Although local people have earned better incomes from collecting and recycling plastic waste, they suffer from serious environmental pollution.
Lying some 30 kilometres from the centre of Hanoi, Xa Cau Village used to be known for their traditional incense making before the first villagers started to collect plastic waste some 10 years ago. As the new work brought better income, more people followed.
Every day, from early morning to late at night, the village’s main road serves hundreds of vehicles transporting big bags or bundles containing anything from plastic bottles to home appliances and electronic waste.
The waste is placed in huge piles at local homes, along the roads, or near the rice farms waiting to be resold or recycled.
The house of Nguyen Tien Oanh is surrounded by piles of waste. His family has worked as plastic waste collectors for over 10 years.
Many families have built recycling workshops.
Nguyễn Thi Toan takes the waste from an overloaded three-wheel vehicle. She said that she would classify the waste and resell things that could be reused and sends the remainder to her recycling workshop.
"We've done this work for four years now," Toan said. "It's hard, but it provides a good income."
As more people are following the work, the village is facing environmental pollution.
People sort the best plastic for recycling while ditching unusable items into canals and fields and burning them, causing hazardous smoke.
Many surrounding people have also complained about the excessive noise coming from the recycling workshops.
Speaking to Dantri/Dtinews, chairman of Quang Phu Cau Commune People's Committee, Nguyen Huu Nhat, said that environmental pollution is now a burning issue at Xa Cau Village.
"We've carried out campaigns to raise awareness among local people," he said. "We'll also issue fines for those who dump and burn waste in the area. We're co-operating with some waste treatment companies to deal with the unused waste in our area."