Every year, each locality discharges about 50-100 tons of this waste. Of which, for each hectare of rice/crop, farmers discharge about 1-1.5 kg of packaging into the environment; and for growing flowers and industrial crops, the use of plant protection chemicals is 2-3 times higher than for growing rice.
People in localities in the province have applied the method of covering with plastic during the cultivation of some crops. Every year after the harvest season ends, the plastic film is torn and must be discarded and replaced with another film. People often collect these torn plastic films and burn them, the smoke drifts into residential areas, causing an unpleasant smell.
According to statistics from the authorities, the total amount of solid waste (including plastic waste) generated from cultivation is about 661.5 thousand tons/year (including 550 thousand tons of nylon, 77.49 thousand tons of fertilizer packaging and 33.98 thousand tons of pesticide packaging). In livestock farming, it is 67.93 million tons (including 77 thousand tons of plastic waste from food packaging); in aquaculture, it is 880 thousand tons of sludge and 273 thousand tons of waste from food packaging, veterinary medicine packaging and other solids.
According to the functional sector, currently 45% of rural waste is collected, not treated but dumped directly into unsanitary landfills, of which a very large proportion is dumped into canals and ditches. For the fishing and aquaculture industry, it is both the culprit and the victim of plastic waste: Large plastic waste such as nets, fishing gear, foam buoys for making cages... of people are all dumped at sea. There are nets near the shore that contain 4 parts fish and 1 part waste, most of which is plastic waste.
In recent years, the agricultural sector has seen many improvements, with agricultural export turnover exceeding the set plan. Many targets have been achieved excellently, affirming its role as a pillar of the economy. However, agricultural production activities also put great pressure on the environment, including the issue of plastic waste in the sector.
Agricultural production has gradually shifted from production thinking to agricultural economic thinking, contributing to improving growth quality and income for farmers. However, a problem in agricultural development that needs to be resolved soon is the use of plastic waste in production is still very large, causing negative impacts on the environment.
In some localities, this waste has been collected and treated by burning it in specialized incinerators of some units licensed to treat hazardous waste. However, the amount of waste collected and treated is very low compared to the amount of waste discharged and remaining in the fields. For example, Dong Nai province has only treated about 18 tons while annually discharging about 100 tons of waste.
In addition, other provinces have not invested in treatment technology, so they only collect them in garbage pits and farmers burn them at temperatures of only a few hundred degrees Celsius, which will not decompose completely but leave residues in the environment (in principle, packaging and medicine bottles must be burned at a temperature of 1,500 degrees Celsius to be completely destroyed). If left in the environment, nylon plastic waste when burned will create emissions containing Dioxin and Furan, which are highly toxic substances that remain in the environment for a long time, directly affecting human health. Especially in places where there are no tanks to collect bottles, fertilizer packaging and pesticides, people leave them in the corner of the field, then float freely in the environment.
Therefore, the sectors need to investigate to assess the current situation of plastic waste use, review legal documents related to plastic waste and make appropriate adjustments. At the same time, it is necessary to promote propaganda to raise awareness, reduce the use of packaging and nylon bags in agriculture.
In order to limit the use of plastic waste in agricultural production, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has issued Decision No. 2711/QD-BNN-KHCN promulgating a plan to reduce, collect, classify, and reuse plastic waste in the agricultural sector.
Accordingly, the target set for the period from 2022 to 2025 in cultivation is to reduce the use of at least 15% of plastic materials; collect, classify at least 60% and reuse at least 12% of plastic waste. In the field of plant protection, reduce the use of at least 20% of plastic materials; collect, classify at least 80% and reuse at least 12% of plastic waste. In livestock farming, reduce the use of at least 30% of plastic materials; collect, classify at least 80% and reuse at least 25% of plastic waste...
Strive for 100% of agricultural production and business enterprises to be fully updated with regulations and policies related to the management of plastic materials and waste; 50% of agricultural management staff to be trained on regulations and policies related to plastic materials and waste in agricultural production; 50% of farmers to be trained to raise awareness of regulations and policies related to plastic materials and waste.
To achieve the above goals, ministries, sectors, localities and people need to apply biodegradable materials to gradually replace plastic materials in production; implement agricultural cultivation processes to reduce plastic waste, increase the reuse of agricultural by-products to replace plastic materials; build circular economic and green economic models to minimize plastic waste, use environmentally friendly materials in the agricultural sector; and collect, classify and reuse plastic waste in agricultural production.
For fertilizer, pesticide, veterinary medicine packaging, etc., collect and process; propagate, raise awareness and responsibility of organizations and individuals in the management, production, business and use of plastic materials in agricultural production; integrate communication content on management, prevention, reduction, collection, classification and reuse of plastic waste into agricultural, forestry and fishery extension programs; propagate to raise awareness of the harmful effects of single-use plastic products and hard-to-decompose plastic bags on agricultural ecosystems, marine and ocean ecosystems, the environment and human health, etc.
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