Dean of the Faculty of Environment of Van Lang University shares the current status and solutions for urban solid waste management at the Vietnam - Japan international conference.

On November 26 and 27, 2022, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Kim Oanh, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, Van Lang University attended and presented on “Assessing the current situation, proposing solutions for urban solid waste management to meet the green growth and sustainable development goals of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam” at the VANJ 2022 international conference hosted by Vietnamese Academic Network in Japan.

“VANJ Conference 2022 – Diversity for an Inclusive Society” is an international conference organized by Vietnamese Academic Network in Japan (VANJ) with Center for Spintronics Research Network of The University of Tokyo (CSRN) as co-organized, and Vietnam Biomedical Science Community (VBMC) and Vietnam Youth Vet Network (VYVN) as partners. VANJ2022 serves as a dynamic and multidisciplinary science and technology exchange forum between Vietnam and Japan. Conference attendees are mainly scholars, researchers, and graduate students from Japan, Vietnam, and other countries and regions.

Increasing urbanization and industrialization globally is one of the main causes of environmental pollution. Overconsumption leads to the depletion of natural resources and the emission of large amounts of pollutants in both quantity and type on a wide scale is becoming more serious than ever. Air emissions and waste discharge, including wastewater and solid waste, are inevitable processes in urban development, so a growing number of studies have shown an increase in chemical hazards in biological and human populations on a global scale. These pollution problems not only damage the urban landscape but also cause long-term effects on human health when exposed to pollution sources in the air, soil, and water. Facing the above environmental challenges, developing scientific and technological advances, and promoting cooperation between researchers, policymakers, and managers are extremely necessary.

As one of the five keynote speakers at VANJ Conference 2022, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Kim Oanh, Dean of the Faculty of Environment, Van Lang University, gave a presentation on "Assessing the current status and proposing solutions for urban solid waste management to meet the goals of green growth and sustainable development of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam". Thereby, Ms. Oanh showed a general picture of the actual situation and future difficulties and challenges regarding solid waste management particularly in Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country in general in the context of global development and integration.

In addition, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Kim Oanh also had exchanges and experiences on the current situation as well as technological and management measures between Japan and Vietnam, towards sustainable development in fast-growing urban areas. This is also part of an effort to raise public awareness about the generation and treatment of urban pollution and its threat to human health.

The contributions of officials, lecturers, staff, and students from Van Lang University in international conferences have partly shown interest in promoting scientific research and expanding the academic environment of the school in its future orientation. At the same time, with research of practical value, lecturers, and students at Van Lang University hope to contribute to building sustainable social values, bringing effective solutions to solve many urgent problems in society.

News and photos: Dr. Huynh Tan Loi 
Head of Doctoral Program - Faculty of Environment