University of Western Australia
Team B
Tutor: Andrzej Gwidalski
Information Session 13
Wednesday at 2:00pm
Decentralised
Community Composting
in Anh Minh
Mari-Clair McLean (21130626)
Chelsea Bambrick (21141296)
Albert Duong (21121316)
Matthew Thornley(21137658)
Jian Chen(20896056)
Due 30th May 2012
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Addresses of Stakeholders
Engineers Without Borders (EWB)
Western Australian office
c/o Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics
The University of Western Australia
Address: 35 Stirling Highway, M015, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
Telephone: +61 8 6488 8039
Habitat for Humanity (HFH)
Australian National Office
Office Address: Suite 2, Level 9, 20 Berry St, North Sydney NSW 2060, Australia
Email: info@habitat.org.au
Postal Address: PO Box 1048, North Sydney NSW 2059, Australia
Telephone: +61 (0) 2 9919 7000
Western Australian office
Postal Address: PO Box 7296, Cloisters Square WA 6850
Email: perth@habitat.org.au
Telephone: (08) 9325 9060
Urban Environment Company (URENCO)
Business: leading Company in waste treatment area in Vietnam with more than 50 years of
experience. URENCO is capable and has enough means of transportation, machines and equipment
to meet customers’ requirements and to make contribution to environmental protection and
sustainable development.
Full name: URBAN ENVIRONMENT ONE MEMBER STATE-OWNE LIMITED COMPANY
Trade name: URBAN ENVIRONMENT LIMITED COMPANY - URENCO
Address: 18 Cao Ba Quat – Ba Dinh - Hanoi
Tel: (84.4) 3823 2565/ 7347 3302
Fax: (84.4) 3747 3301
Email: urencohn@netnam.org.vn
Website: www.urenco.com.vn
Minh Ha Co. Ltd.
Business type: import, retail sales, wholesale supplier
Product types: stand-alone solar power systems, grid solar power system, solar inverter, solar
charger controllers, power saving product, UPS, surge protector. .
Service types: consulting, supply, design, installation
Address: Lot C 42B/1 street 7, Vinh Loc Industry Park, Binh Chanh district, 70000, Ho Chi Minh
Telephone: 35265358
FAX: 38437514
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Executive Summary
Team B proposes that a decentralized community compost plant is the chosen solution to the waste
management issue in Anh Minh, a district located on the Mekong Delta, Southern Vietnam. Research
and critical analysis has enabled the team to recognize this to be the most effective and sustainable
solution. Although some may assume composting would have small impact on the extent of the issue,
research indicates otherwise. According to Hoang& Viet (2011), up to 85% of all waste produced in
the Mekong Delta consists of organic matter. This figure implies that by reducing the incorrect
disposal of organic waste, composting has the potential to reduce the waste issue in Anh Minh by up
to 85%. Research also revealed that a similar waste management system was implemented in
Bangladesh in 2004 and proved to be very successful, with the project being replicated 27
times(Waste Concern in Bangladesh). The context of the waste issue in Bangladesh is readily
comparable to that presented by the waste issue in Anh Minh, as they are both developing countries
with similar economic conditions. This exemplifies a decentralized community composting plant as
the ideal solution. The success of this project is further developed in the design choice (final
solution)section of this report. The proposed design has accounted for the private recycling
companies existing marketin the area, and if instigated, the decentralized composting plant will work
alongside these. Their efforts to reduce the waste management issue will be supported and promoted
in conjunction with the composting initiative. By involving the community in all facets of the project,
Team B endeavors to create an effective and sustainable solution that is run both for and by the
people of Anh Minh.
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................. 2
1. Introduction and Background ............................................................................. 5
Approach ............................................................................................... 6
2. Problem Identification ...................................................................................... 6
2.11 Current waste management .............................................................................. 6
2.12 Social Context and Geographical Context .............................................................. 6
2.13 Globalisation ............................................................................................... 7
2.14 Poverty ...................................................................................................... 7
2.15 Economic and Political Context.......................................................................... 8
2.16 Private Companies ......................................................................................... 8
2.2 Design Criteria ............................................................................................... 8
2.21 Waste Being Targeted ..................................................................................... 8
2.22 Areas Being Targeted...................................................................................... 9
2.23 Education .................................................................................................. 10
2.24 Accommodation for Globalisation, Poverty and Engineering Interventions ...................... 10
3. Design Choices .............................................................................................. 10
3.1 Current Methods used in Vietnam........................................................................ 11
3.11 Recycling ................................................................................................... 11
3.12 Land Fills or Open Dumping ............................................................................. 11
3.2 Recycling as a Possible Solution .......................................................................... 12
3.21 Advantages of Recycling Waste ......................................................................... 12
3.22 Disadvantages of Recycling Waste ...................................................................... 12
3.3 Composting as a Possible Solution ....................................................................... 13
3.31 Different Methods of Composting ...................................................................... 13
3.4 Design Matrix................................................................................................ 14
4. Design Choice ............................................................................................... 16
4.1 Final Solution ............................................................................................... 16
4.2 Benefits and Costs of Composting ....................................................................... 16
4.3 Methods of Composting .................................................................................... 17
4.4 Management Model ........................................................................................ 17
4.5 Collection Method .......................................................................................... 18
4.6 Types of Waste ............................................................................................. 18
4.7 Transport .................................................................................................... 19
4.8 Bins ........................................................................................................... 19
4.9 Electricity Source .......................................................................................... 20
4.10 Employment ............................................................................................... 20
4.11 Education .................................................................................................. 21
4.12 Ideal Final Result Diagrams .............................................................................. 22
4.13 Explanation of Ideal Final Result Diagrams ........................................................... 24
4.14 Risk Assessment Analysis ................................................................................. 27
5. Team Processes ............................................................................................. 28
5.1 Preparation.................................................................................................. 28
5.2 General Processes of Team B ............................................................................. 28
5.3 Team Conflicts .............................................................................................. 30
6. Results and Discussion ..................................................................................... 30
6.1 What the Final Solution Addresses ....................................................................... 30
6.2 What the Final Solution Does Not Address .............................................................. 31
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6.3 Photographs of the Design ................................................................................ 31
6.4 Social Questionnaire ....................................................................................... 32
6.5 Community Involvement .................................................................................. 35
6.6 The Role of the Anh Minh Community in the Final Solution .......................................... 35
7. Conclusion ................................................................................................... 36
8. Recommendations .......................................................................................... 37
8.1 Bioreactor Landfill ......................................................................................... 37
8.2 Converting Waste into Energy ............................................................................ 37
8.3 The Education Curriculum ................................................................................ 38
9. Appendix ..................................................................................................... 38
10. References ................................................................................................. 43
11. Distribution of the Final Report ........................................................................ 46
List of Figures
1. Rates of Waste Collection in Vietnam, Urban vs. Rural
2. Design Matrix
3. Ideal Final Result Diagram I
4. Ideal Final Result Diagram II
5. Ideal Final Result Diagram II
6. Prototype Solar Panels
7. Box Composting Plant in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam
8.Windrow Composting System, Layout Plan
9. Yearly Costs and Revenues of Mirpur Composting Plant
10. Rainbow Plot
