VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS

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GROUP ASSIGMENT

TITTLE: SOLUTIONS FOR AIR POLLUTION IN HA NOI CITY

Lecture : Assoc.Prof.Dr. Le Dinh Hai

Students :
Grade : QH-2022-E KTPT5

Hà Nội, Tháng 6 năm 2021

Chapter 1: Overview of Man Xa craft village.............................................................................1
1.1 Introduction to Man Xa craft village.................................................................................1
1.2. Current status of production activities in Man Xa craft village....................................2
1.2.1 Current status of production activities from Man Xa craft village.........................2
1.2.2 SWOT of production activities in Man Xa Craft Village.........................................2
Chapter 2: Air pollution in Man Xa Craft Village.....................................................................4
2.1. Current status of the air pollution problem in Man Xa Craft village...........................4
2.2. Effect of air pollution..........................................................................................................5
2.3. Cause of pollution...............................................................................................................6
Chapter 3: Solutions implemented at Man Xa and proposed some methods to clean the air
environment....................................................................................................................................7
3.1. The solutions were implemented locally...........................................................................7
3.1.1. Solutions implemented by local people themselves...................................................7
3.1.2. Issued by the People's Committee of Van Mon commune.......................................8
3.1.3. By the People's Committee of Yen Phong district.....................................................8
3.1.4. Issued by the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province.........................................8
3.2. Propose new solutions.........................................................................................................9
Chapter 4: Significance of improving the air environment quality of Man Xa village.........10
4.1. For Man Xa village...........................................................................................................10
4.2. For the country..................................................................................................................10
References.....................................................................................................................................11
Chapter 1: Overview of Man Xa craft village

1.1 Introduction to study area-Man Xa craft village

* Development history of aluminum casting craft village

Man Xa craft village is one of the famous traditional craft villages in Bac
Ninh province. The village is located in Van My commune, Yen Phong district,
Bac Ninh province.
Man Xa is famous for metal crafting, especially stainless steel products.
Artisans in Man Xa village have made many important contributions to the
development of the metal processing industry in Bac Ninh.
Man Xa craft village has a long history and professional traditions that have
been preserved and developed over many generations. Products made by Man Xa
are highly appreciated for their quality and durability and have been consumed not
only in the domestic market but also exported to many other countries.
Man Xa craft village also makes an important contribution to local economic
development and contributes to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural
values of Bac Ninh. In addition, Man Xa also attracts tourists by the quality and
unique products created by artisans here.
* Products of Man Xa craft village
Man Xa craft village in Bac Ninh specializes in producing metal products,
especially aluminum and stainless steel. Products produced by Man Xa craft
village include:
Aluminum products: Man Xa craft village produces aluminum products such
as decorations, household appliances, furniture, and other industrial products.
Aluminum products from Man Xa often have beautiful designs and are
meticulously handcrafted by artisans here.
Products from stainless steel: In addition to aluminum, Man Xa also
manufactures products from stainless steel. Stainless steel products from Man Xa
include household appliances such as pots, pans, dishes, and other industrial
products.
1.2. Current status of production activities in Man Xa craft village
1.2.1 Current status of production activities from Man Xa craft village
- With about 1,000 households, of which 1/3 of the households have
aluminum casting furnaces, the environment here is often covered with dense dust
and smoke. Professional householders as well as workers have to work in seriously
polluted conditions, facing the risk of many diseases, including cancer.
- Every day, a small aluminum evaporation furnace operates and can
produce several kilograms of finished aluminum ingots. The Incinerator staff pours
raw materials such as aluminum scrap and aluminum cans into the incinerator.
After melting, they will be poured into molds to create finished aluminum bars.
- Because it is a traditional craft village, almost all aluminum casting
technology is outdated and ineffective. In addition, some people still do not
comply with environmental protection measures, causing the amount of ash and
slag waste to increase.
Conducting a field survey in Man Xa village on December 7, reporters
from Tri Thuc and Life Newspaper were overwhelmed by the vastness of the
aluminum slag dump, estimated at more than 370,000 tons of ash and slag waste
over a large area. approximately 2,000m2. It is worth mentioning that these types
of waste ash and slag do not go through any treatment steps but are dumped
directly into the environment by furnaces and factories.
- People working in aluminum casting furnaces come from many different
provinces and cities, from all over the country. With an income of about 300,000 -
500,000 VND/day, they are willing to trade their health to have money to send
home to take care of the whole family. The income seems high, up to tens of
millions of dong per month, but in reality, it is only used to buy medicine to treat
respiratory diseases in the future.

