An overview of electronic waste recycling in Vietnam

Electronic waste (e-waste) is a rising issue in Vietnam, due to a dramatic increase in the waste volume, and the lack of recovering materials. This research provides an overview of e-waste in Vietnam, which is currently considered to be hazardous waste. This paper also discusses the recycling technologies and perspective of e-waste recycling in the near future. It has been shown that Vietnam can only recover some common materials (such as iron, copper, aluminum, etc.) from e-waste with low efficiency. The recovering process can cause serious impacts on the environment and public health. In addition, the parts of e-waste that are not recycled in Vietnam have been illegally exported to other countries. It violates the BASEL Convention and causes a loss of an important “urban resource”. Recycling e-waste had not been regulated by Vietnamese government for a long time. As a result, this type of waste got under the control of informal sector. To respond to this situation, the Extended Producer Responsibility system will be applied in Vietnam in 2016. Due to the introduction of the new legislation, there would be an important reform in the recycling sector that is expected to increase the efficiency of the recycling system.