11. Prototype Model
12. Educational Poster
13. Sorting Waste
14. Automatic Rickshaw Van
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14
23
24
25
32
32
33
39
40
42
42
43
43
List of Tables
1. Typical composition of MSW in cities/provinces in Mekong Delta
2. Risk Assessment Analysis
3.Stakeholder analysis for Decentralised Community Composting
4. SWOT Analysis
4
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28
40
43
1. Introduction and Background
Ahn Minh is one of thirteen districts in Kien Giang, a province located on the Mekong Delta,
Southern Vietnam. According to Gwillim Law (2011), the population of the district is around
112,215 (2011 estimation). Waste management is a prominent issue in Mekong Delta, with an
estimated 600,000 tons of municipal waste (MSW) generated in the region each year (Hoang & Viet,
2011). According to Hoang (2011), “the collection rate of solid waste is about quite high (65 - 72%)
in the cities and rather low (about 40 - 55%) in the rural areas, with a high content in organic matter
(about 60 - 85%).” (Hoang, 2011. p.1). With current methods of waste management in rural areas
being neither sufficient nor sustainable, the issue of waste poses threats to both the environment and
citizen’s health.
Poverty is also a prominent issue within Mekong Delta. An AusAid report (2004) estimated that there
are ‘around four million poor people living in the Mekong Delta’ (2004, p. 9). The report also
highlighted that ‘people are at more risk of being poor if they are landless or land scarce, and live in
rural areas’ (2004, p. 9). Although there is no set waste management system in rural areas, small
private recycling companies do exist in Anh Minh (EWB, 2011). Due to the existence of poverty in
the area, the small amount families are paid for their collected recyclable materials acts as an
effective incentive to recycle. However, recycling is still an uncommon practice.
Rural areas within the province of Kien Giang face extreme conditions of both poverty and waste,
especially when compared to the cities. It would therefore be most beneficial to focus our waste
solution on rural community areas. Research also suggests that our solution should focus on
improving the disposal and management of organic waste due to its large quantities (Hoang, 2011).
The poor financial stability of the Anh Minh community is a major factor affecting the design of the
initiative. Education will need to be incorporated into the design chosen, so that the solution can be
properly understood and maintained by the people themselves. This will intentionally support
existing recycling companies, as the community will become more aware of recyclable materials and
the issue of waste issue in general. The overall goal for this project is to improve the disposal of
organic waste in the Ahn Minh, and furthermore decrease the impact the waste issue has on the
environment and the health of people living in Anh Minh. By targeting the organic waste issue, the
solution has the potential to radically decrease the extent of the waste issue in Anh Minh.
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Approach
2. Problem Identification
2.11 Current waste management
In both urban and suburban areas of Vietnam, methods of waste management are rather efficient,
with almost all of the waste in these areas being managed by the urban environment company
(URENCO Ltd.). However, in rural areas, waste is improperly managed. With no set waste
management system in place “wastes such as plastics, chemicals and human waste are commonly
disposed of into the surrounding environment and rivers” (EWB, 2012). According to Hoang and
Viet (2011), 600,000 tons of MSW (municipal solid waste) is generated in Mekong Delta each year.
The paper highlights that “the collection rate of solid waste is quite high (65 - 72%) in the cities and
rather low (about 40 - 55%) in rural areas, with a high content in organic matter (about 60 - 85%)”
(Hoang & Viet, 2011. p.1). Small, private recycling companies do exist in Anh Minh, however many
of those living in the area have little knowledge of what can actually be recycled. The small amount
families are paid for their materials promotes recycling yet despite this, recycling is still an
uncommon practice (EWB, 2012). The solution then must promote and inform citizens of the
benefits of recycling and which types of waste are suitable for this process. Resulting from poor
sanitation systems, human waste is often disposed of into the natural environment, including the
surrounding rivers and oceans (News, VietNamNet/Viet Nam, 2011). In Kien Giang the main health
problems amongst children are due to improper sanitary disposal, including illnesses such as stomach
aches, diarrhea, headaches and dengue fever (Waste for People). With current methods of waste
management in rural areas being neither sufficient nor sustainable, the issue of waste poses threats to
both the environment and health.
2.12 Social Context and Geographical Context
Vietnam has 54 different ethnic groups. While 85.8% of the population are Kinh/Vietnamese (The
World Fact Book, 2012), the solution must still take into account any potential ethnic clashes
regarding their existing social norms and values. Most of Vietnam’s population has no religious
affiliation (80.8%), the most dominant religious belief is Buddhism (with 9.3% identifying this faith)
as it was a founding religion in Vietnam’s history (The World Fact Book, 2012). This means that the
waste solution must be neutrally sensitive towards the religious ideologies in the society where
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potential conflict may arise.
The Kien Giang province is on average just 1m above sea level (Stuart, 2011). Due to the low land
elevation of Mekong Delta, flooding and rising sea levels cause great harm to the region. “Should the
sea level rise by only 1 meter, then, more than 75% of the Mekong Delta would be submerged under
sea water.” (Stuart, 2011). Such elevation demands that the proposed solution is able to withstand
and remain aware of natural disasters such as flash floods, especially as Kien Giang has a long rainy
season from April to November (Tourism Information Technology Centre). As the region is largely
dependent on the surrounding environment for produce, it is implied that the recurring natural
disasters associated with the Delta (flooding and cyclones) have a large impact on the wealth of the
people in the area.
2.13 Globalisation
Globalisation is the liberalisation of communication, trade and social barriers. It has enabled Kien
Giang to raise awareness of its arising waste problem. The potential for engineers and other
organizations to help improve their current waste management system has been recognised.
Additionally, globalisation has allowed for Multi-National Corporations to offer emplyment
opportunities and thus provide a platform to assist with breaking the cycle of poverty. Despite such
perceived benefits, Multi-National Corporations have taken advantage of cheap local labour, and are
not providing adequate work conditions. Recognising this issue, the proposed solution must offer
appropriate workplace standards and wages in accordance with the cost of living in Vietnam.
2.14 Poverty
Mekong Delta has been referred to as the ‘rice bowl’ of Vietnam (AusAid 2004, p.9) and comparing
to the whole of Vietnam, has a large input into the nation’seconomy. “The agricultural output of
Delta accounts for 50%, exported food productions is about 90%, and fruit trees and aquaculture
products are about 70%” (Van, p. 1). Despite this however, poverty is still a prominent issue within
the region. Poverty, as defined by Macquarie University (2001), is the condition of being poor. In
Kien Giang, 9.45% of people as of 2010 are classified to be living in poverty (Habitat For Humanity,
2012). An AusAid report (2004) also highlighted that ‘people are at more risk of being poor if they
are landless or land scarce, and live in rural areas’ (2004, p. 9). Between 1993 and 2002, landlessness
increased by approximately 12%. As the number of landless people in Mekong Delta is increasing,
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and nearly 80% of the population in Mekong Delta is living in rural areas (Stewart & Coclanis,
2011), it is implied that poverty is increasing within this region. It would be most beneficial for the
chosen waste solution to provide those living in poverty with the opportunity to have an enhanced
standard of living. Abolishing poverty in Kien Giang is an overwhelming task and almost impossible
for an individual solution to do, but to assist those living in poverty is a focus for the proposed
solution.
2.15 Economic and Political Context
The Vietnam political system is a single party state and thus controls most of the economic and
political decisions in society. The proposed waste solution must work with the political decisions of
the system. The GDP per capita of Vietnam is 1224 VND (The World Bank, 2012), indicating that
the majority of workers live on low incomes. The solution must take into account the economic
context of Vietnam in providing a low cost solution to the economy and must not cross political
barriers.
2.16 Private Companies
As small private companies addressing the issue of recycling currently exist in the An Minh district,
the waste solution must work alongside already these companies in order to word towards a greener
and cleaner environment (Engineering Without Borders, 2012). The proposed solution must not
impact on these existing private recycling companies, nor the income, which the local families
receive from their recycled materials. By promoting recycling as well as composting, both the
intended compost process and existing recycling processes will be promoted within the local
community.
2.2 Design Criteria
2.21 Waste Being Targeted
The proposed solution must recognise and be apt in addressing the topics of poverty, globalisation,
and the social context in Kien Giang. There is a significant amount of waste needing to be managed
within Kien Giang. As organic matter is contributing to 72.52% of the total waste (Hoang, 2011),
(refer to table 1) the solution must aim to reduce this by specifically targeting organic matter. This
will not affect the private companies market, as their specialty regards recyclable goods such as
8
plastics. But as some recyclables may be unintentionally collected by the composting initiative, the
excess will be donated to the companies for no additional cost.
Table 1: Typical composition of MSW in cities/provinces in Mekong Delta
Source: Hoang & Viet, 2011
2.22 Areas Being Targeted
Urban Collection rates in Kien Kiang are drastically higher than rural collection rates. This is derived
from figure 6 (Nguyen.T), which clearly identifies the difference in collection rates. This is because
large collection companies having been working in urban areas, with little focus or concern towards
