Project: From Đắk Lắk to the Region: Scalable Zero Waste Solutions by and for Communities

Location: Dak Lak Province (eastern region)

Duration: December 2025 – December 2026

Donor Organization: Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)

Implementing Organization: Center for Supporting Green Development

Description:

The project “From Đắk Lắk to the Region: Scalable Zero Waste Solutions by and for Communities” pilots a low-cost, community-based source separation model in rural and coastal areas of Đắk Lắk Province. The project places strong emphasis on the active participation and leadership of local communities and women informal waste workers, addressing key challenges in solid waste management, environmental pollution, and the implementation of source separation policies under Viet Nam’s Environmental Protection Law.

Through the establishment of community pilot clusters, the project supports household-level source separation, small-scale composting, and localized collection and recycling systems, aiming to reduce at least 40% of waste sent to landfill or incineration. In parallel, the project strengthens behavior change communication, builds community capacity, and generates practical, locally grounded data to support waste management planning and policy development at the local level.

By applying a co-design approach, fostering learning and knowledge exchange, and connecting with the Vietnam Zero Waste Alliance, the project contributes to the development of an inclusive, equitable, and scalable solid waste management model. The initiative supports Viet Nam’s transition toward zero waste and a circular economy, particularly in rural and coastal communities.