A meeting to review progress of a pilot project for waste-sorting at source and advancing the circular economy in Tay Ninh province was held on November 14 between the provincial People’s Committee and a delegation of the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) led by Cha Kwang Myoung, Vice President of the Korea Environment Corporation (KECO).
At the meeting, Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Minh Lam welcomed the KECO delegation and affirmed the importance of the KOICA-funded project to Tay Ninh’s long-term sustainable development goals.
He noted that Tay Ninh, strategically located in the southern key economic region and bordering Cambodia, has strong potential in industry, high-tech agriculture and tourism. Environmental protection, waste management and boosting circular economy are central tasks linked to to the province’s green growth targets.
The project, with KECO serving as a technical consultant, aims to strengthen integrated waste management, develop effective systems for classification, collection and recycling, and enhance public awareness of turning waste into resources, thus contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable Tay Ninh.
KECO, a leading public agency in the Republic of Korea (RoK), has extensive experience in waste management, recycling, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes and public education. Its expertise offers valuable guidance for Tay Ninh in adopting modern, practical models suitable for local conditions.
The project has a total budget of 10.83 million USD funded by KOICA, along with more than 56 billion VND (more than 2 million USD) from the province’s counterpart capital. It includes three major components, including community communication and awareness-raising; infrastructure development, featuring two facilities in Hiep Hoa commune, a 65-tonne-per-day organic composting plant and a 20-tonne-per-day secondary sorting plant; and site clearance and technical infrastructure investment. Upon completion, the project is expected to increase waste-sorting rates, recover recyclable materials, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve environmental quality and living standards.
At the meeting, Cha Kwang Myoung announced that KECO will soon open a representative office in Ho Chi Minh City. Ahead of the launch of the project, the working delegation visited Tay Ninh to assess preparations and coordinate implementation.
He expressed his hope for continued support from the provincial authorities to ensure smooth cooperation, noting that strong Vietnam–RoK ties across multiple sectors create favourable conditions for joint initiatives.
Lam reaffirmed Tay Ninh province’s commitment to cooperating closely with KECO and KOICA to carry out the project on schedule and with high efficiency.
He also expressed the province’s interest in expanding collaboration with Korean partners in environmental protection, renewable energy, eco-urban development and circular economy projects. With KECO’s expertise and Tay Ninh’s determination, the project is expected to become a model for waste management and sustainable development in both the province and the country, Lam stressed./.
(VNA)