rural communities. As there are only small and a very limited number of companies working in rural
areas, the proposed solution will aim to improve waste management in these rural areas, as part of the
service of a Decentralised Community Composting (DCC) Centre.
Figure 1: Rates of Waste Collection in Vietnam, Urban vs. Rural
Source: Nguyen, n.d., p.12
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2.23 Education
Currently, there is insufficient education about recycling and general waste management throughout
Vietnam and more specifically Kien Giang (Engineering Without Borders, 2012). The proposed
solution will hire a qualified dual linguist educator (English and Vietnamese) to translate information
through media avenues such as the community loudspeaker system, giving access to information for
a mass audience. Furthermore posters with simple pictures will be placed on each bin, explaining
what waste is suitable for each. This will eliminate issues of illiteracy and confusion leading towards
waste contamination.
2.24 Accommodation for Globalisation, Poverty and Engineering Interventions
An understanding of the contexts of globalisation and poverty in Kien Giang, with ensure that the
proposed solution is sustainable. Our solution is low cost,ensuring that low-income families are not
financially impaired, which otherwise effect the participation of citizens. As globalisation can lead to
large corporations taking advantage of low-income earners, the proposed solution will provide jobs
with suitable wages, in order for them to maintain or gain a reasonable standard of living. The
solution will not only provide jobs to the poor but also to those who apply for positions at the
composting centre. An all-inclusive working environment dissolves discrimination in the workplace
and creates a fair employment opportunity based on the individual’s credentials and suitability to the
job. In the past, engineering solutions have failed because they did not take consider the social or
economical context of the society (Carlson, 1995). Established similar models of community
composting allows for case studies, as those implemented in developing countries (such as Waste
Concern in Bangaldesh) are from similar social and economic backgrounds. The success of such
plants (see on design choice section of this report) further enforces the practical nature, sustainability
and likelihood for success of the project.
3. Design Choices
In searching for appropriate design choices, it was necessary to research methods that have been
previously trialed, in order to determine whether they can be further advanced or modified, and also
explore methods that are yet to be tested.
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3.1 Current Methods used in Vietnam
3.11 Recycling
Recycling waste is globally considered as one of the most popular and conservative methods of
dealing with waste. Not only can people benefit from the wastes by regenerating new products,
recycling is also a method of saving energy. Collecting and reusing household wastes such as
plastics, metal, empty cans and glass requires much less energy than creating new products from
scratch. For example, the amount of energy saved from recycling paper rather than making new
sheets of paper is almost 65% (Debopriya Bose. 2012). However, not all household waste can be
recycled. Some materials, if released into the environment may cause pollution, resulting in an
increase in the pollution of the soil, water and air. Recycling is also a key to providing a sustainable
environment for the future. For example, “for each ton of paper that is recycled, 15 trees are saved
from being felled”. (Debopriya Bose, 2012). Keeping in mind that trees are extremely important as
they intake carbon dioxide for photosynthesis, it infers that recycling paper can also help fight global
warming. However, recycling can also be costly. For example, many separate factories need to be set
up, so these complex plants will lead to more energy being consumed for transportation, cleaning and
storing, which may also lead to more pollution for the environment. What is more, the salaries of
employees have to be paid.
3.12 Land Fills or Open Dumping
Open dumping is easy to operate, simple to manage and the cheapest method of waste management,
as it simply involves dumping the rubbish onto an empty area. It does not require much work force
on digging the ground and it is convenient to address the problem. However, it is not a sustainable
scheme to manage. Over long periods of time, the accumulation of rubbish will eventually lead the
production of adverse gases, such as sulfur dioxide and methane. Also, areas situating landfills will
eventually become more limited and will require expansion or relocation, which will slowly begin
creeping closer to populated areas, causing humans to become more vulnerable to diseases
(Debopriya Bose, 2012). The polluted water in the waste will be absorbed into the ground, resulting
in contamination of the ground water supply. Although open dumping as a waste management
method is not costly, after a period of time, it will eventually require large amounts of money on
enlarging or finding new land to store the waste and result in the deterioration of the environment.
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3.2 Recycling as a Possible Solution
A method of tackling the ever-growing waste issue in Kien Giang is to recycle the waste by forming
it into different materials, which can become useful for build houses, sanitation systems and other
goods. This example can be achieved through investing in a large hot press such as the Kingston Hot
Press, which uses waste such as plastic, rubber, tires and thongs, and forms them into sturdy and
reliable goods.
3.21 Advantages of Recycling Waste
This solution will allow for houses to be built and sold at a cheaper price as the costs on building
materials will be greatly decreased due to the use of recycled materials. Additionally, these recycled
materials can provide as a resource, which can be sold for profit. In general, recycling will reduce the
demand for raw materials. This also helps reduce habitat damage, as it reduces the pollution produced
in the chain of production for that raw material. "For example each ton of glass recycled saves about
315 kg of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere from refining operations"(Saleh Faraj
Magram, 2011). By recycling waste, it promotes jobs as goods need to be sorted out and separated.
This injects money into the society and is also an incentive for a better standard of living. New
technology advancements have been working on creating fuels and energy out of recycling. By
recycling organic matter, fuels such as gasoline can be created through the incineration in a low
oxygenated environment. Also energy from the decomposing can be captured and harnessed. The
people without land are able to have a house built out of recycled materials, which will be sturdier
than a red clay brick and mortar house. The sanitation system will decrease the environmental impact
because organic waste depletes, as an appropriate sanitation system will properly manage the waste.
Building sanitation systems for new houses and old houses takes away health risks and increases the
standard of living.
3.22 Disadvantages of Recycling Waste
Converting organic matter into fuel is very costly and is still being developed which suggests that it
may not be a sustainable method for the Kien Giang waste problem. The main problem in Kien
Giang is the organic waste that is being produced and the disposal is not being managed. Recycling
goods into useful materials to build houses and sanitation system does not target the problem of
organic waste. This is due to the fact that in Kien Giang, approximately 70% of the total waste is
organic waste. (INVENT 2009) Recycling in Vietnam and the Kien Giang province is uncommon
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and is not promoted to families. As a result, this solution faces the problem of changing the social
ideology of recycling.
3.3 Composting as a Possible Solution
According to San Mateo County RecycleWorks, composting is “nature's process of recycling
decomposed organic materials into a rich soil known as compost” (2012 RecycleWorks).Materials
such as vegetable and fruit waste, yard waste including grass and leaves, human excreta and common
kitchen waste are all appropriate for composting (Hoornweg, Thomas & Otte, 1999). This method of
waste management is highly relevant to the province Kien Giang, due to 72.52% of its municipal
solid waste being organic matter (INVENT 2009). Composting requires the presence of oxygen,
water and specific temperatures in specific quantities. Designing a successful and appropriate
composting system requires the costs of land, labor, transport and capital to be properly accounted
for, the education of the local community in its operations, and adequate market research for the
composts final distribution. These factors will determine the likelihood of success or failure, and it’s
relevance to the Kien Giang province.
3.31 Different Methods of Composting
There are three levels of composting, each of which concentrates on different levels of active
communal participation.
* Residential composting focuses at a household level, reducing operation costs by a decrease in the
quantity of waste needing collection (Hoornweg, Thomas & Otte, 1999). However, this method only
involves individual participation and may be a health risk due to the lack of education in properly
managing the organic waste. Thus this method is not in keeping with the goal of community centred
management solutions nor appropriate for Kien Giang.
* Decentralized community composting (DCC) operates at a “neighborhood or community scale
provid[ing] small groups a way to compost at a relatively low cost” (Hoornweg, Thomas & Otte,
1999). This process requires a vacant block accessible to the local community (with their approval),
and an education scheme to ensure the plants sustainability. DCC is most appropriate in this given
context due to its community involvement, potential for local job initiatives as waste organisers and
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size appropriate capacity (generating between 5-50 tonnes of organic waste per day), (Hoornweg,
Thomas & Otte, 1999).
* Centralized composting is a composting method implemented on a large-scale, thus its daily
composting ability is substantially greater. However, this system requires significant and continual
management, organisation and capital, deeming it impractical in an impoverished area such as Kien
Giang.
3.4 Design Matrix
Table 2: Design Matrix
In order to determine which method would be the most appropriate and provide the optimal results
for the waste issue in Kien Giang, it was necessary to take into consideration the main factors what
would affect the success rate and difficulty of each of the different methods.