1.2.2 SWOT of production activities in Man Xa Craft Village

* Strengths
- Rich cultural heritage: Ma Xa craft village has a long tradition of
traditional crafts, especially the production of traditional Vietnamese conical hats.
 - Skilled artisans: The village is a convergence of highly skilled artisans,
mastering the techniques and arts of traditional crafts, ensuring high-quality
products.
- Tourism potential: The village's traditional crafts and cultural heritage
make it a potential tourist attraction, allowing visitors to learn and experience
traditional Vietnamese crafts.
- Community support: The local community actively participates in
preserving and promoting the village's traditional crafts, ensuring the continuity of
these cultural activities.
* Weaknesses
- Limited market access: Traditional crafts produced in Ma Xa craft village
may have limited access to larger markets, potentially limiting the village's
economic opportunities.
- Aging workforce: Many skilled artisans in the village belong to the older
generation. It may be necessary to attract and train younger artisans to ensure the
continuity of traditional crafts.
- Infrastructure and facilities: The village may lack modern infrastructure
and equipment, which may affect the efficiency, productivity of the artisans and
the overall development of the village.
* Opportunities
- Tourism development: There is an opportunity to develop the village into a
tourist destination further, providing cultural experiences and workshops for
visitors interested in traditional crafts.
- Export potential: With appropriate marketing and distribution channels, the
traditional crafts of Man Xa village can be exported to international markets,
expanding reach and economic opportunities for artisans.
- Product diversification: The Village could explore diversifying its product
range to cater to different markets and consumer preferences, potentially increasing
sales and revenue
* Threats
- Competition: The traditional craft industry faces competition from cheaper,
mass-produced alternatives, which can affect demand for village craft products.
 - Changing consumer preferences: A shift in consumer preferences toward
modern, mass-produced goods could affect demand for traditional crafts, posing a
threat to the economic sustainability of the village.
- Environmental and economic challenges: External factors such as climate
change, natural disasters, and economic instability can affect the village's ability to
maintain traditional crafts and economic stability.
Chapter 2: Air pollution in Man Xa Craft Village
2.1. Current status of the air pollution problem in Man Xa Craft village
- Man Xa Aluminum Recycling Village is one of the places where air
pollution levels are becoming alarming. The village is covered with a layer of dust
all year. The composition of the air in the village includes many dangerous
substances that are harmful to the health and lives of the people.
- With a large amount of concentrated ash and slag waste, the air
environment in Man Xa craft village is like a craft village hidden in toxic clouds.
On the roads, in factories, or anywhere in this craft village, there is a mixture of
black from waste oil dust, gray from waste ash and slag, and sparkling silver from
aluminum dust.
- Furthermore, the chemical smell comes from the incinerators, created by
coal and scrap melting under a thick layer of smoke, from white to all colors.
- The suffering of living in a polluted craft village persistently haunts more
than tens of thousands of Van Mon residents. In the hot season, the house is closed
and the fan blows 24/7, but the smell is still unbearable, and in the rainy season, it
lingers on the steps. In houses near factories, if they do not have a tight-fitting
glass system, they must still wear masks indoors to limit inhalation of high-level
dust.
 - The chimney of a metal-smelting household in Man Xa hamlet causes
environmental pollution.
=> Through the images, we also see that air pollution has become an
extremely common problem and is no longer strange to local people here. Partly
because this is a craft village with a tradition of aluminum casting, a long-standing
profession, and the main breadwinner of many households, we need to be able to
avoid and minimize the release of toxic gases. The impact on the environment is a
very difficult problem to solve.
2.2. Effect of air pollution

+ Due to frequent contact with polluted air sources, people in the trade
village often suffer from respiratory diseases and cause irritation and damage to the
skin mucosa. Danger can cause complications of heart failure, tuberculosis and
cancer. In addition, when exposed to greasy vapor, acid also affects people inhaled,
especially in the organ consumes high oxygen such as cardiovascular, brain.
 Each year, the number of patients died in Van Mon was about 30 people, of
which about 20 people died from cancer. Most patients who are transferred to the
station are at the end of the discovery of the disease too late because of
subjectivity, without regular medical examination to detect in time. The proportion
of children suffering from respiratory diseases accounts for a high proportion of
about 70%... (Minh Chau, [Ky 1] Pollution in Man Xa Craft Village, Bac Ninh:
Living with ash, slag - Trading health Get economically, 2021)
* The group of diseases people in Van Mon commune encounter

(Source: Nguyen Dinh Tien, Nguyen Duc Hau, Tran Yen Ly, Nguyen Thi Thu
Quynh (2020) “Evaluating damage to health costs caused by environmental
pollution in the metal recycling craft village of Van Mon commune, Yen Phong
district , Bac Ninh Province”, Journal of Science: Economics and Business,
Volume 36, Number 3 (2020) 64 - 74)
=> In general, among all disease groups, the age group with the highest rate
of disease is from 18-50 years old, especially respiratory diseases at 18.13%. The
second highest is the group of people over 50 years old, we can see that respiratory
diseases still account for the highest rate of 15.26%. And finally, the group aged 0-
18 years old, although the disease rate is relatively low, it mainly focuses on
respiratory diseases with 7.352% and the rate of other diseases is almost zero.

