Concerns over weighing garbage on rainy days

Starting June 1, Ho Chi Minh City will officially pilot a new system to charge for household waste based on weight. The policy has sparked concern among city residents, especially at the thought of soggy garbage bags after a downpour.

Le Thu Ha, a housewife from Go Vap District, said the “pay-by-weight” scheme would be a burden for most residents in the city. While people are generally not opposed to paying fees when they are reasonable and transparent, she said the method could trigger disputes and frustration, particularly among low-income households.

“I’m a homemaker. I already manage everything from meals to bills every day. Now I’ll also have to monitor each garbage bag, worry about the rain, and whether it’s weighed correctly. If this isn’t done transparently, people will lose trust,” she said.

rác thải ở TP.HCM.webp
HCMC residents express concern about the plan to charge for waste by weight. Photo: NLD

Similarly, Le Van Suat from Tan Phu District said many people fear that without proper oversight, waste weighing could be inconsistent and unfair, with no way for citizens to verify accuracy.

“My family already separates organic waste from plastic,” he explained. “But when it’s collected, it all gets mixed together. So what’s the point of weighing? How do you charge if the trash isn’t actually sorted?”

Waste as a resource

Responding to these concerns, Ho Kien Trung, Deputy Director of the Environmental Department under the MoAE, explained that Ho Chi Minh City will not implement a system of weighing each garbage bag as some have misunderstood. Instead, residents will purchase fixed-volume garbage bags of 3kg, 5kg, 7kg, or 10kg, depending on their needs.

People will use these bags to sort their waste and pay accordingly. This method is simpler, more transparent, and easier to enforce than weighing individual bags.

Trung noted that similar models have been successfully adopted in countries like South Korea and Japan, as well as in some parts of Vietnam, notably Quang Nam Province.

“Selling fixed-size bags is not only transparent and fair but also encourages residents to reduce waste and sort it more efficiently. This is an essential step if we want to manage waste at its source,” he said.

He added that the “polluter pays” principle is not designed to hurt residents financially but to promote responsible consumer behavior and waste disposal. With support from both businesses and authorities, the public is a critical link in creating a sustainable waste management system.

“Waste management is no longer just the government’s responsibility. It’s a shared duty for all of society. Done right, waste becomes a resource, not a burden,” Trung stressed.

The MoAE hopes that, for long-term sustainability, citizens will embrace new habits such as waste separation and paying for the amount of garbage they generate. This isn’t just a legal requirement, Trung emphasized, but a shared social responsibility to protect our living environment for current and future generations.

Vu Diep