The first factor to take into consideration is cost. To calculate the cost required, it was
necessary to take into consideration not only the amount required to implement the system
(i.e. cost of any land, building, tools, transport, workers), but also the cost of running the
system which may include further use of money in the future. An example of this was when
considering the cost of the open landfills. Although it does not require a great amount of
money to initially begin the open dumping process, in future, it will eventually become a
extremely costly process as it would require a great amount of money to continuously expand
the land or relocate the dumping area when the dump is too full to carry any more waste.

The second factor is education. Education is an extremely important factor as lack of
education can lead to deadly consequences if people are unaware of the risks such as toxins.
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Also, without education, it is extremely difficult to successfully keep the project running as
people would not understand or have a lack of care towards their responsibility towards the
waste management, which would eventually lead to failure in the project. In the deign matrix,
the education was calculated depending on the difficulty level and the amount of education
that the workers and the community would require to safely and successfully carry out their
responsibilities towards the project.

The third factor is Implement simplicity. This was a measure of the difficulty of initiating the
project, as some methods require more preparations than others as they may require
construction and hiring workers. Recycling and composting were relatively similar as they
both would require construction of a building/plant while open landfills would be extremely
easy to implement as empty land and transport was the only necessities required.

The fourth factor is Long-term sustainability. This was a predicted measure of how effective
and successful the method would be in the future. Both recycling and composting have a high
possibility of future success if they were performed in a successful manner (i.e. communal
participation), as they are able to decrease the amount of waste and pollution and at the same
time, create products that can be effective for everyday use. On the other hand, landfills do
not appear to have a successful long-term sustainability due to the limited amount of waste a
landfill can hold.

Total waste effectiveness was the fifth factor. This factor deals directly towards how
successful the method is in terms of dealing with the waste issue in Kien Giang. In terms of
Kien Giang’s context, it is noted that majority of the waste is organic waste. As a result,
recycling would not be extremely effective compared to composting, as recycling requires
only inorganic materials such as plastics. Though compositing may only deal with organic
material, it can be concluded that it would be extremely good progress towards the waste
management in Kien Giang as it deals with majority of the waste.

The final factor to take into consideration is communal participation. This factor is extremely
important, as without the community’s help and support, many of these methods would be
impossible to handle. Each method was given the same score, as without the community’s
awareness and care towards the waste issue, ultimately, it would be extremely difficult to
make successful progress towards minimizing the waste.
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After combining the results of all the factors, it was concluded that composting would be the most
appropriate method to carry out in Kien Giang, while landfills should be greatly avoided as it
would do the least effect and may even cause more damage towards the environment.
4. Design Choice
This section discusses how the design choice addresses in detail all the design criteria (social,
environmental and economic).
4.1 Final Solution
The chosen final solution is a Decentralised Community Composting (DCC) plant design. This will
be pursued over other researched suggestions, as this most effectively and efficiently addresses the
major concerns of waste disposal. Composting is the process by which biodegradable organic waste
is decomposed into a rich soil (San Mateo County RecycleWorks 2012). In Kien Giang, organic
matter accounts for 72.52% of the total municipal solid waste (INVENT 2009) thus a composting
system directly addresses the majority of the waste generated. DCC can provide job opportunities to
the local community with positions as transport drivers, waste collectors, plant workers and plant
managers. This is both cost effective and allows for the direct involvement of the community, an idea
that is considered crucial to the plants success (Concerned Scientist with a Cause, n.d). Furthermore,
there have been other similar DCC projects implemented in other developing countries which have
found success, allowing for contextualized research and improvements on previous models. Projects
include the Watam community composting project in Indonesia, and more notably the Waste
Concern initiative in 2004, whose “composting technology model has been replicated 47 times in 26
towns in Bangladesh”(Concerned Scientist with a Cause, n.d). Integrated within this project is
education, acknowledged as being crucial to the success of a composting plant (Concerned Scientist
with a Cause, n.d). This must include educating local citizens of their participatory role and
promoting the benefits of DCC.
4.2 Benefits and Costs of Composting
Community composting directly addresses 72.52% of the total municipal solid waste in Mekong
Delta (INVENT 2009), being organic waste, which reduces the overall amount of waste needing to
be transported to already established open landfills (Nguyen & Le, 2011). This would also decrease
the amount of water pollution in their rivers and canals (Engineers Without Borders 2012), which
16
currently contributes to several waterborne and water contact diseases such as bacterial diarrhoea and
leptospirosis (CIAFactbook, 2010). This system also increases the frequency of waste collection, as
currently rural areas are not visited as regularly as cities, 65-72% as compared to 40-55%
respectively (Nguyen & Le 2011). Furthermore the initiative can be started with little capital and
operating costs (Hoornweg, Thomas & Otten 1999), meaning less strain is placed on the need for
large compost sales and monthly collection fees. This also provides an opportunity to improve a
city’s overall waste collection program or can integrate existing informal sectors involved in the
collection, separation and recycling of wastes. However, DCC has the potential for nuisance such as
odour and rodents if not maintained sufficiently (Hoornweg et al. 1999). Moreover, if the compost
does not have a ready established market, there may be significant difficulty in selling the finished
product, as seen in Brazil with only 18 of 54 facilities operating in 1990 (Hoornweg et al. 1999).
4.3 Methods of Composting
As mentioned previously in section 3.31,there are three levels of composting, each of which involves
different levels of active participation. DCC operates at a neighborhood (community) scale at a
comparatively low cost (Hoornweg et al. 1999). This is the chosen level of composting as it actively
involves community input, particularly through various job opportunities (as waste sorters, transport
drivers, plant operators, plant workers, etc.), and also doesn’t rely as heavily upon individual upkeep
when compared to small scale compositing which relies on each household maintaining their own
small composting system. Furthermore, the DCC method requires less management, organisation and
capital compared to a large-scale (centralised) composting system would (Hoornweg et al. 1999).
Thus DCC is most appropriate given Kien Giang’s poor economy.
4.4 Management Model
A municipally owned and community operated decentralised composting scheme is the management
model selected. This system involves the community operating and maintaining the composting
plant, with the municipality primarily required for initial planning and implementation of the scheme
(Rothenberger, Zurbrugg, Enayetullah & Sinha, 2006). It is preferred that the community also
participates in these initial processes, in hopes for continual community contribution. This model
creates local employment opportunities and reduces secondary collection and transport costs by
treating waste close to the source (Rothenberger et al., 2006). Operational and maintenance costs are
covered by monthly fees charged to households for the waste collection service, and from the sale of
17
the compost. This is preferred to privately owned and/or operated models, as community composting
often does not produce high or stable profit, and would thus not appeal to private corporations, see
Appendices figure 9 (Table 2 2004).
4.5 Collection Method
The chosen method of waste collection is kerbside. This operates by households carrying their
individual waste bins to the front of their house on a scheduled day for the waste collectors to empty
their contents and, when the vehicles storage container is full, it is transferred to the DCC plant
(Rothenberger et al., 2006). Kerbside collection respects cultural privacy, particularly when
compared to other alternative methods such as door to door, which requires either a member of the
household to be home when collection occurs or for the waste collector to enter their courtyard or
garden to collect their bins (United Nations Environment Programme 2005). This can be seen as an
invasion of privacy and may prevent community support and participation in the composting
initiative. The average crew size required is 1-3 people (UNCHS (Habitat) 1988), providing potential
job opportunities for local members of the community. To minimise the chance of waste spillage or
smell, and waste pickers or animals, the bins will have fitted lids. The waste collectors will visit each
area twice a week, as a scheduled service (Hoornweg et al. 1999). This means households will know
when to take their bins out for collection and presents a professional image for the project.
4.6 Types of Waste
DCC directly involves organic waste, and thus this will be the major focus of waste collected.
However, other types of waste are likely to contaminate this collection (United Nations Environment
Programme 2005). To address this issue there will be a designated area within the DCC plant (see
Figure 8 for plant design) allocated for sorting the waste into organic, recyclable and other. To
minimise this potentially inefficient process, two bins will be provided; one for organic waste and the
other for recyclable goods (see section 4.8 Bins). As there are private companies operating in An
Minh who buy recyclable materials from households (Engineers Without Borders 2012), this second
bin will be used as a convenient storage for these collectors, providing the private companies approve
of this proposal. This DCC scheme does not wish to take away the private companies market for
recyclables as this can also provide a small income for local families (Engineers Without Borders
2012), so wishes to partner and provide bins to improve efficiency and reduce any potential for
confusion at the new system.
18
4.7 Transport
Transportation is needed to collect the waste from each household and transfer it to the DCC plant
site. A number of requirements were considered in order to select the most appropriate vehicle.
Needs to consider:
• Road conditions and structure; i.e. narrow lanes and unrefined roads
• The storage capacity and weight density restrictions of the vehicle, which affects the number of
trips each vehicle can and will need to make per day
• The distance the vehicle can travel per day
• Weather conditions (regular rainfall); i.e. storage containers should be covered
• The availability for spare vehicle parts for repairs, at a local level
(Adapted from Rothenberger et al., 2006)
The automatic rickshaw van, the Tipper, was selected as the chosen vehicle. The closed storage
container has a 1.6m3 capacity, with a 500kg weight limit (Lovson 2012). This ensures that the waste
is secure and protected from weather conditions, with the ability to hold sufficient quantities of waste
based on the processing of 3 tonnes of waste per day as previously stated. The vehicle is 1.07m wide
(Lovson 2012) allowing for narrow settlements, ensuring minimal disruption. To minimise physical
labour when dumping the collected waste at the site, the Tipper has the ability to tip the waste into a
pile using a hand operated hydraulic system (Lovson 2012). This prevents questions of sanitation in
handling waste. By selecting this vehicle, it requires a trained driver and two waste collectors per van
(Hoornweg et al. 1999). While this was the most appropriate vehicle, there are negative
environmental implications as the Tipper is automatic and runs off fuel. However laboured vehicles,
both human and animal carts, were not suitable as they have insufficient density and distance
capacities estimated as 2km and 5km respectively (Rothenberger et al. 2006). No further information
could be found on local transport repair companies or facilities.
4.8 Bins
Each household will receive two bins, for organic waste and recyclable goods. These will be
differentiated by colour and size; the organic waste bin being green and of a 120L capacity while the
recyclable goods bin will be blue and have a 80L capacity. These sizes and colours are based off
standard sizing as indicated by Australian Waste Management 2011. The organic waste bin is larger
due to the projects focus on organic waste, and the acknowledgement that as previously state, 72.52%
19
of total solid waste is organic (INVENT 2009). The recyclable bin will be provided, if the private
recyclable companies approve of the proposed partnership between their established systems and the
DCC planned initiative. These bins will be made of recycled plastics as it is environmentally
appropriate (by virtue of it being recycled), is a relatively cheap product and is lighter than other
suggested materials such as tin and is durable (Queensland Museum 2005, p.18). Their
appropriateness is evident through their continued widespread use in developed countries such as
Australia (Australian Waste Management 2011). A further three larger bins, of capacity 1100L, will
be dispersed around the affected community to allow people without land the opportunity to
participate in this project. These ‘community bins’ will just be for storing organic waste, and will be
emptied just as regularly as individual bins.
4.9 Electricity Source
The DCC plant must have electricity power for a number of functions such as lighting, computers
and telephones. To minimise the environmental impact of the project, solar power is the selected
choice of a power source. Renewable energy is largely supported by the Vietnamese government
with the target for renewable energy to account for 5% of total electricity production in the country
by 2025 (Austrade 2011). It is further recommended for rural areas with diffuse populations where
mini-grid systems are not feasible (Austrade 2011), shown through solar battery systems
implemented by the Government in Mekon Delta provinces Tien Giang and Tra Vinh (Do 2009),
indicating that this is the most appropriate energy source for the An Minh region also. Solar panels
will be provided and fitted by the Bach-khoa Investment and Development Of Solar Energy Co Ltd, a
company based in Ho Chi Minh city (Solar BK 2010).
4.10 Employment
This project seeks to involve the benefiting community actively through various avenues, particularly
through employment opportunities. Citizens will be hired as van drivers, waste collectors and plant
workers. While the ideal would involve mainly employing impoverished or marginalised citizens,
these will not be requirements, as the DCC must be culturally sensitive towards traditional roles and
also ensure exclusion divides are not made. Hiring local citizens for labour is recommended by
Waste Concern as they are familiar with the impacted communities and work for a reasonable cost
(Concerned Scientist with a Cause, n.d). This further confirms the management model of being
20
‘community run’ as there is a continual aspect of participation, which can be developed as
professionals will train workers in their specified positions.
Workers will be required to wear uniforms, to present a professional looking and formal enterprise.
These uniforms will have to be in line with cultural beliefs of appropriate attire, so the project is not
offensive or interferes with social norms. Instead of enforcing a strict uniform requirement, the
colour blue will be used to recognise workers, this means that religious and cultural beliefs will not
conflict such as wearing a Burka. Otherwise a simple blue polo will be provided for workers wishing
to wear these.
4.11 Education
Relevantly university educated and sufficiently qualified educators will be hired to communicate and
present ideas about how to relate and teach local citizens various aspects of the project and the issue
of waste management in general. These education facilitators must be dual linguist (English and
Vietnamese), to allow ease of communication between locals and project managers. Initially
information will be translated across the loudspeaker system in the centre of each commune
(Engineers Without Borders 2012), allowing for a mass audience with little formality. This may also
appear culturally sensitive by contributing to an already established means of communication in the
local district. Simple posters will be attached to the bins, with pictures explaining which types of
wastes are suitable and which are not to put in each specified bin. Pictures allow for a simple
message to translate easily, and ensure that language barriers and literacy would not be prevailing
issues. If successful, this would improve the efficiency of the DCC scheme as less time spent sorting
the incoming waste would be needed.
21
4.12 Ideal FinalResult Diagrams
Figure 1. Ideal Final Result Diagram I
Stakeholders
People with land
People without land
Local Government
Self sustaining WMS
Improve health
Affordable continual
WMS
Direct involvement
and participation
Easy to understand system
Improve sanitation
*Waste management system (WMS)
Figure 3: Ideal Final Result Diagram I
22
Figure 1. Ideal Final Result Diagram II
Stakeholders
Waste companies
Private recycling companies
National Government
Less waste transported to landfills
Fewer transportation
costs
Successful WMS for
widespread use
Continued private
recycling market
Citizen satisfaction
Fig 4: Ideal Final Result Diagram II
*Waste management system (WMS)
23
Figure 1. Ideal Final Result Diagram III
Stakeholders
Not-for-profits (i.e. Waste Concern)
Medical centres
Multi-national corporations
Successful implementation - awareness and promotion towards WMS
Improved health
No pressure to decrease
their output of waste
Maintain market
No additional expenses
Figure 5: Ideal Final Result Diagram III
4.13 Explanation of Ideal Final Result Diagrams
(All final results are estimated based upon design specifications detailed
in this chapter
of the report,
*Waste management
system (WMS)
and their application to assumed ideals from the stakeholders towards the DCC schemes potential
effect).
24
Ideal Final Result Diagram I