Van Mon commune

Disease group
0-18 years old 18-50 years old >50 years old

Group of respiratory 7,352 18,13 15,26

diseases

Digestive diseases group 0,98 10,784 8,563

Eye disease group 6,86 12,25 10,13

Other diseases 0 14,216 2,3

* Health cost damage estimation

Van Mon commune

The average cost( million VND) 6.63

 Number of households 3.375

The total cost(million VND) 22.376,35

( Source: Compiled from 2019 census data)

=> From the table above, we can see that the average cost of health damage
of Van Mon commune is 6.63 million VND, and the total cost of health care in the
craft village is 22,376.35 million VND per year. year (2019), a cost that can be
considered quite high. And the number of households having to pay for health is
about 3,375%. Not only that, this cost index shows us that the health quality of
people in Man Xa village is quite poor and this payment figure tends to increase.
2.3. Cause of pollution
The main cause of air pollution in Man Xa craft village, Bac Ninh is due to
the aluminum smelting and casting process. The process involves using a furnace
or kiln to heat aluminum to its melting point, which can produce emissions and
byproducts that contribute to air pollution. Specifically, the following factors can
contribute to air pollution during the aluminum casting process:
- Emissions
+ The release of exhaust gases during smelting and refining can contribute
to air pollution.
+ Vehicle emissions from transporting aluminum raw materials and finished
products to and from recycling facilities can contribute to pollution
- Energy sources
The energy source used for the smelting process, such as coal-fired power
plants or diesel generators, can emit pollutants that affect air quality.
- Improper waste management:
Improper disposal of waste such as slag or residue can lead to air pollution.
These wastes may contain contaminants or heavy metals that can be released into
the air when not properly treated and disposed of.
- Lack of awareness and regulation
+ Lack of knowledge about the harmful effects of air pollution as well as the
lack of regulations on environmental protection laws
 + On the other hand, because people are conservative, even though they
know clearly about the dangers, they do not have improvements or effective
measures to reduce environmental pollution.
Chapter 3: Solutions implemented at Man Xa and proposed some
methods to clean the air environment
3.1. The solutions were implemented locally
3.1.1. Solutions implemented by local people themselves
Man Xa Craft Village has implemented many measures to reduce air
pollution caused by aluminum casting.
- These include the use of advanced air filtration systems, innovative furnace
technology and the adoption of environmentally friendly molding processes.
+ Man Xa craft village has made many efforts to reduce air pollution caused
by aluminum casting. They have invested in high-quality air filtration systems to
effectively capture and remove harmful particles and pollutants, minimizing their
release into the atmosphere.
+ In addition, they have upgraded the furnace technology to improve
combustion efficiency and reduce emissions.
+ The village has also turned to environmentally friendly casting processes,
such as implementing recycled aluminum and using low-emission adhesives.
3.1.2. Issued by the People's Committee of Van Mon commune
- At the same time, in 2019, Van Mon Commune People's Committee
established a rapid response team
+ Environmental protection work to handle cases of dumping and burning
industrial waste into the environment
+ Direct the police and civil defense forces of communes and villages to
patrol and handle cases of environmental violations, dumping of domestic and
industrial waste on agricultural land, not in the right places.
3.1.3. By the People's Committee of Yen Phong district
- In 2019, the People's Committee of Yen Phong district directed the district
police to coordinate with relevant departments, the Department of Natural
Resources and Environment, and the People's Committee of Van Mon commune.
+ Set up control stations in craft villages to check the handling of input
materials to aluminum smelting furnaces in communes,
 + Mobilize establishments and households to sign a commitment not to
dump or burn waste that causes environmental pollution.
3.1.4. Issued by the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province
- At the end of 2020, the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province allowed
the People's Committee of Yen Phong district to implement many projects,
including: Project to collect, transport and treat outstanding solid waste in Man Xa
craft village, Van Mon commune; Investment project to build a treatment area for
domestic solid waste and Man Xa craft village waste with an area of 3.8 hectares.
- It is known that recently, the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province
issued a decision to sanction administrative violations of 5 aluminum casting
facilities in Man Xa village with a fine of 175 million VND/facility and decided to
suspend the operation of 9 months due to aluminum casting, but there was no
environmental impact assessment report approved by the competent authority.
=> The measures have been promulgated, but despite the support of a large
number of people and officials, their effectiveness has not yet been clearly
demonstrated. Some solutions are not sustainable and long-term, only control at a
certain point or level, and cannot be applied over a long period of time.
Furthermore, many measures are not really feasible and practical for local people,
leading to difficulty in accessing and implementing solutions.
3.2. Propose new solutions
Firstly, Develop specific instructions on policies to support funding for
