Nghiên cứu đánh giá hiện trạng và định hướng chính sách quản lý chất thải trong lĩnh vực trồng trọt cho các huyện ngoại thành tại Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh

Abstract

The rapid population growth and urban expansion in Ho Chi Minh City have significantly reduced agricultural land, fundamentally transforming production models and posing major challenges for agricultural waste management. This study aims to assess the current situation and propose policy directions for crop-related waste management in five suburban districts of HCM City (Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, Binh Chanh, Nha Be and Can Gio) through field surveys, expert interviews, document analysis, and environmental sampling. Specifically, the research surveyed 522 farming households and analyzed 105 wastewater samples, 50 sludge samples, and 50 solid waste samples. The results show that nearly 100% of wastewater from rice cultivation is discharged directly into the environment; about 50% of rice straw and over 90% of crop residues from vegetables and fruit trees are burned on-site; and 70% of pesticide packaging is improperly handled. Waste collection and treatment infrastructure remains inadequate, while waste management practices are largely spontaneous and household-based. Based on these findings, the study proposes three key policy groups: (i) improving the legal framework based on the “polluter pays” principle; (ii) promoting circular economy (CE) models such as microbial composting and biomass reuse; and (iii) providing financial and technical support for farmers. The research contributes scientific evidence to support environmental policy development for agriculture in rapidly urbanizing areas. Future studies will focus on evaluating the effectiveness of household-level residue treatment models and the potential for scaling up pesticide packaging collection mechanisms.