Affordable continual WMS - both people with and without land do not want additional
expenses for waste collection, however to sustain the project, fees must be charged. Thus fees
are based on the average Vietnamese wage and financial figures used in Bangladesh’s similar
DCC system, ensuring their practicality.

Self-Sustaining WMS- the local government wants a long-term and sustainable waste
management system, with little need for continuing governmental resources. If successful the
DCC plant will be a permanent fixture and run by the community.

Improve Health- people with and without land are directly affected by health standards, thus
hoping to decrease health risks from pollution, the government would also want this in
accordance with its role to protect the people. Health would be improved due to a decrease in
pollution in rivers and the streets.

Direct Involvement and Participation- local people would like to be involved to sufficiently
understand the system, to decrease
potential suspicion over a foreign company and monetary
value through job opportunities. The management model of community run allows and
encourages this.

Improve Sanitation - all stakeholders would hope for this outcome, for the same reasons as
improved health. However the DCC only deals with organic waste so this issue is not
sufficiently addressed.

Easy to Understand System -the local community do not want a complicated system in place,
as it may cause confusion and decrease willing participation. DCC is organised and simple,
and the education system of posters and announcements promotes simplicity while informing.
Ideal Final Result Diagram II

Less Waste Needing to be Transported to Landfills - landfills are expensive and bad for the
environment, thus the National Government would hope to decrease the amount of waste
transported there. The scheme deals with organic waste (the highest percentage of total
waste), and recycling is promoted to private markets, thus less waste will be needed for
dumping in landfills.
25

Fewer Transportation Costs - waste companies are based in suburbs and cities, thus rural area
waste collection is expensive to travel to, hence the want for a cheaper alternative. The project
hopes to take over from their rarely visited rural market, meaning fewer transportation costs
involved for them.

Successful WMS for Widespread Use - Vietnam has apparent waste management issues, thus
the National Government may be interested in new solutions. If the DCC plant is successful,
it may be implemented in similar areas.

