Hanoi to require households to sort waste into 3 categories under new rules

Hanoi will require households to sort their rubbish into three categories from Jan 8, under new rules that allow waste collectors to refuse unseparated rubbish and could pave the way for higher, volume-based disposal fees.

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The regulations, issued under Decision 87 signed by the city’s Vice-Chairman Nguyen Manh Quyen, represent the capital’s most sweeping overhaul of household waste management in more than a decade.

Under the new rules, household waste must be separated at source into recyclable materials, food waste and hazardous waste.

Collection companies will be authorised to reject rubbish that is not properly sorted or not placed in approved containers, and to report violations to the local authorities for inspection and penalties.

The first category covers recyclable materials such as paper, plastic, wood, rubber and electrical equipment.

Food waste, including leftovers, expired food and kitchen scraps, forms the second category.