Globally, we are producing a colossal 1.3 billion tons of waste annually that goes into landfill; this is projected to increase to 2.2 billion tons by 2025 and as a result, it poses an enormous environmental issue for the planet and impacts on human health.
Many different materials that are extremely harmful to humans, animals and plant life end up in landfills, for example, batteries, televisions and electronics such as computers, contain substances like arsenic, acids, cadmium and lead, which contain toxins that are eventually released and leach into the soil and groundwater. Mercury from fluorescent light bulbs is another toxic substance that frequently appears in landfills. It poses major health risks, as inhaling even a small amount of mercury vapor can harm our kidneys and cause respiratory failure.
Landfills also produce leachate, a type of toxic liquid. As groundwater and rain seeps through the landfill it collects decomposed waste components, and chemical reactions take place resulting in a toxic leachate “cocktail”, which can contaminate water supplies and surrounding land. Chemicals commonly found in leachate include methane, carbon dioxide, organic acids, alcohols and aldehydes.
Our landfill problems also contribute to climate change. Organic material such as food scraps are usually compacted when they are put into a landfill. This removes oxygen and causes the material to break down anaerobically and eventually this produces methane, a type of greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide and wreaks havoc on the environment. Methane from landfill sites account for 12% of total global methane emissions and almost 5% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Methane is also highly flammable and can be very dangerous in large concentrations.
The billions of tons of rubbish we are depositing into landfills is creating problems for future generations that we don’t even fully understand yet. Much of this buried rubbish includes polystyrene or petroleum-based plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is used to make containers, cups and bottles. Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons, much of it in single-use disposable products that end up in landfill. Some plastics are considered indestructible because they don’t decompose in the same way organic material does and many sources suggest that it can take from 10 to 1,000 years to decompose, others argue that plastic will never biodegrade.
One of the ways to prevent plastic from ending up in landfill is to avoid plastics altogether, or alternatively you can reuse and refill the plastic containers you already have.
Here is a list of places in Hanoi, Hoi An and Danang where you can bring your own containers and refill.
HOI AN
Refillables: This is central Vietnam’s first refillable concept store, located in the historic city of Hoi An. I heard about Refillables from a friend and went to visit Alison, the owner and manager to find out why she started her business. Alison told me that Refillables was developed with the hope of easing the overuse of single-use plastics and highlighting the growing movement and creativity of environmental awareness in Vietnam. The interior also follows a zero-waste ethos, with furniture and fittings made from reclaimed materials, such as beach driftwood.
Refillables is a one-stop-shop providing locally sourced eco-friendly household and personal care products that are free of harmful chemicals and are affordable and accessible to everyone. There is a wide selection of foods and cooking oils, and as well as DIY ingredients, you just need to bring your own empty jars, bottles or containers and fill them. Refills are charged by weight therefore customers can purchase whatever amount they need or can afford. Hamlet 5, Cam Thanh, Hoi An.
DA NANG
No Waste To Go: This shop is located at: 86 An Hai 6, Son Tra, Da Nang. I spoke to Oanh, the owner who opened her shop in October 2019, inspired by other refill enterprises, with the aim to help reduce the amount of packaging waste ending up in landfills. She sells a wide range of locally produced refillable food and food ingredients, cleaning and body care products such as liquid soap, home-made soap bars and essential oils, as well as bio-enzyme cleaning products made by Minh Hong which utilise fermented citron peels and vegetable oil waste. Oanh also offers a recycle corner where people can donate their old clothes and empty, clean and sanitized jars instead of throwing them away. Customers are welcomed to take one of the donated containers from their recycle corner for refilling.
Refillin Good: I went to visit Dung, who is so passionate about the environment, that she runs her business from her apartment. She sells a range of dried goods, liquid refills including natural multi-cleaning products, enzyme nut soap, as well as essential oils and beauty products. 6th Floor, The Summit, Son Tra Ocean View, Da Nang.
During the month of July, Refillin Good support the Linen Upcycling project by donating 12% of their profits to the social enterprise GYC and CORMIS Vietnam. This project’s key function is to up-cycle high quality discarded fabrics from luxury hotels, resorts and tailors into useful products that directly benefit the at-risk communities in Central Vietnam. The organisation aims to educate local youth and women-with-disabilities with entrepreneurial skills that secures income generation; and builds community by connecting people and resources into the loop of sustainability. For more information: http://cormisvietnam.org/
HA NOI
Camoi: This is a grocery store that provides high-end products originated from organic farming and has a refill station with bio hand soap, bio dishwashing liquid and organic rice. 34A/52 To Ngoc Van Street, Tay Ho, Hà Nội.
Eco Refill: The aim of this shop is to minimize plastic waste, packaging and to promote a green environmentally friendly lifestyle. I haven’t visited the shop, but I contacted the owner who told me they sell a range of refillables including shampoo, shower gel, and a range of household cleaning products. Lane 46, 117 Thai Ha, Hà Nội.
G Fresh: G Fresh is a vegan grocery store which sells a range of fresh and packaged organic produce as well as refillable home-made sauces. 83a Trinh Cong Street, Tay Ho, Hà Nội.
Eco Refill: The aim of this shop is to minimize plastic waste, packaging and to promote a green environmentally friendly lifestyle. I haven’t visited the shop, but I contacted the owner who told me they sell a range of refillables including shampoo, shower gel, and a range of household cleaning products. Lane 46, 117 Thai Ha, Hà Nội.
Green Gem Shop: The Green Gem Shop promotes and raises awareness about reducing, reusing and recycling. They mostly sell resonably priced second hand clothing, but have a small limited refillables station. 2nd floor, 587 Lac Long Quan, Xuan La, Tay Ho, Hà Nội.
Green Life: This is an environmental project created by students, with the aim of exchanging plastic for trees and plants and providing green living solutions. They have a small refill station where you can buy biological washing up liquid, biological laundry detergent and hand soap. P306, stairs 2, A3 Collective, Lane 128C, Dai La, Dong Tam, Hà Nội.
RefillMyBottle: Refill My Bottle is a community of responsible travellers, conscious locals and mindful business owners who take action against plastic waste. Their goal is to reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles used unnecessarily throughout the world.
They provide an online map that identifies all the places – be it a cafe, resort, museum or shop – where refillers can walk in and fill up their bottle with clean drinkable water for free or a minimum fee. Based on your GPS location, the RefillMyBottle app will locate the closest water refill station to you and give you directions. Refill My Bottle water refills are available at over 2,500 locations across Southeast Asia and other countries.
“Water is a human right. To the extent one has the right to live, one has the right to water”.
Zero Waste Hanoi: This is an organic grocery store which sells a range of eco-friendly products and has a large selection of refillables, including dried food, nuts, tea, coffee, oils, laundry detergent, laundry conditioner and hand soap. I met with the owner Cao Vinh Thinh who is passionate about the environment; she describes herself as an environment activist and told me:
“an activist must be inspired and tell their action story to many people. Believe in the power of your voice, the more noise you make, the more responsibility you will demand from your leaders. Then our world will change for the better “
Cao Vinh Thinh undertook several internships at various environmental organizations including Green Peace after studying about the ecology industry and opened her first shop in 2018. Her aim is to enable customers to buy in smaller quantities to avoid food waste, to provide quality natural products that do not contain chemicals and are not cultivated with organic genetic material (GMO) and to build a Zero Waste community in Hanoi. No. 10, Lane 192, corner 66 Le Trong Tan Street, Thanh Xuan & No. 38, Alley 203 Blaze Pagoda, Dong Da, Hà Nội.