Citizen Satisfaction - all stakeholders would hope for citizen satisfaction, so few complaints
are made. Support will be garnered through active participation and continued opportunity for
individual feedback.

Continued Private Recycling Market - private recycling companies would want to maintain
their market, as this is their source of income. The design acknowledges this and will not
attempt to sell or collect recyclables, and hopes to provide bins specifically for recycling to
ease collection and confusion.
Ideal Final Result Diagram II

No Pressure to Decrease Their Output of Waste - multi-national corporations (MNCs) and
medical centers would like to not be directly involved or feel pressure to change their current
doings. While they will not be directly approached, the project hopes to raise awareness and
inform citizens about waste which may prompt some disapproval towards these companies
and institutions.

Successful implementation (awareness and promotion towards WMS) - waste concern would
hope to garner support and awareness of their DCC model, to improve current waste
management systems in developing countries. The report acknowledges Waste Concern as a
major contributor towards the projects development and may form partnership if the charity
wish.

Improved Health - medical centres want improved citizens health, to increase their perception
of success. Less pollution in the streets/rivers, will result in decreased health risks and thus
increased health standards.

No Additional Expenses - as this project does not directly involve or have any major
26
advantages to these stakeholders, they would not want to be expensed for the service. No
additional charges would occur.

Maintain Market - Waste Concern would prefer their direct consultation for DCC projects in
other areas and MNCs would hope to have continued costumers. Waste Concern are noted
and MNCs are not shamed.
4.14 Risk Assessment Analysis
According to the UWA’s Safety Risk Management Procedure (University Safety Committee, 2011)
we can determine the Risk Assessment of the proposed solution as follows:
Flooding of
the Mekong
Delta river
(and
centre)
The use of
power tools
during
construction
causing
injuries
Injuries
from the
use of
ladders
Tripping over
displaced
objects
Crash of
the rubbish
collecting
truck
Back
injuries
from
sorting
waste
Collisions
between
humans and
the pick-up
trucks
Consequences
Serious
15
Serious
15
Serious
15
Noticeable
1
Disaster
50
Very
Serious
25
Disaster
50
Likelihood
Unusual
3
Likely
6
Unusual
3
Likely
6
Remotely
Possible
1
Unusual
3
Remotely
possible
1
Exposure
Rare
1
Infrequent
2
Rare
1
Infrequent
2
Rare
1
Rare
1
Infrequent
2
Risk score
Total score
= 45
Low risk
Total score
=180
Medium risk
Total
Score
=45
Low risk
Total score
=12
Low risk
Total score
=50
Low risk
Total score
= 75
Low risk
Total score
=100
Medium risk
Table 2: Risk Assessment Analysis
The proposed Solution has a relatively low risk rating, as it does not involve complicated machinery
or dangerous tools. The risks identified must be noted to the employees to further reduce the
likelihood of the risk occurring, this will be done so through worker inductions and informative
posters around the workplace.
27
5. Team Processes
5.1 Preparation
In order to select and develop the most appropriate waste management solution, the team began to
research the contextual background the province Anh Minh. This ensured a greater understanding of
the Kien Giang province and more specifically, the district of Anh Minh. Gathering information on
the location, general demographics, current education standards and economic conditions of the local
people, with a central focus on the rural wastage problem of Anh Minh, enabled the team to develop
an in depth understanding of the issue.
To allow for more effective communication, it was necessary to exchange contact information.
Weekly meetings were held every Monday at noon, providing a venue at which work could be
discussed. This ensured all members were up to date and continually aware of the team’s progress.
An exclusive discussion group was created on the social networking site Facebook. This provided a
venue for group members to discuss and resolve issues between team meeting times. These methods
of communication proved to be effective and efficient, and did not conflict with schedules of
individual members.
5.2 General Processes of Team B
Research:

During the first group meeting, Mari-Clair informed the group of the percentage of solid
waste collection in the cities (65-72%) and rural areas (about 40-55%). It was also discovered that
60-85% of the total waste is organic matter, (Hoang & Viet, 2011). These two facts became the major
considerations in deciding which method of waste management would be most beneficial.

Other team members researched different methods of waste management in order to explore
possible solutions. Chelsea Bambrick was researched the potential of composting, Albert Doung was
allocated to research education, Matthew Thornley focussed on recycling and its applications, and
Jian Chen researched the current waste management systems in the region.
Evaluation:

The team discussed the advantages and disadvantages of each scheme and the level of
appropriateness in the given Vietnamese context. By this stage, composting was to be the proposed
solution. Mari-Clair developed the layout for the project proposal by making a guideline of
28
subheadings. Once again, members were assigned a task to focus on. These ideas were developed and
presented in the first brief oral presentation.
Distribution of Work:

Following the structure of the report, Mari-Clair wrote an introduction and various report
formalities (such as the contents), Chelsea described the composting solution and justified it as the
chosen model, Albert demonstrated the role and importance of education, Matthew described
recycling and concluded, while Jian searched other and current ways of waste management in more
detail.
Feedback and Review:

Upon receiving feedback from the speech, the team realized that insufficient time was spent
preparing and practicing the presentation as a team. It was concluded that the team must be better
organized for the final presentation.Project details were to be more specific for the final report, such
as the kind and quantity of vehicles to be purchased. From this experience it was decided that the
final report draft was to be finished two weeks before it was due, to allow time for preparation of the
final presentation and to cross-edit written work. Particular attention was drawn to proper referencing
methods.
Group Meetings:

Group meetings enabled issues to be identified and addressed. Examples include what types
of materials are compostable, how far Kien Giang province is from the rivers considering their
potential to flood and the ways to deal with waste unsuitable for composting. Each group member
contributed to these decisions by researching, discussing, analyzing and collaboratively deciding on
an alternative. Most decisions were made during the weekly meetings.
Final Report:

For the final report Chelsea was required to analyze the financial aspect of the project in order
to evaluate its feasibility and sustainability, Mari-Clair researched the benefits of using solar energy
as the plants energy source (to minimize environmental impact), Albert designed the plant layout to
be used as the prototype model, Jian found statistics on the population density of An Minh to base
29
calculations of targeted area and the plant’s capacity, whilst the practicality of Utes as transport was
researched by Matthew. During the group meeting, the group discussed efficiency rate to the local
environment in high, moderate and low, for example, government and local environment.

To make sure that out team method of process was allocation and evenly distributing the
workload. Each team members again were allocated new tasks. This proved to be effective in all
situations including the project proposal. Since most of the things have completed, the group has
decided to write a draft for the final report, which ensure the team can finish earlier and do the
preparation for the final presentation.
5.3 Team Conflicts
Conflicts may arise in situations where each team members posses different goals. However, it is not
a necessarily a negative thing as it often leads to personal and professional growth.

A small conflict occurred when there were several solutions considered appropriate for the
project proposal. Every team members had their own understanding of the most suitable
solution. With no one solution being selected, the team decided to make new tasks to
complete further research. It was addressed one week later, by comparison with pros and cons
of each scheme, which solution would be proposed.

The team has also helped Jian a lot with his writing and speaking as English is his second
language. Because of the cultural and logical differences, there always exist problems such as
difficulty communicating and poor writing skills. However, this did not cause major issues
within the team, and his skills have drastically improved with the assistance of team
members.

