint Stock Company and Tri Viet Energy Company Limited to complete the project on schedule, the province will coordinate with Ho Chi Minh City to review legal documents related to the Green Environment Technology Park project (Thu Thua district) to put the project into construction and operation. At the same time, the province will continue to direct departments, branches and localities to call for investors to invest in solid waste treatment plants in the province according to the approved planning./.

Reported By Chau Son

Translated by NT