After nearly three years of operation (November 2018), the Cần Thơ waste-to-energy incineration plant in Thới Lai district of the Mekong province of Cần Thơ has generated more than 9,000 metric tons of fly ash. Of which, 7,500 tons have been piled up and stored outdoor due to the transfer storage warehouse was full since May 2019. This doesn’t meet environmental requirements and thus poses environmental and health risks, as fly ash is considered hazardous waste. According to the contract with the plant, Cần Thơ city is responsible for the disposal/treatment of this fly ash in a designated area. Presently, the city is preparing a procedure for calling investors to implement this task.
The Cần Thơ waste incinerator is the first waste-to-energy plant in Vietnam. This project is invested, built, and operated by the Hongkong-based environmental services company – Everbright International. The company won the bid for this project in July 2016. The Cần Thơ waste incinerator has the capacity of 480 tons of domestic waste per day and generates about 150,000 kWh of electricity (i.e., 60 million kWh/year) into the national grid. The furnace slag rate is 15% and the fly rate is 3 – 5% of the total waste amount. The emission treatment system is developed by the Everbright based on some European standards and meets the European Standard BU2000 and the Vietnam Regulation No. 61 – MT:2016/BTNMT.
Sources & further information: “Hơn 7.500 tấn tro bay của Nhà máy đốt rác Cần Thơ chờ bãi chôn lấp” at https://www.moitruongvadothi.vn, “The efficiency of Cần Thơ waste-to-energy plant model” at http://tapchimoitruong.vn, and “Everbright’s 7.5 MW Waste to Energy Project Underway in Vietnam” at https://waste-management-world.com, accessed on 20 August 2021.