Overall, no major issue occurred throughout the course of the unit.
Refer to Table 4 for SWOT analysis
6. Results and Discussion
6.1 What the Final Solution Addresses
The proposed solution tackles the prevalent waste issue and more specifically the issue of excess
organic matter. Organic matter comprises 72.52% (Hoa, 2011) of total waste in Kien Giang. The
proposed solution also seeks to improve rural waste collection rates by offering a rural community
30
based collection service, on regular and frequent intervals. The solution does not impose drastic costs
to the community, as it is a continual low budget based solution. This means that all different income
earners will have access to proper waste management facilities.
6.2 What the Final Solution Does Not Address
As the composting solution only addresses organic matter (and some human waste), it excludes any
other waste material. This waste will therefore be transported to landfills which are running at
capacity and are seriously detrimental to the environment and general health of the surrounding
community. However, by collecting and managing organic (and human) waste, the amount of waste
needing to be transported to landfill sites is being drastically reduced. The final solution does not
target on the urban areas. This is not an issue however, as these areas have a significantly better
waste management system in place than rural areas. Examples of waste management system in urban
areas include the Urban Environment Company (UENCO) and private recycling companies.
6.3 Photographs of the Design
Figure 7: Box Composting Plant in Quy Nhon City, Vietnam.
The compost boxes have plastic doors at the front of each
end to facilitate their emptying. This gives an indication of
the scale of the compost boxes and what they look like.
Source: Rothenberger et al.(2006)
Figure 6: Prototype Solar Panels.
This shows solar panels on the roof, which will be
designed and installed by Minh Ha Co. Ltd.
31
Figure 8: Windrow Composting System, Layout Plan
Source: Annex 4B, p.86, Rothenberger et al., 2006
6.4 Social Questionnaire
Following is a series of questions which may be suitable for use in a social questionnaire. A social
questionnaire acts an important tool in gathering information and feedback regarding the design from
the community. It will also ensure that, if implemented, the decentralized composting plant will have
support form community. It is the level of community support which will govern the success of the
proposed solution. The purpose of some of the possible questions is explained. In general, questions
must be simple and a majority of questions will be able to be answered in the form of multiple
choices. This will allow for the questionnaire to be easily understood, and will allow for ease of
completion by all members of the community. Community members will be allowed to make
comments both throughout and at the end of the questionnaire.
1. Would you consider using a composting system if it was to be implemented?
Since the needs and wants of community members may vary, the community opinion on the project
design is necessary. Seeking the answer to the previously mentionedquestion can assist with gaining
32
the support of the community. This is the first and foremost step to successful implementation of a
successful solution. What is more, the composting system is one of the most potential solutions to the
waste problem in Anh Minh.
2. Which composting system would you prefer to deal with your organic waste,a household or
community system?
The composting scheme will always be embedded in a complex and rapidly changing environment
impossible to control and difficult to predict. However, the better your understanding of the external
factors initiative, the better you can adapt and react to changes.
3. Where do you consider an appropriate location for the composting plant?
4. Do you think the composting plant would be beneficial in a rural area?
After identifying the potentials, risks and relevant stakeholders and deciding to go ahead with the
composting plant, focus is placed on selecting the area the solution will target. If the decision-makers
propose several locations for the composting site, these should be visited and the project presented to
the community and beneficiaries. The local community must support the location of the plant.
5. What quantity ofwasteis able to be recycled in your community? Do you consider recycling to be a
more appropriate waste management solution?
This question is directed towards the members of the community who participate in the process of
recycling. A direct measurement of the average household waste generation is necessary is such data
is not available. We can make a budget according the to the data in transformation, the number and
size of composting plant in order to avoid wasting and unnecessary utilizing.
6. What method of transport do you deem to be appropriate?
The choice of waste collection vehicles is also dependent on local topography and road conditions.
No general recommendations are possible as the choice mainly depends on the local conditions,
cultural backgrounds, amount of waste present and type of household waste. The vehicle must be
selected to suit the environment as well as the wants of the local community.
33
7. What system other than composting would they like to be promoted/implemented?
8. Are you satisfied with current waste management system?
9. Do you think waste is an issue? Does it have an affect on you?
According to research regarding the population density of local area, amount of waste produced, road
condition and local economy conditions, we need to find a most appropriate solution by comparison
with other solution to adjust to these conditions and comfort people there as well.
10. In comparison to the amount of waste produced each day, do you believe that a large-scale
composting plant would be successful in your community?
Local opinion strongly influences the final solution. However, land utilizing is also a large
consideration. The size of the plant must be designed to a suitable scale, so that it can be operated
without the possibility of waste accumulation.
11. Where should factory be built?
The local environment must be considered when choosing a location for the plant. If not properly
managed, a composting facility can produce pungent odors that can adversely affect its neighbors.
12. How often would you wish to have your waste collected? Would you pay for the proposed waste
management services?
The frequency of waste collection strongly depends on the amount of wastes produced by the local
community. Having an appropriate frequency of collection will ensure the efficiency of the
decentralized community compost plant. In addition, the expenditure must be considered throughout
the project. As transportation is costly, an appropriate collection rate will allow for this cost to be
monitored.
13. How many households does the community comprise?
14. What is the average daily waste generation rate of a household in the project area?
15. How much organic biodegradable material is contained in this waste?
16. How much recycle material is contained in the waste?
34
6.5 Community Involvement
Ways in which the community of Anh Minh can be involved in the compost project include:

Assisting with any aspect of the building of the compost plant

Participation in social questionnaires. Social questionnaires will gather information regarding
gather the needs and wants of the local people. In order to be successful, the compost plant
design and the implemented processes need the full support of the local people.

Large companies in the community may donate items or funds in order to help work towards
a cleaner community

The project offers jobs to members of the community. Examples of jobs offered by the
incentive include builders, plant managers, plant operators, waste collectors and van drivers.

