New river trash capture tool launched in Nam Dinh Province

The March-23 “Launching river trash capture tool” event

This river trash capture tool is an initiative under “Strategic Plastic Litter Abatement in the Song Hong” project, financially supported and technically advised by U.S.-based NGO Ocean Conservancy. The project is managed and implemented by MCD in collaboration with the Nam Dinh Provincial DONRE and other local and national partners.

The event was attended by national-level government representatives from the Vietnam Administration of Sea and Islands; Vietnam Institute of Sea and Islands; Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration and its Northern Branch; Vietnam Academy for Water Resources; Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment; Department of Environmental Pollution Control, Department of Fisheries; representatives from related solid waste management projects and MCD; and the delegates from Nam Dinh Province, including leaders and officers of Provincial DONRE; representatives of Department of Transport, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Traffic Police Division, Riverway Management Company No.5; leader of People's Committee and officers from Division of Natural Resources and Environment of Xuan Truong District; leaders of the Party Committee, People's Committee, People's Council, representatives of units, enterprises, mass organizations and local communities in Xuan Thanh Commune; Representatives of My Loc District DONRE and the People's Committee of My Tan Commune; representatives of Nam Dinh City DONRE and the People's Committee of Tran Te Xuong Ward; representatives of Nam Truc District DONRE and People's Committees of Dien Xa and Nam Thang communes; Representatives of Giao Thuy District DONRE and People's Committee of Giao Huong Commune; representative of Xuan Thuy National Park Management Board; local businesses; the core community groups operating the five trash trappers; and over 120 representatives of the local community where the new trash trapper is placed. This activity was witnessed by representatives of the central and local press and television units.

At the event, Ho Thi Yen Thu, Standing Deputy Director of MCD, said, “The river trash capture tool (trash trapper) in Xuan Thanh Commune is the fifth trash trapper in the pilot network of trash trappers that the MCD together with experts, authorities, local communities and other stakeholders have developed in Nam Dinh Province. Previously, there were four trash trappers installed, launched and operated - with three trash trappers located on the Red River in My Tan Commune, My Loc District; Dien Xa Commune and Nam Thang Commune, Nam Truc District; and one trash trapper placed on Dao River in Tran Te Xuong Ward, Nam Dinh City. The results from the four above-mentioned trash trappers have contributed to improving solid waste collection in the river, reducing the floating debris from the river to the sea, and raising the awareness of the local community in the management of solid waste and plastic waste, and at the same time making meaningful inputs to the global trash trapper network database. Today, we are very pleased to launch this fifth trash trapper in Village 4, Xuan Thanh Commune, Xuan Truong District, Nam Dinh Province and believe that this trash trapper will be well received, managed and operated by the local stakeholders, and become an important part of the network of trash trappers on the Red River.”

The design, manufacture and installation of the river trash capture tool were led by MCD and Nam Dinh Provincial DONRE, with the participation of domestic and foreign experts, local officials, local communities and relevant stakeholders. It has obtained professional appraisal and permission for operation by the Vietnam Inland Waterways Administration. The trash trappers are located at river shorelines, contributing to strengthening the waste management in riverine and estuary areas in Nam Dinh.

Pham Van Son, Director of the DONRE of Nam Dinh Province, commented, "The operation of trash trappers on the river forming a trash trapper system brings precious values and practical results, and has been recognized as contributing positively to the management of solid waste and plastic waste in Nam Dinh. On behalf of the DONRE of Nam Dinh Province, I would like to thank the project donors for their support and appreciate the efforts of MCD and experts. Environmental protection and waste management in Nam Dinh have been enhanced through the application of local technology and innovation for better collection and management of debris floating in the rivers. I hope that the trash trapper model will continue to be replicated in Nam Dinh Province with the support of MCD in environmental protection projects."

As the next steps, through the “Strategic Plastic Litter Abatement in the Song Hong” project, MCD will continue to work with experts to support Nam Dinh Province for monitoring the operation of the trash trappers in accordance with technical requirements and relevant regulations, and to proceed to deploy more trash trappers at other areas as proposed by the local authorities and communities. It is expected that the trash trapper network will be maintained and expanded on the waterways of the Red River Delta, contributing to the reduction of marine plastic waste in Nam Dinh in particular and in Vietnam in general.