Vietnam to reclaim electronic waste from mid-2016

Waste and dumped electronics in Vietnam will be required to be reclaimed for treatment under a new regulation slated for taking effect from July next year, local online newspaper Tuoi Tre News reported Thursday.

Under a recent government decision, from July 1, 2016, such products as compact fluorescent lamps, personal computers, laptops, cameras, video cameras, mobile phones and tablets that are no longer working or in use must be recalled. The regulation also covers other products such as batteries, tires, and major home appliances including television sets, fridges, air-conditioners and washing machines.

Manufacturers are responsible for reclaiming their products, or for setting up places for consumers to dump the electronic wastes instead of throwing them out into the environment. They are also encouraged to reclaim even products they do not make, whereas consumers are required to give away their dumped products to the producers.

The regulation only says the reclaimed products are meant for treatment, but does not elaborate whether they will be recycled.

Many local people support the new regulation, saying it is necessary to prevent Vietnam from becoming a landfill of electronic waste. However, some doubt the feasibility of the rule as it is not a simple task to reclaim all of the electronic wastes in the country.

Most Vietnamese consumers currently do not know what to do with their used hi-tech devices or major home appliances. They usually sell them to facilities that collect used electronic products, or call a scrap dealer to pick them up. Most scrap collecting facilities, however, will later dump the products to landfills or out to the environment.

Vietnam plans to apply a similar regulation on used vehicles from early 2018.