Members of the community will also assist towards the education associated with the project.
This is an ongoing aspect of the project that includes all members of the community whom
assist with promoting our solution, as well as promoting environmental awareness in general.
6.6The Role of the Anh Minh Community in the Final Solution
All members of the Ahn Minh community will have the opportunity to be involved in the project.
The opinions of the community regarding the composting project will be voiced through the social
questionnaires. If the community approves the compost plant design, they will then be involved in
the composting process by using the compost bins in order to have their organic waste managed
appropriately.
The project aims to involve the community of Anh Minh, to the extent where they can be equipped
with the skills necessary to operate, sustain and manage the compost plant. The education aspect of
the project, plus onsite experience will provide local people with the skills needed in order to do so.
The project provides jobs to local people, as well as involving the whole of the Anh Minh community
in the composting process. By encouraging composting within the local community many, and
possibly all local families, will participate in the composting process i.e. will use the provided bins in
order to have their compost waste managed.
With the local people having such a large involvement at every stage of the compost project, the
decentralized community composting initiative will no doubt address the needs of the people. The
35
waste management system will not impose on existing waste management systems, but instead will
work alongside and promote their methods of waste management also.
The project opts to involve the whole community of Anh Minh, not only in the final process of the
composting itself, but more importantly in the designing, building and all other aspect of creating and
sustaining the project. As a result, our project addresses the issue of making sure the local people do
not feel like ‘clients’ to whom ‘services’ are delivered. In other words, the initiative will not be a
situation in which the local people exist only as engaged participants. Instead however, the project
will be to a large extent, designed, built, managed, implemented and sustained both for and by the
local people of Anh Minh.
7. Conclusion
The proposed waste management solution is a municipally owned and community operated,
decentralized compost plant. With organic matter accounting for up to 85% of all waste produced in
Mekong Delta, (Hoang & Viet, 2011), the project has the potential to radically decrease the extent of
the waste management issue in Anh Minh. By locating the compost plant in a rural area of Anh
Minh, the proposed solution will be able to rectify the lack of waste management in this area (Hoang
& Viet, 2011). Community support and involvement will have major influence on the success of the
incentive, with the project having the potential to create a sustainable and efficient waste
management system that is run both for and by the Anh Minh community. Consequently, members of
the community will be involved in all aspects of the project.
The impact the proposed solution may have on existing private recycling companies and the income
that the local families receive from their recycled materials has been taken into consideration. In an
attempt to avoid negatively impacting these areas of the community, work will be done alongside the
private recycling systems currently in place. By promoting recycling as well as composting, both the
intended compost plant processes and existing recycling practices will be promoted within the local
community. In effect, this will have a positive impact on the community, existing recycling
companies and thus further decrease the waste management issue in Anh Minh. The incentive will be
promoted by means of education. By raising awareness and educating local people on the topics of
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waste, the waste issue and waste management methods, the need for a waste management solution
such as the proposed compost plant will be recognized.
8. Recommendations
8.1 Bioreactor Landfill
Bioreactor landfills are an alternative form of waste disposal technology. The bioreactor landfill is a
built facility used to accelerate the decomposition process of waste and to maximise the capture of
biogas for conversion into green electricity (Veolia Enviromental Services, 2012). As the rate of
decomposition is increased, more garbage can be dumped in the landfill. As traditional landfills are
filling up at faster rates, due to population increases, bioreactor landfills account for that increasing
population and generation of waste allowing it to be properly managed. They enable more land to be
occupied as it decreases the landfill spaced needed. However, this solution is extremely costly. This
method would assist the proposed solution, as the other than organic must be dumped in landfills.
This method would be able to decompose at a faster rate and provide further space for more garbage
(Veolia Enviromental Services, 2012).
8.2 Converting Waste into Energy
The processing of garbage into fuel and energy is a new technological advancement that is still being
developed and tested (BULLIS, 2009). This is done through the incinerations of garbage in a very
low oxygenated environment, so waste does not catch on fire but decomposes (BULLIS, 2009). The
garbage decomposes to a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, commonly known as syngas
(BULLIS, 2009). These gases can either be put into a turbine to produce electricity or converted into
gasoline and ethanol. As the incineration occurs at low oxygenated levels no deadly chemicals are
produced. This waste solution is appropriate in addressing the problem of organic waste. It enables
the organic waste to be burnt and converted into fuel. As organic waste is the dominantcomponent of
waste in Kien Giang, the electricity and fuels produced can be sold for a profit or used to the
communities benefit. However this is a relatively new technology which can cost vast amounts of
money, and is still undergoing research. As Kien Giang has a relatively low average income, it would
be an inappropriate solution to be implemented straight away. However, this solution may be able to
be implemented in the future once the cost of this solution decreases, as it provides electricity and
fuels which can be used in various industries.
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8.3 The Education Curriculum
Education is the key to a successful and sustainable solution. The solution will not be able to
immediately implement an educational program of waste management into the existing curriculum as
this may result in the crossing of many social, cultural or boundaries. Qualified professionals would
need to further research the topic of waste and integrate aspects specific to this proposed solution into
school education. The curriculumaddressing the issue may be developed with the appropriate
department of government and, over a given amount of time, may be incorporated into the Anh Minh
education system.
9. Appendix
Figure 9: Yearly Costs and Revenues of Mirpur Composting Plant
Source: http://www.fischer.eawag.ch/organisation
38
Stakeholders
People
without land
Economic
+ relatively low cost to
upkeep/sustain
+ job opportunities to collect
organic waste from
households to deliver to the
community centre
People with
land
+ same as above
Waste
companies
+ less waste to be collected,
thereby less transport costs
Local
government
- assisting with initial start-up
costs or land donation
- implementing public
educational programs
+ (long term) self-sustaining
method, few continual costs
+ could invest in the project,
if a stable and sufficient
market for the compost is
developed
+ compost/fertiliser
companies may purchase
finalised product
+ could become partners in
the project, save costs if
implementing environmental
projects singularly
Private
companies
Not-for-profit
organisations
Social (health, cultural, etc.)
+ composting plant will be located
near the community to provide a
sense of participation and
ownership
+ job initiatives particularly
encourage women to become
involved
+ improve health by preventing
improper rubbish disposal in
rivers, thus preventing disease
from water sources
+ same as above
+ opportunities to purchase
finished compost for agricultural
purposes
+ improve health/hygiene for
collectors as waste collected will
be sorted properly
+ Similar models in other
developing countries (i.e. Waste
Concern in Bangladesh),
encourages diplomatic relations
Environmental
- if not organised or
implemented effectively
there may be odour or
more organic waste on
the streets
+ composting reduces
greenhouse gas, saves
landfill space
+/- same as above
+ less waste being
transported to open land
fill sites, which sustains
those for longer
+ fewer concerns
regarding organic waste
on streets
+ improve cleanliness of area,
thus encouraging investment in
the local area
+ same as above
+opportunities for local jobs,
meaning the people may be less
reliant on charitable organisations
and more self-dependent
+ a self-sustaining program,
community run
+ reduces greenhouse
gas emission, reduces
landfill space
Table 3: Stakeholder analysis for Decentralised Community Composting
39
Figure 10: Rainbow Plot
40
Figure 11: Prototype Model.Above is a picture of the DCC centre prototype. There is space allocated
for waste sorting and storing in the top right hand corner, to ensure that the final compost is not
contaminated with unsuitable waste such as metals. Flora as shown through the presence of the trees,
is a major component in the centre’s presentation. Safety is a major concern of the project, as
demonstrated by the hazard and exit signs. Of course other safety aspects and initiatives will be
introduced, these are just two examples of such.
Figure 12: Educational Poster. This is a poster informing citizens in Bangladesh of which waste is
suitable for each bin. As is evident, simple pictures with clear colouring systems are used effectively
to avoid any confusion. These give a good indication of what this projects advertising posters may
look like, given the Bangladesh’s initiatives success.
Source: Sinha. M. 2010, pp 42.
41
Figure 13: Sorting of Waste. This photograph is from the Waste Concern initiative in Bangladesh.
Here it shows workers sorting incoming (and potentially) mixed household waste. Some locals prefer
to sort on the ground while others do so on a table or platform. This decision will be made for this
project’s sorting room, after consulting local citizens for their preference.
Source: Rothenberger et al., 2006
Figure 14: Automatic Rickshaw Van. The selected vehicle; the automatic rickshaw van ‘The Tipper’
by company Lovson. The vehicle has a hand operated hydraulic system which tips the waste out from
the storage container, preventing hygiene issues for workers. It has a weight capacity of 500kg and a
width of 1.07m, ensuring sufficient capability in withstanding the wastes weight and causing minimal
disruption to narrow road settlements.
Source:Lovson, 2012.
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Strengths
 Communication is Team B’s greatest strength.
The team is able to communicate verbally and
using tools such as email and Facebook.
 Team Work; all members of Team B work well
together and no personality or opinion clashes
occurred throughout the course of the unit.
 All members displayed commitment.
 Humor can also be noted as team strength.
Members are able to incorporate humor into group
discussion regarding the project.
 Strong team relationship
 Members take ownership of “Team B”
 High levels of motivation exist within the team.
 Excellent at solving team issues. This may be a
result of good communication.
 Evaluating and critical thinking skills
 Organization and willingness to cooperate
Weaknesses
 Time Management can be noted as a weakness of
Team B. For most tasks, the expected team
deadline had to be extended. However, this may
have also be a result of the team not making
appropriate deadlines for tasks.
 The level of productivity is also a weakness.
Despite good relationships existing within the
group, this lead to many discussions being off topic
and unrelated to the project. This may also be a
reason for a lack time management
 Distraction is a weakness also related to having
friendship within the group. Off topic discussions
resulted in the distraction of members.
 Creative thinking. Members were slow to come up
with new and innovative solution.
 Although it is not necessarily a weakness, the depth
of research could have been improved. This
includes more specific and detailed research from a
greater variety of sources.
Opportunities
 Learning new information about Vietnam and
the importance of developing an understanding
of the context of the project.
 Developing teamwork skills, communication
(both oral and written), and time management
skills. All these skills will be of beneficial use
for future projects.
 Forming new friendships between members of
the group.
Threats
 Other teams may be considered a threat to the
team. They may be interested in aspect of our
project.
 The limited amount of time to complete the project
is a major threat to the team. Time management
skills are necessary for this unit.
 Timetable table clashes limit the time members are
able to meet as a team
 Group member commitments and balancing other
unit work is also a threat.
Table 4: SWOT analysis
10. References
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Concerned Scientist with a Cause, n.d., Waste Concern. Available from:
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Habitat For Humanity. (2012, February). Vietnam. Retrieved from Habitat For Humanity:
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Hoornweg, D., Thomas, L., Otte, L (1999). Composting and Its Applicability in Developing
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Law, G. (2011). Districts of Vietnam. Retrieved from:
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Lovson 2012, Deals on Three Wheels. L. E. Ltd. Mumbai, India.
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Countries. Produced by Waste Concern and retrieved from:
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Saleh Faraj Magram (2011). Worldwide solid waste recycling strategies: A review. Retrieved from:
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Sinha. M 2010. ‘Decentralised Approach to Waste Management and Composting for Climate/co
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11. Distribution of the Final Report
The content of the final report was distributed evenly, with each member writing approximately
2,000 words.
Mari-Clair was allocated the executive summary, introduction, the community section of the results
and discussion, and the conclusion. She also put the final report together and contributed to the
section discussing the background information.
Matt was allocated the Problem Identification and the Recommendations. He also contributed to the
Results and Discussion by writing section 6.2 and 6.2
Albert wrote the section discussing the design choices.
Chelsea was allocated the section discussing the final Design Choice.
Jian contributed to the report by writing the Team Processes. He also wrote the section discussing
Social Questionnaires in the results and discussion.
Thank you for your time.
46