By Indranil Seth, Hoang Thanh Vinh, Vu Thai Truong

As published in Hà Nội Mới Newspaper on 17 July, 2026

Ha Noi is undergoing one of its most ambitious periods of urban transformation.  New ring roads and multiple bridges across the Red River, and expanded metro connections are reshaping the capital at a very rapid pace. However, these investments have led to enormous amounts of construction and demolition waste (CDW). Materials such as concrete, bricks, soil, steel, and asphalt are accumulating faster than the city's existing treatment system can handle.

According to Ha Noi’s Department of Agriculture and Environment (DAE), daily CDW generation increased from approximately 2,000 tons in 2025 to a towering 10,000 tons in early 2026. As the city accelerates its transport infrastructure upgrade, this figure is likely to increase further in the near future.

This surge is already outpacing the city's ability to manage it. Ha Noi's existing treatment facilities can process only about 1,670 tonnes per day which is less than one-fifth of the waste generated daily. If current practices continue, the city will face growing pressure on landfills, higher waste management costs, increased environmental impacts, and missed economic opportunities.

At the same time, Viet Nam’s 2020 Environmental Protection Law requires reusable construction waste to be recycled and reused in accordance with circular economy (CE) principles. Despite the policy direction, large volumes of reusable materials such as soil, stone, concrete, bricks, sand waste, and steel rebars keep piling up in different parts of Ha Noi at an alarming rate.

What appears to be a waste management challenge is, in fact, an opportunity to accelerate Ha Noi's transition towards a circular economy.

Challenges for CDW recycling and reuse
In Viet Nam, recycling technologies are already available, and the relevant standards have, to some extent, been developed. However, the gap between “having the tools in place” and “operating effectively in practice” is considerable, for the following reasons:
•    Construction waste is highly mixed because materials are not sorted during demolition, which drives the cost of re-sorting, recycling, and transportation.
•    Demand for recycled materials remains unstable due to concerns about their quality, while virgin materials continued to be preferred. 
•    There is a lack of space and land for Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), while opportunities to leverage public procurement remains largely untapped.

As a result, materials that could re-enter the economy are instead transported, dumped, or left unused.

Turning Challenges into Opportunities: Lessons from International Experience
Ha Noi is not alone as cities around the world face similar challenges but are increasingly viewing demolition waste as a valuable secondary construction resource.

The European Union (EU) classifies CDW as a priority waste stream by mandating selective demolition to ensure material separation during demolition stage and a recovery/ recycling minimum target of 70% by weight (1). This approach is direct and reduces waste at its source through government mandates and regulations while creating markets for recycled materials.

In the United States, the approach to managing CDW is largely market-driven, with private waste management companies leading recovery and recycling efforts. Government incentives and market recognition for green construction (e.g. LEED, Green Globes etc.) encourage developers to reuse demolition waste (LEED awards points for 50% to 75%(2) reuse) by diverting it from landfills.

China has adopted a combination of policy mandates and technology-enabled accountability to reduce and manage CDW. Their national 5-year plans require city municipalities to reduce CDW by increasing recycling rates to 60% by 2025(3). Digital tracking systems are increasingly utilized by Chinese cities to track CDW. This helps in improving recovery rates and prevent illegal dumping. Waste hauling trucks integrated with a digital tracking systems can ensure proper transportation and quick clearance of CDW.

In India, which is also witnessing high urban construction growth, the shift towards a CE model is enabled by a pillared approach of regulatory thresholds, extended producer responsibility (EPR), recycling mandates, and dedicated processing facilities. Large urban local bodies (ULBs) by population are legally mandated to have CDW processing and recycling facilities. ULBs having projects (≥ 20,000 sq. meters) are subject to mandatory recycling and EPR targets(4).

In Japan and Singapore, public investment projects, including road construction, sidewalks, and parks are mandated to use 30% to 50% recycled CDW.

Short-Term Actions to Reduce CDW Pressure in Ha Noi
Several practical measures can significantly reduce pressure on existing treatment facilities.
•    Mandatory sorting of materials at the demolition site will improve recycling rates and lower processing costs.
•    Mobile crushing plants deployed at demolition sites can reduce transportation costs while converting concrete and masonry waste into reusable construction materials.
•    Additional temporary processing sites located close to major construction projects will improve logistics, reduce truck traffic, lower dust emissions, reduce pressure on centralized waste treatment infrastructure, and help eliminate illegal dumping.

National Actions to Advance Circularity in CDW management
To effectively advance circularity in CDW requires an enabling policy environment that encourages investment, creates demand for recycled materials, and strengthens accountability across the construction sector. Government intervention can support in various ways, such as improving transport tracking, setting recovery and recycling targets, and creating market conditions that encourage investment in recovery and reuse.

The government can further support the sector through green financing and low-interest loans, as well as policies that encourage sustainable demolition and construction practices. Green building standards and certification systems like LOTUS, LEED, EDGE, and Green Mark can ensure that CE practices are adopted with selective demolition, on-site material sorting, recycling CDW as aggregates or as cement replacements.

Most importantly, public procurement can become a powerful driver of change. By requiring recycled content in public infrastructure projects, government can create demand, stimulate investment, and build confidence in recycled construction materials.

By viewing CDW as a valuable resource, Ha Noi can reduce environmental impacts, improve resource efficiency, lower carbon emissions, and build a more resilient and circular future. 
The need of the hour is to strengthen implementation through better regulation, stronger market incentives, digital innovation, and coordinated action across government and industry.

As Ha Noi continues to grow, the city has a unique opportunity to transform the linear "take-make-dispose" model into a circular model that conserves resources, reduces carbon footprint, and creates jobs.


Reference:

1. European Demolition Assoc. (https://www.europeandemolition.org/communication/news/eu-targets-demolition-waste)
2. LEED (https://www.usgbc.org/credits/new-construction-core-and-shell/v5/mrc5)
3. Circular. (https://www.circularonline.co.uk/news/china-targets-60-reuse-of-household-waste-by-2025/)
4. MONGABAY (https://news.mongabay.com/short-article/2025/05/india-sets-construction-waste-recycling-targets-with-new-rules