Ministry of Science and TechnologyTaiwan, R.O.C.

2015 Southeast Asia International Joint-Research and Training Program『 To Promote Sustainable Protection and Restoration of Soil and Groundwater Environment』

Current state of soil use in Vietnam and remediation orientation

Dr. Phan Dinh Tuan, Dr. Nguyen Huu Quynh AnhHochiminh City University of Natural Ressources and Environment (HCMUNRE), Vietnam

2015/08/22

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CONTENTS

1. General information of soil pollution2. Causes of agricultural soil pollution3. Effects of agricultural soil pollution4. Remediations and solutions5. Conclusions

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Total land area: 33,097,100 ha Forestry and agricultural land:

25,615,500 ha (74.94%) Non-agricultural land: 3,777,400

ha (9.76%) Unused land: 2,948,800 ha

(15.30%)

GENERAL INFORMATION

General Statistics Office of Vietnam, as of 2013

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Around 260 industrial parks, 1.600 industrial clusters and more than 700 urban areas

Pollutions hotspots : Landfills (sanitary and unsanitary), Gas emissions and solid wastes

Soil pollution : Industrial zones and urban factor

Soil pollution : rural and agricultural factor

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More than 9 millions ha in total, around 4 millions ha for rice and paddy fields

3.355 craft villages (especially metal scrap recycle) cause heavy pollution to soil (heavy metal contamination)

Excessive farming, construction, overgrazing, burning of grass cover and deforestation

Agricultural soil pollution

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Growing population : increasing quantity of food and foodstuff, intensive use of chemical substances o Fertiliser (NPK): accumulation of nitrate and heavy metal in

soil, increasing of soil acidificationo Pesticide and herbicide : organic chlorine (DDT), organic

phosphorus, carbamate, pyrethroid : persistence and long degradation time

Use of growth stimulators to mitigate crop losses and increase the harvest

Agriculture soil pollution

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Agent orange: code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants (results in leaf fall) used during the Vietnam War, between 1962 and 1971

anti fertility, skin problems, cancer

Effects of Agricultural soil pollutionh

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Soil salinisation and acidification : Loss of soil productivity, depletion of fauna and flora, reduction of agricultural land.

Soil erosion, flood inundation Human health related issues Effect on aquatic animals

Remediations and solutions

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Reduction of chemical products and fertilizerUtilization of environmental products

o Biopesticides and bioinsecticides derived from plants, bacteria, animals and minerals : less toxic, small quantity and decompose quickly.

Develop model of organic farming : combined crops and livestocks, rotating crops and using compost, manure and clover.

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Development of selected crops for anti erosion effectiveness

Controlled grazing and forest management.Afforestation and reforestation. Cropping techniques should be improved to prevent

growth of weeds.Control the pollutants from the landfills and install

more waste treatment systems.

Remediations and solutions

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Cropping techniques should be improved to prevent growth of weeds.

Control the pollutants from the landfills and install more waste treatment systems

Applied of advanced technologies to the monitoring of soil contamination and the climate change in agriculture

Using different treatment approaches include physical, chemical and biological technique for effective soil remediation

Remediations and solutions

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Improvement of legislation and policy system for soil and underground water pollution control

Encourage and support the Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practice standard (VietGAP) for production of fresh vegetables and fruits.

Development and implementation of national strategy for soil and underground water pollution control (integrated measures)

Strengthening of legislation enforcement (environmental fee etc.)

Publication of materials on environmental and soil and underground water pollution issues

Raising awareness of the people on the strict use of pesticides

Regulation and Land law

Soil pollution in Vietnam could be considered a serious problem

It should be invested in clean agriculture, diversification of crops, and minimize the use of chemical products

It should be more focused on sustainable productivity than increasing the productivity of crops and livestocks

Improvement of a nationwide survey and remediation of soil pollution is necessary

It is a key point to have more cooperation on sustainable development and environmental development all over the world

Conclusions

Ministry of Science and TechnologyTaiwan, R.O.C.

2015 Southeast Asia International Joint-Research and Training Program『 To Promote Sustainable Protection and Restoration of Soil and Groundwater Environment』

Website: www.hcmunre.edu.vn