Tay Ninh to pilot waste-sorting, advance circular economy

VIETNAM – Tay Ninh province is advancing its push toward greener development through a new waste-sorting-at-source pilot project implemented in partnership with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and the Korea Environment Corporation (KECO).

Provincial leaders and a KECO delegation, led by Vice President Cha Kwang Myoung, met on November 14 to review progress and align on next steps.

Nguyen Minh Lam, Vice Chairman of the Tay Ninh People’s Committee, welcomed the Korean delegation and reaffirmed the project’s strategic role in the province’s long-term sustainability vision.

He noted that Tay Ninh’s position within the southern key economic region, coupled with its strengths in industry, high-tech agriculture and tourism, make environmental protection and circular economy development essential to its growth plan.

The KOICA-funded initiative aims to enhance Tay Ninh’s integrated waste management by establishing effective systems for waste classification, collection and recycling, while raising public awareness about treating waste as a resource.

KECO, which serves as the project’s technical consultant, brings decades of expertise in recycling systems, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and environmental education, experience that Tay Ninh hopes to leverage to build modern waste-management models tailored to local needs.

The project carries a total budget of US$10.83 million from KOICA, supplemented by more than VND 56 billion (over US$2 million) in provincial counterpart funding.

This substantial investment reflects both parties’ commitment to building a modern, efficient and community-driven waste management system for Tay Ninh.

A core component of the initiative focuses on community outreach and awareness programmes designed to encourage waste-sorting behaviour.

These activities aim to educate households, businesses and institutions about proper waste separation practices, while fostering a culture that recognises waste as a valuable resource rather than a burden.

By equipping residents with the right information and habits, the project seeks to ensure long-term behavioural change that supports a functional circular economy.

The second component involves key infrastructure development, most notably the construction of two facilities in Hiep Hoa commune.

These include a 65-tonne-per-day organic composting plant to handle biodegradable waste and a 20-tonne-per-day secondary sorting facility that will process recyclables.

Together, these facilities are expected to significantly boost the province’s waste recovery capacity and reduce reliance on landfilling.

The final component centres on site clearance and technical infrastructure investments required for full project implementation.

This includes preparing the necessary land, improving access routes, and building the supporting systems needed to ensure that the new facilities and waste-sorting initiatives operate efficiently.

Collectively, these elements form the foundation for a more sustainable and scalable waste management model for Tay Ninh.

Once operational, the project is expected to significantly improve waste-sorting rates, recover larger volumes of recyclable materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance environmental quality and public health across the province.

During the meeting, Cha Kwang Myoung announced that KECO will soon open a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City, deepening South Korea’s support for Vietnam’s environmental initiatives.

He emphasised the need for continued coordination and expressed optimism that strong Vietnam–RoK relations will help ensure smooth implementation.

Lam reaffirmed Tay Ninh’s commitment to execute the project efficiently and on schedule, adding that the province hopes to broaden cooperation with Korean partners in renewable energy, eco-urban development and other circular-economy initiatives.

He said the project is poised to become a model for sustainable waste management both in Tay Ninh and across Vietnam.

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