building household waste incinerators in communes and commune clusters.
Secondly, establish a self-management team and develop a plan to protect
the craft village environment, ensuring compatibility with the actual situation in
the locality, especially actively mobilizing people to plant more trees, because trees
have The function of helping to purify the air, this plays a huge role in improving
the environment.
Thirdly, request the Commune Police force to monitor and strictly handle
cases of violation of craft village regulations and laws on environmental
protection, and set up surveillance cameras everywhere. a place to promptly detect
and prevent any intentional acts that damage the environmen.
Fourthly
+ Promote propaganda work to raise awareness and responsibility of local
people in particular and people across the country in general, and disseminate to
everyone the harmful effects of air pollution on life. and what society is like.
 + Actively mobilize everyone to join hands to properly treat waste and
emissions so as not to affect the environment, especially minimize the burning of
waste and have more effective treatment measures.
+ Not only that, people everywhere should also actively condemn and
criticize those who intentionally violate the law's environmental protection
regulations.
- Fifthly, regarding the management of input raw materials and scrap, it is
necessary to strengthen and introduce measures to control and prevent the bringing
of aluminum scrap, which is untreated industrial waste, and waste oil, to be
condensed at craft village area.
=> The solutions proposed by the group all closely align with the general
context of Man Xa craft village, are feasible and appropriate to the actual and
future situation. The solutions are short and concise but still ensure that
information can be conveyed to people so they can grasp the information and
implement it effectively.
Chapter 4: Significance of improving the air environment quality of
Man Xa village
4.1. For Man Xa village
Reducing air pollution in Man Xa craft village, Bac Ninh is important for
many reasons:
- Health benefits
Reducing air pollution can improve the health of village residents. Air
pollution, especially fine dust particles, can lead to respiratory diseases,
cardiovascular problems and other health problems. By reducing air pollution, the
overall health of the community can be improved.
- Environmental conservation
Air pollution contributes to environmental degradation, causing damage to
ecosystems and biodiversity. By reducing air pollution, the delicate balance of the
environment can be maintained, supporting the conservation of local flora and
fauna.
- Economic significance
Man Xa craft village is known for traditional crafts that rely on a clean and
aesthetic environment. By reducing air pollution, the village can attract more
visitors, boost tourism and sustain the economic livelihood of residents.
 - Mitigate climate change
Air pollution, including the release of greenhouse gases, contributes to
climate change. By reducing air pollution, it helps mitigate the effects of climate
change, such as extreme weather events and rising temperatures, and contributes to
global efforts to reduce and adapt to climate change.
4.2. For the country
- Health significance
The air environment plays a very important role. When the environment is
purified, it helps people avoid respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, etc. At the
same time, when health is deteriorating, The more protected it is, the better it will
help people's moods and increase people's lifespan.
- Social significance
Fresh air will help reduce traffic accidents, overcome visibility problems for
people participating in traffic, contributing to building a fresh, clean and safe
environment.
- Economic significance
Reducing air pollution will help all work go more smoothly, open up many
development opportunities for society, and contribute to helping our country
integrate and stand shoulder to shoulder with other countries in the world.
especially Singapore, a country famous for being green, clean and beautiful.
References
1. Environmental management page. (2022, 09 24). Current environmental
status of Man Xa craft village (Bac Ninh) and proposed solutions to reduce
pollution.
2. Minh Chau. (2021, 12 15). [Part 1] Pollution in Man Xa craft village, Bac
Ninh: Living with ash and slag - trading health for economy.
3. Minh Chau. (2021, 12 16). [Part 2] Pollution in Man Xa craft village, Bac
Ninh: Countless documents and instructions, the reality is still... pollution.
4. Nguyen Dinh Tien, N.D. (2020, 9). Evaluation of health costs caused by
environmental pollution in the metal recycling craft village of Van Mon commune,
Yen Phong district, Bac Ninh province.
5. Pollution in Man Xa craft village, Bac Ninh: Living with ash and slag -
trading health for economy. (2021, 12 16).
 6. Vietnamese craft village electronic magazine. (2022, 9 8). Yen Phong
(Bac Ninh): Environmental pollution in Man Xa craft village poses many
challenges for the locality.
7. Thiennhien.net. (2015, 08 31). Unimaginable pollution in Man Xa, Bac
Ninh.
8. Tran Van Thien. (2016). Current status of environmental pollution,
workers' health, and effectiveness of intervention measures in Van Mon metal
recycling craft village, Yen Phong, Bac Ninh, Doctoral thesis in public health,
Central Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology naughty.
9. Yen Phong District People's Committee. (2022). Overall project for
environmental treatment of craft villages in Van Mon commune, Yen Phong
district for the period 2022 - 2026.
10. Van Mon Commune People's Committee. (2021). Report on the current
situation and solutions to overcome environmental pollution in craft villages in
Man Xa village, Van Mon commune.